The Sladen Library has written articles and collected information on a variety of health-related topics. If you cannot find the information you are looking for here, please use our Consumer Health Information Request Form to submit a request. Ahh Chooo Spring is here and with it comes allergy season. Nearly 50 million Americans suffers from allergies. There are many types of allergies, including food, plants, pets, medicine, pollen, mold, and chemicals.
Allergies are overreactions to ordinarily harmless substances.
These substances are called allergens, and may be inhaled, swallowed, or come in contact with the skin. Allergic reactions are triggered by the immune system. It mistakenly responds to allergens similar to harmful bacteria. Allergy symptoms often mimic those of other diseases. This sometimes makes them difficult to diagnose.