Myths about Allergies
Common myths about allergies
The last thing you need when you or your family are tackling an allergy, is bad information. So here we help set a few records straight.
▼ Hayfever is caused by hay
▼ Allergies are uncommon
▼ Allergies are harmless
▼ People grow out of their allergies
▼ Allergies improve over time
▼ Pet hair causes allergies
▼ Flowering plants cause hayfever
“Hayfever is caused by hay”
No. In fact hayfever isn’t a fever at all, and isn’t necessarily caused by hay. The condition was named by a British doctor back in 1882 when he noticed that his symptoms worsened during the hay harvesting season.
But nowadays, the term is widely used to describe the blocked or runny noses, sneezing and irritable eyes associated with plants that pollinate or moulds that produce spores, usually in the late spring, summer or autumn. It is also the name given to allergies caused by indoors substances like dust mites and pet dander (loose skin flakes).
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“Allergies are uncommon”
No. Around a third of Australians will experience allergies at some point during their lives, and we’re towards the top of the world allergy league table.
In fact, in the last 25 years, the percentage of people with allergies has doubled.
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“Allergies are harmless”
No. Even the mildest allergies can be irritating, and may cause disturbed sleep and fatigue that impacts work and social situations.
At one end of the scale you have annoying skin reactions and a runny nose. At the other, you have life-threatening reactions to foods like peanuts, which requires immediate medical attention.
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“People grow out of their allergies”
Sometimes. Allergies to nuts and shellfish are often life long and although treatable, there is no cure. However, some children seem to become less sensitive to foods like egg, wheat and milk by the time they reach school age.
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“Allergies improve over time”
They can do. But this is very much dependent on the level of your exposure to the allergens (the substances that cause the allergic reactions).
Along with reducing that exposure, the simplest way to free yourself from symptoms, like sneezing, runny nose, and watery itchy eyes, is to use a treatment like Claratyne.
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“Pet hair causes allergies”
Not exactly. We love our dogs and cats but it’s true, they can cause allergies, though hair isn’t the main reason.
It’s the protein secreted in their skin and saliva that creates the problem. That’s why cats are thought to cause more allergies than dogs, because they spread the proteins to their coats through grooming.
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“Flowering plants cause Hayfever”
Not necessarily. Seasonal hayfever is normally caused by airborne grass, weed and tree pollen whereas, the pollen of flowering plants is large and sticky so tends not to blow very far.
So if flowering plants make you sneeze, the irritation is probably due to their perfume, not their pollen.
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