Greetings Stem Social community, I hope you are all having a great day. In this community we talk a lot, at least those of us who are dedicated to medical issues, of what are the diseases with unknown origin, we also make mention of some diseases that are related to allergic reactions in specific areas of our body, however, all the latter have a point in common and it is the way in which the allergic reaction is executed.
That is why I said to myself, from a reading of the recent Post of my friend 
If you are one of the people who have recurrent allergies in any part of your body, or if you know someone who suffers from them, I invite you to keep reading, because what I am about to tell you will surely interest you.
But, before we go any further, when we talk about allergy, what specifically are we referring to?
An allergy is an exaggerated immune system response to a substance that is normally harmless to most people. These substances are known as allergens, and can include pollens, dust mites, pet dander, foods, medications and others.
Different cell types are involved in the allergic response, I would like to talk to you about them below:
T helper 2 (Th2) lymphocytes: These cells help regulate the allergic immune response by producing proinflammatory cytokines such as interleukin-4 (IL-4) and interleukin-13 (IL-13).
B lymphocytes: These cells produce IgE-type antibodies, which bind to cells with IgE receptors, especially in mast cells and basophils, causing the release of inflammatory mediators.
Neutrophils and eosinophils: These are types of white blood cells that are also activated during allergic reactions, the former are responsible for fighting infections, while the latter are more specific in inflammation related to allergic reactions.
Basophils: These are cells present in the blood and in tissues such as the skin, which like mast cells contain histamine and other inflammatory substances, they are activated when IgE antibody binds to them.
**Mast cells are cells present in tissues such as skin and mucous membranes, containing large numbers of cytoplasmic granules containing histamine and other inflammatory substances. When mast cells are activated by IgE antibodies, they release these substances, and cause the characteristic symptoms such as "redness, swelling and itching".
I would like to focus on these last two cell types, especially mast cells, as they are the ones that release Histamine, the substance that is mainly responsible for the effects we can see in allergic reactions.
Mast cells are cells of the immune system found in the skin and mucosal tissues. They are also found in smaller amounts in internal organs such as the lungs, liver, spleen and lymphatic system. These cells have a high content of cytoplasmic granules containing inflammatory substances such as histamine, serotonin and proteases.
Mast cells are activated by various stimuli, such as infection, injury, allergy or autoimmune reaction. When activated, mast cells release inflammatory substances contained in their granules, causing swelling and vasodilation. These substances also contribute to the attraction of other immune system cells, which helps fight infection or injury.
The release of inflammatory substances are also associated with allergic reactions, such as urticaria and asthma. Allergens can activate mast cells, causing the release of histamine and other inflammatory mediators, resulting in symptoms such as swelling, redness and itching, as I mentioned above.
So How does the immune response occur?
When a person is exposed to an allergen, their immune system produces specific antibodies, known as IgE, to fight it. During the next exposure to the same allergen, these antibodies bind to specialized cells, such as mast cells and basophils, causing the release of inflammatory substances, such as histamine. This causes the symptoms of an allergic reaction.
This is why a person can eat, for example, shrimp one time and have no complications, but the memory is created, and once they have a second exposure the allergy mechanisms are activated.
Symptoms can range from mild, such as itchy skin or sneezing, to severe, such as an asthma attack or anaphylactic shock. Symptoms usually appear quickly after exposure to the allergen, but in some cases may take several hours to appear.
A common question is Can allergies be cured?, and the answer is not definitive in this case.
Allergy to an allergen, such as dust, pollen, mold or dust mites, can often be treated with medication to alleviate symptoms, but cannot be cured definitively.
However, some techniques can be used to reduce sensitivity to the allergen and reduce the severity of symptoms. One example is allergen-specific immunotherapy , in which the patient is gradually exposed to increasing doses of the allergen responsible for the allergy. Over time, this can help desensitize the patient and reduce the severity of symptoms. But it is neither definitive nor an absolute cure.
I will talk about allergen specific immunotherapy later, I think it is an interesting way to minimize the negative effects of allergies. Are you interested in knowing more about it?
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The most commonly used treatment for allergies is the intake of medications such as loratadine, levocetirizine, and similar medications, which fall into a group called Anti histamines, I have to assume that after reading this publication you can understand perfectly why they are called that name. Also, depending on the case steroids may be indicated.
I finish here with this information that I hope has been to your liking, understanding and that it has left you good information, if you have something to add you can leave it in the comments and so we all help each other.
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