Archive for the ‘Allergy & Intolerance’ Category
An allergy is an overactive immune response which is triggered when the body is exposed to some stimulus. This causes inflammation at the site of exposure or in other parts of the body and causes a range of symptoms, some of which can be life threatening. In most cases however, an allergy is not deadly but can cause severe discomfort for a short period or over a long duration of time.
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Pruritis is the medical term for itching and is one of the most common and uncomfortable symptoms experienced by all age groups. In most cases, short term itching may not be serious unlike other symptoms like pain but a persistent itchy skin should always be investigated for more serious causes.
Itch may be triggered by a number of factors, from light touch to certain textiles and fabrics , after eating specific foods or using certain drugs. Certain systemic disorders, not related to the skin, may also cause itching. Occasionally itch may occur for no known reason (idiopathic pruritis).
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Atopic dermatitis is a chronic skin condition resulting in persistent itching with inflammation of the outer lying layers of the skin. It is common in those with an allergic constitution and is often seen in conjunction with conditions like hay fever (allergic rhinitis) and asthma.
Atopic dermatitis is commonly known as eczema, particularly infantile eczema when it occurs in children. However eczema describes a wide range of inflammatory conditions and is synonymous with the term dermatitis.