An allergy is an abnormal reaction to a substance that is normally harmless. It can be a sensitivity of the skin to a chemical, of the respiratory system to particles of dust or pollen, or of the stomach and intestines to a particular food. In addition, it can be a reaction to a medication taken. Although some allergies begin in adulthood, most are developed during childhood or adolescence. Once a person becomes allergic to a substance, he or she will most likely be allergic to that substance for life.
Some people outgrow allergies with time.
For those who don't there is no real cure, but medical treatment and self-help measures can provide significant or total relief of allergy symptoms. While the cause for most allergies is not known, many are thought to be inherited. A child with a parent who suffers with allergies has a 25 to 40 percent tendency of having allergies. If both parents are allergy sufferers, the chances increase to 60 percent. The body's immune system produces disease-fighting antibodies to protect us from harmful invaders such as infections or viruses.