If you haven’t ever experienced seasonal or food allergies, and you are past adolescence, don’t think you are out of the woods just yet. It is possible you could start to experience allergy symptoms later in life, even if you haven’t ever had to struggle with them before. ENT Specialists is here to talk about adult onset allergies and how they are something many people experience.
While there are many things that experts don’t fully understand about allergies, there are a couple different theories as to why more and more adults are struggling with allergies later in life. The first theory is that the rise in airborne pollutants is much higher that is has been in the past. The poor indoor air quality that we live with coupled with the sedentary lifestyle that many people live are said to be a big cause. The other being the fact that we live in an environment that is too clean. The fact that we aren’t exposed to as much bacteria, doesn’t allow our immune systems to develop as they should. We don’t have the ability to fight off allergies like people did in the past.
A lot of the time, those that suffer from adult onset allergies have experienced some sort of allergic episode earlier in life. However, there are some cases where there was no sign of allergic reaction in that person’s past. Usually if you are going to experience adult onset allergies it will be in your twenties, thirties or forties. Most people older than that don’t experience these problems. All types of allergies can occur later in life including dust mite allergies, pet allergies, hay fever, mold allergies, drug allergies and food allergies.
Followiong are some of the triggers that could cause late allergies:
• Exposure to allergens when pregnant or during an illness when the immune system isn’t as strong as it would normally be.
• Not enough exposure to allergens as a child and then reaching that threshold later in life.
• Moving to a new location that has different plants, trees and grasses could cause allergic reactions.
• Getting a new pet.
If you find yourself suffering from allergy symptoms out of nowhere, you could be experiencing adult onset allergies. There are many over the counter antihistamines that can be effective in dealing with them. If you all of a sudden have a food allergy, it isn’t something to take lightly. They can be life threatening at times. You should be working with the right doctors to help you navigate what foods to avoid and which ones are safe. The team of skilled physicians at ENT Specialists can help you identify your allergies and triggers. We will work with you to find the solutions you need to manage them. Call us today to schedule your appointment.
