As you probably know, there’s always an allergen behind your allergy. Since you can easily be sensitive to more than one at a time, let’s take a closer look at the different types of allergens that trigger allergic reactions and organise them clearly. Understanding how allergens are categorised should help you make better sense of your symptoms.
What is an allergen?
Allergens are substances that can trigger an allergic reaction in the human body. They’re commonly found in your surroundings, in food, or in the ingredients of everyday products. For some people, allergens are completely harmless — for others, they lead to unpleasant and sometimes genuinely serious problems.
Types of allergic reactions
If you’re more sensitive to one or more allergens, your body can react in different ways. An allergic reaction may show up on the skin, as respiratory symptoms, or as digestive problems.
Learn more about the specific forms of allergic reactions HERE.
What are the different types of allergens?
As we’ve already hinted, allergens don’t come from a single source — they fall into several distinct categories. Knowing the origin of your problems (or those of your loved ones) means you can protect yourself effectively and in good time. That’s why we’ve put together a clear allergen list.
Inhalant allergens
Inhalant allergens are substances that trigger an allergic reaction when you breathe them in. They’re present in the environment around you and spread through the air. Inhalant allergens include:
- Pollen allergens – Pollen from trees and flowers is one of the most common outdoor allergens. During spring and summer, elevated pollen counts can severely affect sensitive individuals.
- Mould – Mould can be found outdoors, on food, and inside the home. Your own habits can contribute to its growth.
- Dust mites – Dust mites are tiny arthropods that live in dust and in dark, warm, humid places. It’s actually their droppings that trigger the allergic reaction.
- Animal fur and feathers – Pets can also be the cause of your troubles. Allergenic substances are found in their fur, feathers, saliva, skin oils, sweat, urine, and droppings.
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Food allergens
Food allergens are found in the things you eat. They’re usually proteins that the immune system of certain people mistakenly identifies as dangerous. When someone with a food allergy eats a food containing the allergen, the body releases histamine and other chemicals, resulting in an allergic reaction. The most common food allergens include:
TIP: Food allergy
Insect venom
Some people experience an allergic reaction after being stung by an insect. The allergen is the venom the insect injects into the body. Venom is produced by:
- Honey bee,
- German wasp,
- Common wasp,
- Median wasp,
- European hornet,
- Paper wasp,
- Buff-tailed bumblebee.
Medications
Certain ingredients in medicinal products can trigger an immune response. This can be caused by various types of medications, including antibiotics, penicillin, barbiturates, and local anaesthetics.
TIP: What does a drug allergy look like and what should you do?
How to find out what you’re allergic to?
If you suspect that a particular allergen is causing you problems, you can start with a home allergy test. Should the result confirm an allergy, it’s essential to see an allergist. Either skin or blood tests are carried out to pinpoint the exact diagnosis, which then guides the right course of treatment.
Read more about how to recognise an allergy.
How to treat allergies?
In general, allergies are treated with antihistamines that reduce the effects of histamine. You may also come across corticosteroids or immunotherapy. It all depends on how severe your allergy is. But you shouldn’t rely solely on medical treatments — think long-term. Without making changes to your lifestyle, you really won’t shake off your allergy.
Your top priority should be minimising contact with allergens. You can achieve this through regular cleaning, maintaining adequate indoor humidity levels, and using protective equipment when spending time outdoors — especially when allergen levels in the air are particularly high.
TIP: How to reduce indoor humidity
Don’t forget about a healthy, balanced diet to strengthen your immune system, either. It’s also worth taking dietary supplements to support immunity, since you can’t always get the required amount of beneficial nutrients from food alone.
Frequently asked questions
When are allergies at their worst?
The intensity of allergies depends on the type of allergy you have. There’s no universal answer to when allergies are at their worst, but their severity is often linked to weather conditions.
What can you be allergic to?
The most common allergies are to pollen, mould, dust mites, animal fur, foods, insect stings, and medications.
What allergens are found in beer?
An allergic reaction can be triggered by barley, hops, brewer’s yeast, additives and preservatives, or flavourings.
