Fundamentally, an allergy is a “misreading” of our body’s immune system, recognizing a harmless substance as harmful, and mounting a response to ward off the supposed threat, just as it would an infection or disease, the article said. While some people have a genetic predisposition to developing allergies, especially food and pollen allergies, others develop them later in life and for seemingly no apparent reason.
In the vast majority of cases, the allergens are common (e.g. pollen, seafood, tree nuts, etc.), but there are also extremely weird ones.
It is impossible to accurately detect the allergenic chemicals involved, which makes diagnosing allergies more difficult, not to mention the bizarre phenomenon of vibration allergy. Such people suffer from vibratory urticaria, which is triggered by exposure to a vibrating object—a lawn mower, a motorcycle, everyday actions such as clapping hands, or even standing on a bus driving through potholes. Symptoms, such as rashes, bumps, blurred vision, and headaches.
Vibration urticaria is concentrated in the area of the skin that is most irritated (usually the hands) and is caused by mutations in the ADGRE2 gene. According to a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, cells in people with vibrating urticaria responded more than normal: “Vibration prompts mast cells in the immune system to release inflammatory mediators that produce hives and other allergic symptoms. Treatment is to avoid vibration stimuli and take antihistamines.”
Books harbor mites, age-old chemicals like glue, and even ink from old books can trigger allergic reactions. A growing number of librarians say they sneeze all day long, booksellers complain of year-round sinus infections, and book collectors complain of burning eyes when they look at old books, according to a study by the Library of Congress. To know if we are susceptible to this type of allergy, the researchers say, smell may be an indicator of the presence of an irritant: If we find certain books to smell pungent, that’s a warning.
One of the most complex and uncomfortable immune responses occurs during pregnancy. Herpes gestationis is a rare autoimmune skin disease of pregnancy. This is also an allergy, and the allergen may be the baby in the stomach. These reactions usually occur in the third trimester and manifest as inflammatory lesions of the skin and intense itching. It tends to recur in subsequent pregnancies with more severe symptoms. Like other allergies, this is an autoimmune process that affects only the mother; some newborns develop a reaction but it disappears quickly.
People with sports allergy experience facial redness, nausea, and hives following physical activity. Allergy doctor Antonio Perez said: “In the past 20 years, there has been an increase in the incidence of an allergy that is very specific and only occurs during physical exercise. It is sometimes associated with subclinical food allergies, but in In most cases the allergen cannot be identified.” In such cases, preventive treatment is relied upon and the associated food must be abstained from. And this kind of reaction will only appear following intense and long-term exercise. Going for a walk will not be tricked.
It is worth mentioning metal powders and their use in handicrafts and cosmetics, the article said. Mica is one of the minerals used to produce metal powder, a common skin irritant found in cosmetics. Using cosmetics containing this mineral can induce hives and rashes.
Another unexpected allergy has been linked to cell phones, and the culprit is hidden in their components, including nickel. Coin allergies are also caused by it. About one-third of mobile phones contain nickel, which can cause contact dermatitis, according to data presented at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology.
Finally, there is an extremely rare allergy, which is aquagenic urticaria, also known as water allergy. Dan Brennan of UCLA said there have been just over 100 cases worldwide, and patients develop rashes whenever they come into contact with water, regardless of the water’s temperature and pH. There are also people who only react to salt water. The rash caused by aquagenic urticaria usually appears on the neck, upper arms, and trunk and usually disappears following 30 to 70 minutes. Patients occasionally experience headache, dyspnea, wheezing, dizziness and syncope.
