What Causes Hay Fever
Posted on July 1, 2009
Filed Under Allergies | Leave a Comment
Hay fever is a known term that is caused by dust, spores and animal dander. In the early days, people associated harvesting of fields of hay to developing sneezing, itchy eyes and chronic fevers. Thus, the term ‘hay fever’ was born.
However, in this age of modern medicine, this belief is said to be a misnomer. Experts say that a fever that is caused by certain allergens should not be hastily associated with a mere contact with field hay.
The more common term for hay fever, today, is allergic rhinitis. The term has been introduced because it is a more appropriate term medically. ‘Rhinitis’ refers to the irritation of the nasal passages that is connected to sneezing, nasal congestion, itchy eyes and nose, runny nose and excess tears. Sometimes, when put together, these symptoms can bring on an unusually high temperature.
When the body’s immune system is attached by these allergens, that’s when hay fever occurs. Within the body’s immune system, there is a productive substance called the ‘immunoglobuline E’ or IgE. Allergic rhinitis begins when the antibodies (allergens) begin to hurt mast cells. The group of cells are sometimes unprotected by IgE because they are so many that the IgE supply can’t cover them all up against all of the antibodies.
When mast cells are injured or get infected, they in turn secrete allergic substances towards body tissues and other body cells. Histamine is the most common substance that the body produces. It is a very strong substance that causes itching and swelling of your tissues and can cause leaking of fluid from cells.
In the long run, these substances, like histamine, could trigger a lot more mechanisms to cause more serious disorders like tightening of the throat, loss of voice, and more seriously, asthma. Sometimes, sufferers of hay fever experience muscle spasms and lung contraction.
Protein is also a cause of allergic rhinitis. People that always have contact with plants, might be infected with pollens, in this case proteins. These are known as the male sex cells in trees, weeds and grasses. It is invisible because it is only about 4 microns in diameter.
Even though pollen is so small, and practically invisible, it is considered a very potent source of allergies. These pollens will rest on nasal passages and affect the entire respiratory tract. This, in turn, causes severe allergic reactions.
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