Share: Email Share
A Glossary of Allergy and Immunology Terms
2011-08-22
Allergen: any substance (usually a protein, but not always) that can trigger an allergic response.
Allergen Immunotherapy: a treatment for allergy consisting of administration of the substance triggering the allergic reaction in gradually incrementing doses until a target maintenance dose is reached. This is done according to a schedule, usually over several months, and is then followed by administration of the maintenance dose every month for several years. This treatment modifies the patient’s immune response to the allergen, shifting it away from the allergic type of response to one that poses no danger. Immunotherapy is administered by subcutaneous injection in North America, and also sublingually in certain parts of the world such as Europe.
Allergic Salute: a gesture commonly observed in nasal allergy sufferers consisting of rubbing the nose upward with the hand to alleviate irritation and/or wipe away secretions.
Allergic Crease: a crease seen at or below the bridge of the nose in nasal allergy sufferers, caused by repeated rubbing of the nose upwards.
Allergic Reaction: the symptoms caused by the release of histamine and other inflammatory substances in the body after certain cells of the immune system, the mast cells, have encountered an allergen. Allergic reactions can consist of hives on the skin, itchiness of the mouth, nose, eyes and ears, sneezing, watery eyes, increased nasal secretions and congestion, constriction of the airways, even gastrointestinal symptoms like vomiting and diarrhea. Severe allergic reactions can lead to decreased blood pressure with loss of consciousness.
Allergic Rhinitis: an allergic reaction occurring in the nose and typically consisting of sneezing, increased nasal secretions, and nasal congestion.
Allergic Shiners: the dark or bluish colouration seen around the eyes of allergy sufferers, resembling bruises, caused by congestion of the blood circulation in the veins due to the inflammation associated with allergies.
Angioedema: soft tissue swelling seen in some allergic reactions. It is similar to hives but occurs at a deeper level in and below the skin.
Allergy: a misguided response of the immune system characterized by production of IgE antibodies to substances that are not in and of themselves dangerous. The body reacts by liberating substances that cause allergic symptoms mentioned and listed above.
Anaphylaxis: a severe allergic reaction whose features may include one or a combination of the following life-threatening manifestations: decreased blood pressure, loss of consciousness, swelling of upper airway structures, and constriction of the airways (bronchoconstriction). Anaphylaxis can also describe an allergic reaction that involves more than just one organ system, for example, a person experiencing hives and vomiting can be said to be having an anaphylactic reaction.
Antibody: a protein made by the B cells of the immune system that can recognize specific substances (usually proteins, but sometimes other kinds of substances) and identify them for further immune actions, or neutralize them in the case of certain microbial invaders or toxins. Also known as immunoglobulin.
Antigen: A substance to which the immune system can react.
Antihistamine Drugs: medications that block the action of histamine, a naturally occurring substance in our bodies that causes many of the symptoms associated with allergies.
Anti-inflammatory Drugs: medications that suppress inflammation, an important process in immunity. Sometimes inflammation is beneficial and should not necessarily be suppressed, as in the context of fighting off microbial infections, and sometimes it is harmful, as in allergic reactions, and needs to be subdued.
Bronchodilator: a medication that relaxes and opens up the airways in the lungs. It is commonly administered by an inhaler device, or by a nebulizing machine, and even intravenously in some cases. It provides symptom relief to patients with difficulty breathing related to an allergic reaction.
Contact Dermatitis: a skin rash caused by an over-reaction of the immune system to a substance applied to the skin, such as a metal, or certain cosmetics. The rash can appear red, be itchy, and sometimes small blisters called vesicles are present.
Corticosteroid Drugs: a class of medication with potent immunosuppressive properties, often used to treat allergies.
Eosinophils: a type of immune cell that is useful to combat parasitic infections and that is implicated in allergic reactions.
Food Allergy: A misguided immune response to food, where the food is perceived by the body’s immune system as something dangerous. An inflammatory response is mounted to the food, typically involving a kind of antibody known as IgE.
Food Sensitivity: This is a broad term that may include intolerance and allergy, indicating that a person reacts adversely to a food, regardless of the mechanism behind the reaction.
Histamine: a naturally occurring substance found notably in mast cells, a kind of immune cell, that is released from the mast cell when an allergen has been detected. It causes itchiness of the skin, eyes, nose and sometimes mouth, as well as increased blood flow in the organ where it is released. It triggers narrowing of the air passageways in the lungs.
Immune System: the system in the body that is responsible for fighting infections and cancer. Many cells and organs make up the immune system. The immune system can also cause allergies, or autoimmune disease when it over-reacts to certain substances (foreign substances in the case of allergies, and substances coming from one’s own body in the case of autoimmune disease).
Immunoglobulins: another term for antibodies.
Immunotherapy: a broad term for any treatment or therapy that modifies an immune response. Commonly, this term is used interchangeably with allergen immunotherapy. Inflammation: a process mediated by the immune system that leads to increased blood flow to an area of the body that has been damaged by trauma and/or invaded by microbes or foreign substances. The increased blood flow attracts immune cells to the site of damage/microbial invasion and leads to the production of substances that can help to fight infection, and heal damaged tissue.
Lymphocyte: a kind of immune cell that has many functions in an immune response. Different kinds of lymphocytes have different functions, ranging from antibody production, to directing the kind of immune response that takes place, and controlling the extent of the immune response.
Mast Cell: a kind of immune cell with an important role in allergies, as it is the cell that releases histamine and other substances once it has detected the presence of an allergen, which cause the symptoms associated with allergies.
Occupational Allergens : substances encountered in the workplace, specific to the workplace, that can trigger allergic reactions.
Perennial Allergic Rhinitis : nasal allergies that are present all year-round, triggered by a substance that is present in the environment all year-round.
Pollen : a particle involved in plant reproduction that can trigger allergic reactions during specific seasons in some individuals.
Respiratory System : the organs involved in breathing, starting with the nose, going all the way to the lungs, and including all the structures in between through which air passes.
Urticaria: a rash occurring in the upper layers of the skin characterized by itchy welts and wheals, i.e. swelling, and redness. Often a manifestation of allergy, although it can often also be seen when no allergies have been identified.
The views expressed are solely those of the author based on his/her knowledge and expertise and do not necessarily represent the views of the manufacturer.
If you think you are experiencing allergy symptoms, please consult your healthcare professional for a definitive diagnosis.
Allergen Immunotherapy: a treatment for allergy consisting of administration of the substance triggering the allergic reaction in gradually incrementing doses until a target maintenance dose is reached. This is done according to a schedule, usually over several months, and is then followed by administration of the maintenance dose every month for several years. This treatment modifies the patient’s immune response to the allergen, shifting it away from the allergic type of response to one that poses no danger. Immunotherapy is administered by subcutaneous injection in North America, and also sublingually in certain parts of the world such as Europe.
Allergic Salute: a gesture commonly observed in nasal allergy sufferers consisting of rubbing the nose upward with the hand to alleviate irritation and/or wipe away secretions.
Allergic Crease: a crease seen at or below the bridge of the nose in nasal allergy sufferers, caused by repeated rubbing of the nose upwards.
Allergic Reaction: the symptoms caused by the release of histamine and other inflammatory substances in the body after certain cells of the immune system, the mast cells, have encountered an allergen. Allergic reactions can consist of hives on the skin, itchiness of the mouth, nose, eyes and ears, sneezing, watery eyes, increased nasal secretions and congestion, constriction of the airways, even gastrointestinal symptoms like vomiting and diarrhea. Severe allergic reactions can lead to decreased blood pressure with loss of consciousness.
Allergic Rhinitis: an allergic reaction occurring in the nose and typically consisting of sneezing, increased nasal secretions, and nasal congestion.
Allergic Shiners: the dark or bluish colouration seen around the eyes of allergy sufferers, resembling bruises, caused by congestion of the blood circulation in the veins due to the inflammation associated with allergies.
Angioedema: soft tissue swelling seen in some allergic reactions. It is similar to hives but occurs at a deeper level in and below the skin.
Allergy: a misguided response of the immune system characterized by production of IgE antibodies to substances that are not in and of themselves dangerous. The body reacts by liberating substances that cause allergic symptoms mentioned and listed above.
Anaphylaxis: a severe allergic reaction whose features may include one or a combination of the following life-threatening manifestations: decreased blood pressure, loss of consciousness, swelling of upper airway structures, and constriction of the airways (bronchoconstriction). Anaphylaxis can also describe an allergic reaction that involves more than just one organ system, for example, a person experiencing hives and vomiting can be said to be having an anaphylactic reaction.
Antibody: a protein made by the B cells of the immune system that can recognize specific substances (usually proteins, but sometimes other kinds of substances) and identify them for further immune actions, or neutralize them in the case of certain microbial invaders or toxins. Also known as immunoglobulin.
Antigen: A substance to which the immune system can react.
Antihistamine Drugs: medications that block the action of histamine, a naturally occurring substance in our bodies that causes many of the symptoms associated with allergies.
Anti-inflammatory Drugs: medications that suppress inflammation, an important process in immunity. Sometimes inflammation is beneficial and should not necessarily be suppressed, as in the context of fighting off microbial infections, and sometimes it is harmful, as in allergic reactions, and needs to be subdued.
Bronchodilator: a medication that relaxes and opens up the airways in the lungs. It is commonly administered by an inhaler device, or by a nebulizing machine, and even intravenously in some cases. It provides symptom relief to patients with difficulty breathing related to an allergic reaction.
Contact Dermatitis: a skin rash caused by an over-reaction of the immune system to a substance applied to the skin, such as a metal, or certain cosmetics. The rash can appear red, be itchy, and sometimes small blisters called vesicles are present.
Corticosteroid Drugs: a class of medication with potent immunosuppressive properties, often used to treat allergies.
Eosinophils: a type of immune cell that is useful to combat parasitic infections and that is implicated in allergic reactions.
Food Allergy: A misguided immune response to food, where the food is perceived by the body’s immune system as something dangerous. An inflammatory response is mounted to the food, typically involving a kind of antibody known as IgE.
Food Sensitivity: This is a broad term that may include intolerance and allergy, indicating that a person reacts adversely to a food, regardless of the mechanism behind the reaction.
Histamine: a naturally occurring substance found notably in mast cells, a kind of immune cell, that is released from the mast cell when an allergen has been detected. It causes itchiness of the skin, eyes, nose and sometimes mouth, as well as increased blood flow in the organ where it is released. It triggers narrowing of the air passageways in the lungs.
Immune System: the system in the body that is responsible for fighting infections and cancer. Many cells and organs make up the immune system. The immune system can also cause allergies, or autoimmune disease when it over-reacts to certain substances (foreign substances in the case of allergies, and substances coming from one’s own body in the case of autoimmune disease).
Immunoglobulins: another term for antibodies.
Immunotherapy: a broad term for any treatment or therapy that modifies an immune response. Commonly, this term is used interchangeably with allergen immunotherapy. Inflammation: a process mediated by the immune system that leads to increased blood flow to an area of the body that has been damaged by trauma and/or invaded by microbes or foreign substances. The increased blood flow attracts immune cells to the site of damage/microbial invasion and leads to the production of substances that can help to fight infection, and heal damaged tissue.
Lymphocyte: a kind of immune cell that has many functions in an immune response. Different kinds of lymphocytes have different functions, ranging from antibody production, to directing the kind of immune response that takes place, and controlling the extent of the immune response.
Mast Cell: a kind of immune cell with an important role in allergies, as it is the cell that releases histamine and other substances once it has detected the presence of an allergen, which cause the symptoms associated with allergies.
Occupational Allergens : substances encountered in the workplace, specific to the workplace, that can trigger allergic reactions.
Perennial Allergic Rhinitis : nasal allergies that are present all year-round, triggered by a substance that is present in the environment all year-round.
Pollen : a particle involved in plant reproduction that can trigger allergic reactions during specific seasons in some individuals.
Respiratory System : the organs involved in breathing, starting with the nose, going all the way to the lungs, and including all the structures in between through which air passes.
Urticaria: a rash occurring in the upper layers of the skin characterized by itchy welts and wheals, i.e. swelling, and redness. Often a manifestation of allergy, although it can often also be seen when no allergies have been identified.
The views expressed are solely those of the author based on his/her knowledge and expertise and do not necessarily represent the views of the manufacturer.
If you think you are experiencing allergy symptoms, please consult your healthcare professional for a definitive diagnosis.
No comments:
Post a Comment