In a nutshell, an allergy can be defined as an abnormal reaction from an individual’s immune system normally against a harmless substance. Individuals with no allergies would not have a reaction to these substances, or allergens, but the body’s of those who do release certain chemicals and it is these that cause the allergy symptoms.

An allergy can range from such things as itchy eyes to rashes to runny nose and is so widespread that they can affect 25% of the population at some stage of their lives. People have to be aware though, that these symptoms can be caused by factors other than an allergy as well, and could well be from a disease instead. More or less anything can be classed as an allergen for an individual but the most common come from pollen, dust mites, pets, insects, industrial chemicals, certain medicines and some foods like eggs and milk.

Common Allergic Reactions

The immune system of an allergic person reacts by producing special kinds of antibodies called IgE when it thinks it is being “damaged” by an allergen, and these antibodies attack the invader. This procedure then causes other blood cells to discharge other chemicals, which together with the antibodies cause the allergic reaction symptoms.

Food Allergies

Hepatitis A is an infection of the liver caused by the hepatitis A virus. The well-respected World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that almost 1.5 million new cases of hepatitis A related illnesses occur each year worldwide, with a much higher number of people than this affected without showing any symptoms. The condition is more prevalent in the developing world where poverty and sanitation issues are rampant.

Hepatitis A is regarded as an acute infection as opposed to a chronic one, but in rare occurrences it can cause liver damage that is life threatening. The severity of symptoms in patients with the virus varies from individual to individual and whereas some may have no symptoms at all, others may develop symptoms to those similar of catching flu. As a rule, the older a person is, the more severe the infection, and therefore the symptoms, will be.

Some of the symptoms associated with hepatitis A include tiredness, weakness, fever, headache, nausea, loss of appetite, vomiting, dehydration and diarrhea. After a week or so of these symptoms, jaundice will appear. This occurs because in hepatitis infections, the liver is unable to remove a substance known as bilirubin from the blood. The skin and whites of the eyes become a yellow color because of the buildup of this pigment.

Hepatitis can be avoided be taking the following precautions: high levels of personal hygiene, drinking safe tap water and getting vaccinated against the disease if a visit to a high risk country is to be taken.

An anxiety disorder can loosely be described as a condition where feelings of anxiety can get in the way of normal, everyday life. Many things can cause or even be classed as an anxiety disorder, and these can include phobia, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), panic attacks and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD).

Anxiety attacks can be caused by a variety of conditions, both mental and physical. On the mental side of things, problems such as alcohol dependence, depression, substance abuse (including drugs, nicotine and caffeine) and medicine withdrawal can all cause anxiety. Physically, a person could be affected due to illnesses or cosmetic reasons such as appearance. It can also be brought on by stress due to traumatic events like bereavement.

Anxiety

There are some physical symptoms attributed to being anxious and these occur due to the body’s natural “fight or flight” response due to the release of adrenaline. These can include dry mouth, diarrhoea, tightness in the chest, rapid heartbeat, dizziness, shortness of breath, shaking, the need to urinate more frequently and swallowing difficulty.

A few psychological symptoms associated with anxiety include uneasiness, insomnia, irritability, tiredness, lack of concentration and a fear of “going mad”. Sometimes, when anxiety disorders and other conditions such as schizophrenia, depression or bipolar disorder occur together, suicide or self-harm can often be the regrettable outcome.