Do Now:List 3 things you already know about allergies.

Objective: Understand How Allergy WorksKey words: allergy, allergens, histamine, inflammatory response, antihistamines, mast cells

What is an Allergy?

A rapid overeaction to an antigen that is not normally harmful

Allergens: substances that cause allergic reactions.

Examples

Pollen Insect sting Certain food Animal hair Dust Mold

Body cells release

runny nose swollen eyes wheezing rash coughing

INFLAMMATORYRESPONSE

Antihistamines: drugs used to counteract the effects of histamine

SYMPTOMS

HISTAMINE

Objective: Understand How Allergy WorksKey words: allergy, allergens, histamine, inflammatory response, antihistamines, mast cells

Objective: Understand How Allergy WorksKey words: allergy, allergens, histamine, inflammatory response, antihistamines, mast cells

Mast Cells and the Allergic Response

The immune system helps maintain the internal dynamic equilibrium necessary for life. However, the immune system can become out of balance.

Allergic reactions result form over activity of the immune system. The body responds inappropriately to common substances such as dust, mold, pollen, or certain foods. Antigens that cause allergic reactions are called allergens.

The immune system begins making a special type of antibody to these substances, which under normal conditions would not stimulate the immune system.

These antibodies cause cells in the body to release histamines, which cause many allergic symptoms, such as extra fluid in the nasal pathways, difficulty breathing, or inflammation. Allergies are often treated with antihistamines, drugs that stop the release of histamine.Some allergic reactions can create a dangerous condition called asthma. Asthma is a chronic respiratory disease in which the air passage become narrower than normal.

This narrowing of the air passage causes wheezing, coughing, and difficulty in breathing. Many factors, including both heredity and environment, play a role in the onset of the symptoms of asthma.

Asthma attacks can be triggered by respiratory infections, exercise, emotional stress, and certain medications, cold air, pollen, dust, tobacco smoke, pollution, etc..

Objective: Understand How Allergy WorksKey words: allergy, allergens, histamine, inflammatory response, antihistamines, mast cells

Allergy Reading

Objective: Understand How Allergy WorksKey words: allergy, allergens, histamine, inflammatory response, antihistamines, mast cells

Symptoms of an Allergic Reaction

What is allergy?

Example of allergens

How does body respond to allergens?

Allergic symptoms

Example of allergy?

A rapid overraction to an antigen that is not normally harmful

Pollen, Mold, Dust, Certain food, Animal hair

The body cells release histamines, which cause an inflammatory response and many allergic symptoms

runny nose, swollen eyes, wheezing, rash, coughing, itching

Asthma

Objective: Understand How Allergy WorksKey words: allergy, allergens, histamine, inflammatory response, antihistamines, mast cells

Allergy Chart

What is an allergy?

Example of allergens Allergic symptoms

Example of allergies How body respondsto allergens?

Objective: Understand How Allergy WorksKey words: allergy, allergens, histamine, inflammatory response, antihistamines, mast cells

Allergy Chart