Allergens are the substances that bring about allergies. They are everywhere around us and we are only allergic when our body has interacted with the substance and starts reacting.

Allergens are the substances that can cause allergies. Technically, an allergen is a non-parasitic antigen capable of stimulating a Type-I hypersensitivity reaction in atopic individuals. In layman’s terms, an allergen like pollen or a chemical is what causes people with allergies to sneeze or have an “allergic reaction”.

When your body is exposed to any foreign substance, your immune system responds to protect you from harm. In the case of exposure to allergens, your immune system can overreact causing a variety of symptoms ranging from mild to severe. Why does the body react to some substances and not others? Each person’s immune system is equipped with certain sensitivities that might trigger an allergic response.

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Some of the things that people are allergic to are as common as they are dangerous. Whoever thought that latex could be irritating yet it is soft. Wasps and bees we know are quite deadly.

The most serious (and thankfully rarest) form of latex allergy is type I hypersensitivity. People with this condition can suffer a potentially life-threatening reaction when exposed to only the tiniest amounts of latex. This can be from eating food that was prepared using rubber gloves or also from particles in the air – latex is often powdered to prevent sticking and these particles can easily become airborne.

Latex is found in a wide range of products, from balloons to medical equipment. However, one to watch out for is condoms…

Lots of people react in some way to various wasp, bee, hornet and ant stings, with symptoms such as local swelling common place. Things start getting more serious when the reaction becomes system-wide with rashes and swelling appearing some distance from the site of the sting. Allergy to insect stings affect around 1% of the population, although unlike food allergies the figure tends to increase with age. In fact around 3% of the adult population have some degree of allergy to insect stings.

Sourced from: http://www.planetdeadly.com/nature/dangerous-allergies

Apart from food substances, some drugs are known to trigger allergies. Even exercise seems to have made it to the list of the triggers. It is therefore important to pay attention to your body to find out if it has allergies.

Penicillin and other antibiotics are common causes of drug-related anaphylaxis. Chemotherapy drugs, imaging dyes, and muscle relaxants used in anesthesia can also cause problems. To prevent medication-related anaphylaxis, your doctor may suggest allergy shots or prescribe different medications.

Exercise Can Trigger an Attack

Some people really are allergic to exercise. In rare cases, physical activity such as walking, dancing, or swimming can cause anaphylaxis. Sometimes it happens only with exercise along with eating certain foods or taking specific drugs. Exercising in hot, cold, or humid weather can increase anaphylaxis chances. An allergist can help identify the cause.

Sourced from: http://www.webmd.com/allergies/anaphylaxis-15/slideshow-allergy-triggers