Allergies and intolerances are the same
Food intolerance and food allergy are two different conditions that affect the body in two different ways. Food intolerance is the inability to digest or break down certain foods, while a food allergy is an immune system response. The immune system treats a specific food as a threat and releases antibodies to fight it. Intolerances do not usually cause any serious harm, but allergies can be life-threatening.
Adults can’t develop new allergies
While it’s true that kids have a higher risk of developing allergies than adults do, it’s also possible for some adults to acquire an allergy later in life. The most common adult-onset allergies are food allergies and dust mite allergies. Most people who develop adult-onset allergies do so in their twenties and thirties.
Allergies cannot be treated
While no cure currently exists for allergies, there are several ways to reduce the symptoms. One treatment method is allergy immunotherapy, which gradually exposes a person to his or her allergens while they receive allergy shots. This has been shown to reduce allergic reactions and it can also help people become less sensitive to their allergens.
Peanut allergies are the most severe
Peanut allergies are common, but each person’s reaction is unique. Although tree nuts, shellfish, and eggs are the most common food allergens, any food can trigger a reaction. The severity of the reaction varies from person to person, which is why there’s no way to rank peanut allergies. Some people may have only mild reactions while others may not be able to eat peanuts at all.
Short-haired pets don’t trigger allergies
Allergies are not caused by hairs on dogs and cats. You can get a pet with short hair, but it is unlikely to help you if you suffer from allergies. Dander, which is formed when a pet’s skin cells die off, triggers the allergic reaction. Dead skin cells also fall off pets and become airborne. Pet hair can collect pollen, mold spores, and other outdoor allergens.
There are hypoallergenic breeds
If you have allergies and your family has just welcomed a new puppy or kitten into the home, you may be wondering if you’re going to need to find a new home for your new pet. The idea that some cats and dogs are “hypoallergenic” is a common misconception, but it’s simply not true. Contrary to popular opinion, there are no truly hypoallergenic breeds of dogs or cats.
Everybody has an allergy
Allergies are an overproduction of a certain antibody called IgE. Allergies cause asthma and hay fever symptoms. Allergies do not occur in all people, but everyone has the potential to become allergic to something. If your body produces high levels of IgE antibodies that react strongly with specific allergens, then you experience allergy symptoms such as asthma and hay fever.
Dust allergies only happen in dirty homes
While you may not be able to see dust mites with the naked eye, they can irritate your skin and cause you to have allergies and asthma. Dust mites can occur in any house; the cleanliness of your house doesn’t matter. All it takes is a few dead skin cells, which you shed constantly. They will stick to bedding and soft furnishings if you don’t clean them regularly.
Flower pollen causes most allergies
If you suffer from seasonal allergies, you may think that flowers are one of the main culprits behind your symptoms. After all, they’re everywhere in the spring and summer, and they look gorgeous – but it’s not true! Rather, tree, grass, and weed pollens are the common allergens that cause your eyes to water and your nose to run.
Bee pollen can treat allergies
The idea that bee pollen can be used as a natural treatment for allergies has been around for centuries. In practice, however, the effectiveness of bee pollen varies widely depending on the person taking it. There have been many anecdotal reports of people seeing benefits from using bee pollen as an allergy treatment, but there have also been reports of people having serious allergic reactions to bee pollen.
Allergies only occur in the summer
Weather can affect allergies. Some people who are allergic to pollen are less affected by their allergies during the winter months because they’re not exposed to pollen outdoors. However, indoor allergens such as mold spores and dust mites can be a problem year-round, especially during winter holidays.
Hay fever is harmless
The symptoms of hay fever aren’t serious in most cases, but they can be inconvenient and disruptive to your everyday life. Along with sneezing and coughing up mucus, you might experience a stuffy nose and itchy eyes. But sometimes hay fever can lead to more serious complications or secondary infections. These include sinusitis, otitis media and pneumonia.
People with egg allergies cannot get vaccines
The most common reason people avoid the flu vaccine is because of fear that there’s a risk of allergic reaction to the vaccine, which isn’t true. The seasonal flu shot is made using an egg-based process, but it’s not possible for people with egg allergies to have an adverse reaction to it.
Allergy blood tests do not reveal allergies
The problem with at-home blood tests is that while they can reveal if you are sensitized to a certain food (meaning your immune system has created antibodies against that food), this does not mean you are allergic to that food. If you want to know if you are truly allergic to something, the best way is still an oral food challenge.
Artificial dyes cause allergies
Artificial food dyes have been the topic of much debate over the years. Studies have claimed to have found a link between artificial coloring and allergies, but medical experts are skeptical and believe that further research is required before making any conclusions. There’s actually no scientific evidence to support a link between exposure to artificial coloring and allergies – so enjoy those bright candies.
Colds and allergies are the same
Though there are similarities between colds and allergies, there are also many differences. For instance, people with colds experience sneezing and itchy eyes at times, but often only in one nostril at a time. If you have allergies, you may have itchy eyes in both eyes or watery eyes all over. Colds tend to not cause congestion; they’re associated more with sneezing and coughing.
Allergy medication becomes less effective over time
There are still people who believe that overuse of allergy medicine could actually make them more susceptible to allergies! Talk about a bunch of hokum. The truth is that allergy medication doesn’t cause ‘tolerance’, meaning that the body eventually stops feeling the benefits of the medication. What it will do is give you relief from allergy symptoms and let you live a normal life.
Location can affect your allergies
Since many people living in coastal areas complain of allergies, it’s tempting to believe that moving to the coast will relieve allergies. However, studies suggest that in the majority of cases, moving to the coast does not relieve seasonal allergies. Local pollens may still cause allergies due to subtle differences in their proteins compared to pollen sources further away.
Eliminating wheat and dairy helps hay fever
It would be great if we could just eliminate one thing from our diets to improve our hay fever/allergic rhinitis. Unfortunately, diet is not the silver bullet for asthma and allergic rhinitis management. Eliminating wheat and milk will help your allergy, but only if you are confirmed to be allergic to wheat and milk.
You can’t develop a pet allergy unless you own a pet
Even though it is common knowledge that being around animals like cats and horses can lead to allergic reactions, the fact is that you can actually get affected by animal allergens even if you do not own pets yourself. It is important to remember that just because you do not interact with animals on a daily basis does not mean you shouldn’t take precautions against them.
Allergies are genetic
There’s a common misconception that allergies are hereditary. That doesn’t mean you’re definitely going to give your children allergies by just being their parent. In fact, it means the opposite of that. Allergies are caused by an overactive immune system.
Eating raw honey cures allergies
While there are some real benefits to raw honey, the claim that it can prevent allergies is a misconception. The idea that honey with local pollen can prevent allergies is based on the assumption that the pollen would be transferred from flower to bee to honey, but this doesn’t happen. The only pollen in honey comes from the nectar of flowers and not from the flowers themselves.
Allergies are psychosomatic
It is possible for some people to develop allergy-like symptoms when they get panicky or very anxious, but this phenomenon is different from having an actual allergy. It’s important to note that even though these symptoms may look like an allergy attack, they usually subside within minutes because there is no true allergic reaction taking place.
Exposure can build up immunity
Many people have heard that the best way to build immunity to a particular allergen is by exposing themselves to it regularly. The logic is that if you’re exposed to something all the time, your body will get used to it and won’t be as sensitive anymore. This just isn’t true: exposure only works in certain cases and it has to be controlled in order to work.
You are born with allergies
Babies aren’t born with allergies. That’s a myth! Allergies are a learned response to specific substances that the body has considered harmful. So, even if your child is exposed to a problematic food or substance, it still takes time for them to develop an allergy. In fact, it can take months or years of exposure before a child develops an allergy to something.
Allergies are contagious
Hay fever is a common allergy, caused by pollen, that results in a runny nose, itchy eyes and a sore throat. The symptoms are similar to those of the common cold, but hay fever stands on its own. It does not cause the body-wide aches and chills that come with a cold, and it is definitely not contagious.
Hay fever only occurs during the day
When the sun goes down, you might think your worst allergy symptoms have finally let up for the night. But pollen and other allergens can still be floating through your bedroom at night – and it could be making your hay fever worse than it is during the day. Make sure to close your windows so pollen and other allergens can’t settle in your room.
Food allergies are common
Many people claim they have a food allergy but really just suffer from “food intolerance,” a condition that causes unpleasant side effects like bloating or diarrhea after eating certain foods. In fact, only about 8 percent of children and 2 percent of adults actually have a food allergy.
You can be allergic to sugar
People often mistakenly think they have an allergy to sugar. Sugar is not a protein, so it’s impossible to have an allergy to sugar itself. You may be sensitive to sugar, which means that your body is unable to break down the sugar molecule properly and it can cause unpleasant symptoms like bloating and diarrhea. However, it is not an immune response, so it is not a true allergy.
Lactose intolerance is an allergy
Lactose intolerance is a condition that affects people of all ages. It is not a true allergy to milk, but rather a problem with digesting the sugar in milk. Lactose is made of two smaller sugars – glucose and galactose. When the body doesn’t have enough of the enzyme lactase, it can’t break down the lactose. This undigested lactose stays in the stomach and causes problems in the intestines.
Allergic reactions are caused by allergens
You know how your skin breaks out in a rash whenever you eat something your immune system doesn’t like? Well, it’s actually the result of your body defending itself against the allergen. However, instead of attacking the invader straight on, these antibodies attack the body itself and cause a reaction. Those nasty hives are just your immune system’s way of protecting you!
Small animals don’t trigger allergies
If you have allergies, a pet in your home may be something to avoid. While cats and dogs are the most common animals that cause allergies, other types of pets can cause allergies as well. For example, hamsters, guinea pigs, birds, and other warm-blooded mammals can also trigger asthma and allergies in people with allergies to animal dander.
Air purifiers can help control allergies
Some people who suffer from allergies to pet dander say that they have found relief by running a high-efficiency air purifier in their home. However, it is important to note that not all air cleaners are created equally. If you choose to get an air cleaner, make sure it is one that has been reviewed as being particularly effective at removing allergens.
Celiac disease is a gluten allergy
Wheat and gluten allergies are not real food allergies – they’re conditions that cause problems with the immune system. People who react to wheat develop antibodies against proteins in wheat as a result of a reaction to wheat proteins. In people with celiac disease, these antibodies react against the small intestine, causing it to become inflamed and damaged.
You can be allergic to any food
There are all sorts of things that can set off an allergic reaction, but the most common culprits in food are usually seafood, nuts, shellfish, eggs, and dairy. But there are other allergens that may not be as commonly noted on food labels, especially if they’re less likely to cause severe reactions. Examples include mustard and sesame seeds.
Allergies develop from a lack of exposure
The idea that a child who doesn’t get early exposure to the allergens out there will be less likely to develop allergies later is one of the most prevalent myths about allergies. While it’s true that some people seem to inherit a greater risk of developing an allergy, the condition itself tends not to have anything to do with how much someone gets exposed to allergens.
It’s okay to eat a little of the food you’re allergic to
Trace amounts of allergen are often overlooked by many people, but they can be a serious danger for those with food allergies. Food allergy symptoms range from mild to severe, but even trace amounts of an allergen can cause anaphylaxis – a life-threatening condition that requires immediate medical attention.
Allergic reactions can get worse over time
Food allergies are a serious issue that affect many people of all ages. There is no way to predict how your body will react the next time you eat a certain food. One time you could have a mild reaction and the next time it could be severe. It’s important to be prepared in case you have a reaction and need emergency medication.
All allergies can be treated with antihistamines
While antihistamines can temporarily relieve allergy symptoms like itchy eyes, runny nose, sneezing and hives, they aren’t effective for severe reactions such as anaphylaxis. They don’t prevent a life-threatening reaction from progressing or reverse the symptoms once they’ve already started. In fact, taking an antihistamine at the wrong time could actually be harmful because it could prevent epinephrine from working when it’s needed most.
Allergies only affect your respiratory system
If you’ve been sneezing, coughing, and feeling generally under the weather during allergy season, you’re not alone – these symptoms are typical of seasonal allergies. But what some people don’t realize is that allergies can cause a lot more than stuffiness and watery eyes. In fact, they could also bring on other unpleasant symptoms, such as headaches, fatigue, clogged ears, irritability, pink eye, and even trouble sleeping.
