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First-Rate, First-Line Immune Defense When your throat gets scratchy, you feel feverish, or you see a red welt developing around that tiny splinter, you are seeing the effects of a highly sophisticated immune defense strategy. Symptoms of a sickness tell us that our immune defenses have mounted a counterattack against whatever infectious agent has entered our body. In order to work well, our immune system must operate like a well-oiled machine. Much like the workings of sensitive radar, the immune system must recognize germs as foreign intruders and separate them from the body’s own cells and molecules. Because it works on a molecular level, immune cells work as part of a highly complex and reactive system. The immune system’s ability to respond properly determines our very health and survival. When bacteria, viruses, fungi, toxins or cancer cells invade, the immune system springs into action, seeking out and eradicating the infectious enemy. Immune system agents are activated to neutralize potentially dangerous microbes. In addition, other immune cells act as messengers, releasing molecules that work to fine tune the whole process. Whenever our immune system successfully foils an infection, it emerges stronger and better equipped to fight future health threats.
The most common types of allergic diseases occur when the immune system responds to a false alarm. In an allergic person, a normally harmless material such as grass pollen or house dust is mistaken for a threat and attacked.
Allergies such as pollen allergy are related to the antibody known as IgE. Like other antibodies, each IgE antibody is specific; one acts against oak pollen, another against ragweed.
An allergy is a disorder of the immune system that is often called atopy. Allergic reactions occur to environmental substances known as allergens; these reactions are acquired, predictable and rapid. Strictly, allergy is one of four forms of hypersensitivity and is called type I (or immediate) hypersensitivity. It is characterized by excessive activation of certain white blood cells called mast cells and basophils by a type of antibody, known as IgE, resulting in an extreme inflammatory response. Common allergic reactions include eczema, hives, hay fever, asthma, food allergies, and reactions to the venom of stinging insects such as wasps and bees. Mild allergies like hay fever, are highly prevalent in the human population and cause symptoms such as allergic conjunctivitis and runny nose. Similarly, conditions such as asthma are common, in which allergy plays a major role. In some people, severe allergies to environmental or dietary allergens, or to medication, occur that may result in life-threatening anaphylactic reactions and potentially death. A variety of tests now exist to diagnose allergic conditions; these include testing the skin for responses to known allergens or analyzing the blood for the presence and levels of allergen-specific IgE. Treatments for allergies include allergen avoidance, use of antihistamines, steroids or other oral medications, immunotherapy to desensitize the response to allergen, and targeted therapy.
Kenneth A. Bock M.D., F.A.A.F.P. Dr. Bock received his M.D. with honors from the University of Rochester School of Medicine in 1979. For the past 17 years he has integrated alternative modalities with conventional medicine into what he terms Progressive Medicine. He is an instructor in the Department of Family Medicine at Albany Medical College. He is the co-author of two books: "The Road to Immunity" and "Natural Relief for your Child's Asthma". Dr. Bock is a member of the medical advisory board with the research which has been conducted here.
Overview of the immune system
The immune system is a multifaceted system comprised of more than a trillion cells, with a collective weight of about 1 kg (2.2 pounds).2 There are three essential properties of the immune system: first, it has the ability to recognize alien substances such as bacteria, viruses, and parasites; second, it specifically reacts to each invading pathogen; and third, the immune system remembers the alien invader and quickly repels future invasions. Many infectious agents mutate readily, thereby presenting a different appearance to the immune system. This is the reason that we are repeatedly susceptible to viral infections such as colds and flues. Some parasites also rapidly mutate to evade our immune defenses. This is the reason for the cyclical flare-ups experienced by malaria victims. Each mutation that alters the appearance of the virus or parasite must be dealt with by a separate immune response. Within the immune system there are two separate responses to abnormal or foreign substances. The first response is called the humoral immune reaction which involves the production of immunoglobulins, often referred to as "antibodies." The second response is the cellular immune response, or cell-mediated immunity (CMI). This response depends on communication between various types of immune system cells (lymphocytes).
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Older individuals are susceptible to yeast infections, bladder infections, mental disorders and influenza, which accounts for thousands of deaths annually among older communities. Supplementing a good diet fortified with additional vitamins and minerals for older individuals could help prevent devastating infections, which are costly both in terms of money and of misery. Signs and symptoms
Common symptoms of allergy Affected organ Symptom Nose swelling of the nasal mucosa (allergic rhinitis) Sinuses allergic sinusitis Eyes redness and itching of the conjunctiva (allergic conjunctivitis). Airways Sneezing, coughing, bronchoconstriction, wheezing and dyspnea, sometimes outright attacks of asthma, in severe cases the airway constricts due to swelling known as angioedema Ears feeling of fullness, possibly pain, and impaired hearing due to the lack of eustachian tube drainage. Skin rashes, such as eczema and hives (urticaria) Gastrointestinal tract abdominal pain, bloating, vomiting, Diarrhea. Many allergens are airborne particles, such as dust or pollen. Allergic rhinitis, also known as hay fever, occurs in response to airborne pollen, and causes irritation of the nose, sneezing, and itching and redness of the eyes. Inhaled allergens can also lead to asthmatic symptoms, caused by narrowing of the airways (bronchoconstriction) and increased production of mucus in the lungs, shortness of breath (dyspnea), coughing and wheezing. Aside from these ambient allergens, allergic reactions can result from foods, insect stings, and reactions to medications like aspirin, and antibiotics such as penicillin. Symptoms of food allergy include abdominal pain, bloating, vomiting, diarrhoea, itchy skin, and swelling of the skin during hives or angiooedema. Food allergies rarely cause respiratory (asthmatic) reactions, or rhinitis. Insect stings, antibiotics and certain medicines produce a systemic allergic response that is also called anaphylaxis; multiple systems can be affected including the digestive system, the respiratory system, and the circulatory system. Depending of the rate of severity, it can cause cutaneous reactions, bronchoconstriction, edema, hypotension, coma and even death. This type of reaction can be triggered suddenly or the onset can be delayed. The severity of this type of allergic response often requires injections of epinephrine, sometimes through a device known as the Epi-Pen auto-injector. The nature of anaphylaxis is such that the reaction can seemingly be subsiding, but may recur throughout a prolonged period of time.
Substances that come into contact with the skin, such as latex are also common causes of allergic reactions, known as contact dermatitis or eczema. Skin allergies frequently cause rashes, or swelling and inflammation within the skin, in what is known as a "wheal and flare" reaction characteristic of hives and angioedema.
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