
Allergy Glossary
Allergen
any substance that causes an allergic reaction, such as pollen or pet dander.
Allergic rhinitis
Inflammation of the nose caused by allergens often known as hay fever.
Allergies
A chronic condition triggered by an especially sensitive immune system to certain foreign substances that enter your body.
Antihistamines
Class of medications that help block the undesired affects of the histamines in the body, which are produced as your antibodies try to ward off any allergen.
Dander
These are small scales or pieces of skin shed by an animal, such as a cat or a dog.
Decongestants
Medicine used to relieve symptoms such as congestion.
Diphenhydramine
An antihistamine that temporarily relieves symptoms due to hay fever or other respiratory allergies.
Dust mites
Tiny to the eye, these insects live in dust and their excretions could cause an allergy attack.
Granules
These are small particles in cells and contain enzymes and other chemicals.
Histamine
A chemical released as your antibodies fight off the allergens, and cause inflammation of your body, especially in the nose, throat, and skin.
Indoor allergies
A chronic condition triggered by an especially sensitive immune system to certain household substances that enter your body, such as mold spores, pet dander, cockroach or dust mite excretions.
Outdoor allergies
A chronic condition triggered by an especially sensitive immune system to certain outdoor substances that enter your body. such as pollen and mold spores.
Pollen
Fine, powdery, yellowish grains or spores that are the fertilizing element of flowering plants.
Rhinitis
this is an inflammation of the nasal passageways, causing runny nose.
Sinuses
these are the hollow air spaces located within the bones of the skull surrounding the nose and eyes. Frequently inflamed as a result of an allergic reaction.
Upper respiratory tract
This is the area of the body that includes your nose, mouth, and throat. |