Allergy ABC's - Glossary

glossary

Allergens (al-er-jenz) - things (animals, plants, or foods) that cause allergy symptoms.

Allergist (al-er-jist) - a doctor who specializes in allergies.

Allergy (al-er-jee) - is your body's reaction to animals, flowers, plants, food, insects, and other things. Some people are affected by them, others are not. Same as Allergic Reaction.

Allergic Reaction (al-er-jec re-act-shon) - your body's response to something called an allergen, that is contacted through the skin, by breathing into the lungs, by swallowing, or by injection. Same as Allergy.

Allergic Rhinitis (al-er-jec rhi-nite-us) - symptoms that occur after you are near grass, trees and weeds in the air. The pollen from these things causes the allergic reaction. Also known as hay fever.

Anaphylaxis (ana-full-ax-is)- a type of allergic reaction that is sudden, severe, and involves your whole body. It can be fatal.

Angioedema (angio-ed-ema) - swelling of the lips that occurs because of an allergic reaction.

Asthma (as-muh) - a chronic condition that affects a person's airways,or bronchial tubes.

Bronchial (bron-kee-ul) tubes - airways in a persons chest.

Bronchodilator (bron-ko-dy-lay-ter) - something that opens the airways, or bronchial tubes.

Chronic (cron-ik) - something that lasts for a long time and or causing sickness again and again.

Cyanosis - (si-an-os-is) - Blueness of the skin, lips or nails caused by an allergic reaction.

Dander (dan-der) - a mix of airborne particles such as skin, fur or hair, shed or secreted from an animals like cats, dogs, and other furry animals. Kind of like dandruff.

Dust Mites (dust-mite) - little creatures that you can't see, that live in mattresses, pillows, and carpets. They don't bite or spread any germs, but their droppings and carcasses contain a powerful allergen to which a lot of people are allergic.

Epipen (a-pip-en) - a single dose of medecine (injection kit) of epinephrine you can give yourself to counteract an allergic reaction until help arrives. It is an adrenaline that tries to counteract your bodys reaction.

Hay Fever (haay fev-er) - symptoms that occur after you are near grass, trees and weeds in the air. The pollen from these things causes the allergic reaction. Also known as allergic rhinitis.

Hereditary (her-ed-it-ary) - genes passed along to you from your mom, dad, or other relatives.

Histamine (his-ta-mean) - a chemical that is made by mast cells during an allergic reaction.

Hives (hi-ves) - Raised, red and itchy rashes of different sizes on the the skin, often associated with an allergic reaction. They are also known as urticaria or welts.

Immune (ih-muhn) system - your immune system protects you from disease by making antibodies that fight bacteria and viruses.

Legumes (luh-goom) - peas or dried beans. Peanuts are legumes, and many kids are allergic to them.

Mast Cell (maast sell) - a cell in your body that takes part in allergic reactions. It is in all different parts of the body such as the nose and skin.

Pollen (paul-len) - a fine powder produced by grass, trees and weeds that causes allergic reactions and hay fever.

Rast Test (raast test) - A blood test that can find an allergy, such as food allergy.

Trachea (tray-key-uh) - Your windpipe that leads to your bronchial tubes.

Wheezing (whee-zing) - the sound made when someone has trouble breathing. Sounds like a whistling.

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This site was created by "Creative Alternatives, LLC", last updated 10/8/99
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