What does an allergy mean?

What does an allergy mean?

What does an allergy mean?

An allergy refers to an exaggerated reaction by our immune system in response to bodily contact with certain foreign substances. It is exaggerated because these foreign substances are usually seen by the body as harmless and no response occurs in non- allergic people. Allergic people's bodies recognize the foreign substance and one part of the immune system is turned on. Allergy-producing substances are called "allergens." Examples of allergens include pollens, dust mite, molds, danders, and foods. To understand the language of allergy it is important to remember that allergens are substances that are foreign to the body and can cause an allergic reaction in certain people.

When an allergen comes in contact with the body, it causes the immune system to develop an allergic reaction in persons who are allergic to it. When you inappropriately react to allergens that are normally harmless to other people, you are having an allergic reaction and can be referred to as allergic or atopic. Therefore, people who are prone to allergies are said to be allergic or "atopic."

Austrian pediatrician Clemens Pirquet (1874-1929) first used the term allergy. He referred to both immunity that was beneficial and to the harmful hypersensitivity as "allergy." The word allergy is derived from the Greek words "allos," meaning different or changed and "ergos," meaning work or action. Allergy roughly refers to an "altered reaction." The word allergy was first used in 1905 to describe the adverse reactions of children who were given repeated shots of horse serum to fight infection. The following year, the term allergy was proposed to explain this unexpected "changed reactivity."

Allergy Fact

• It is estimated that 50 million North Americans are affected by allergic conditions.
• The cost of allergies in the United States is more than $10 billion dollars yearly.
• Allergic rhinitis (nasal allergies) affects about 35 million Americans, 6 million of whom are children.
• Asthma affects 15 million Americans, 5 million of whom are children.
• The number of cases of asthma has doubled over the last 20 years.

Pinpoint Your Pain - Start Now

Pinpoint Your Pain - Start Now

Find a symptom or sign of disease by using the Illustrated Guide (male or female), or the Symptom Checker A-Z list. Alternatively, if you know the spelling of your medical symptom, simply use the search function below.

It is very helpful to evaluate symptoms and signs in diagnosing the causes of health problems and in monitoring the status of diagnosed diseases. Moreover, assessment of symptoms and signs is important during treatment with medications in order to determine the effectiveness of treatment and the development of side effects.

What's the Difference Between Gingivitis and Periodontitis?

What's the Difference Between Gingivitis and Periodontitis?

Gingivitis usually precedes periodontitis. However, it is important to know that not all gingivitis progresses to periodontitis.

In the early stage of gingivitis, bacteria in plaque build up, causing the gums to become inflamed (red and swollen) and often easily bleed during tooth brushing. Although the gums may be irritated, the teeth are still firmly planted in their sockets. No irreversible bone or other tissue damage has occurred at this stage.

When gingivitis is left untreated, it can advance to periodontitis. In a person with periodontitis, the inner layer of the gum and bone pull away from the teeth and form pockets. These small spaces between teeth and gums collect debris and can become infected. The body's immune system fights the bacteria as the plaque spreads and grows below the gum line.

Toxins or poisons - produced by the bacteria in plaque as well as the body's "good" enzymes involved in fighting infections - start to break down the bone and connective tissue that hold teeth in place. As the disease progresses, the pockets deepen and more gum tissue and bone are destroyed. When this happens, teeth are no longer anchored in place, they become looser, and tooth loss occurs. Gum disease, in fact, is the leading cause of tooth loss in adults.

What are the Symptoms of Periodontal Disease?

What are the Symptoms of Periodontal Disease?

Periodontal disease may progress painlessly, producing few obvious signs, even in the late stages of the disease. Although the symptoms of periodontal disease often are subtle, the condition is not entirely without warning signs. Certain symptoms may point to some form of the disease. They include:

• Gums that bleed during and after tooth brushing
• Red, swollen, or tender gums
• Persistent bad breath or bad taste in the mouth
• Receding gums
• Formation of deep pockets between teeth and gums
• Loose or shifting teeth
• Changes in the way teeth fit together upon biting down, or in the fit of partialdentures.

Even if you don't notice any symptoms, you may still have some degree of gum disease. In some people, gum disease may affect only certain teeth, such as the molars. Only a dentist or a periodontist can recognize and determine the progression of gum disease.

How is Periodontal Disease Treated?

How is Periodontal Disease Treated?

The goals of periodontal treatment are to promote reattachment of healthy gums to teeth; reduce swelling, the depth of pockets, and the risk of infection; and to stop disease progression. Treatment options depend on the stage of disease, how you may have responded to earlier treatments, and your overall health. Options range from nonsurgical therapies that control bacterial growth to surgery to restore supportive tissues. A full description of the various treatment options is provided in Gum Disease Treatments.

Gingivitis

Gingivitis

Gingivitis usually precedes periodontitis. However, it is important to know that not all gingivitis progresses to periodontitis.

In the early stage of gingivitis, bacteria in plaque build up, causing the gums to become inflamed (red and swollen) and often easily bleed during tooth brushing. Although the gums may be irritated, the teeth are still firmly planted in their sockets. No irreversible bone or other tissue damage has occurred at this stage.

When gingivitis is left untreated, it can advance to periodontitis. In a person with periodontitis, the inner layer of the gum and bone pull away from the teeth and form pockets. These small spaces between teeth and gums collect debris and can become infected. The body's immune system fights the bacteria as the plaque spreads and grows below the gum line.

Toxins or poisons - produced by the bacteria in plaque as well as the body's "good" enzymes involved in fighting infections - start to break down the bone and connective tissue that hold teeth in place. As the disease progresses, the pockets deepen and more gum tissue and bone are destroyed. When this happens, teeth are no longer anchored in place, they become looser, and tooth loss occurs. Gum disease, in fact, is the leading cause of tooth loss in adults.

International Breast Health Global Summit, June 9-11, 2010

International Breast Health Global Summit, June 9-11, 2010

The Breast Health Global Initiative (BHGI) and the Latin American & Caribbean Society of Medical Oncology (SLACOM) will convene the fourth biennial BHGI Global Summit on International Breast Health June 9-11, 2010 in Chicago, bringing together collaborating national and international organizations to address the optimization of breast health care delivery in limited-resource countries. The theme for the 2010 Summit is "Optimizing Health Care Delivery."

The Summit, endorsed by the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), is scheduled to follow ASCO's annual meeting in Chicago to allow for participation by attendees of the meeting.

The Summit will provide a unique event in the international health community to enhance knowledge of breast health care delivery in low- and middle-income countries (LMCs). It will bring together collaborating national and international organizations to address key issues regarding the optimization of breast delivery in limited resource countries. It will provide a forum to examine and report on the effectiveness of breast health care delivery in diverse socioeconomic settings and to address how existing health care resources can most effectively be organized to improve breast health outcomes.

The systematic analyses performed during this three-day Summit will be guided by the BHGI resource-sensitive comprehensive breast care guidelines for early detection, diagnosis and treatment (Cancer, Oct. 15, 2008 supplement). Case studies of successful programs from around the world will be presented. Special issues of Latin American countries will be highlighted, framed by the special needs survey performed by SLACOM and published with BHGI (Cancer, 113(8 suppl):2359-65, 2008). Model approaches to breast health care improvement will be developed during the three-day event.

Each day of the Summit will address different health care scenarios:

• Day 1 - Low-resource scenarios in breast health care delivery where fundamental delivery resources are commonly fractionated or incomplete.
  
  
• Day 2 - Middle-resource scenarios in breast health care delivery, where multidisciplinary treatment is more commonly available than in low-resource countries.
  
  
• Day 3 - Problem-solving in health care delivery, considering how commonly encountered obstacles can be tackled in real-world applications in low- and middle-resource environments.

Meeting features include international breast cancer advocacy presentations, scientific presentations highlighting health care delivery and successful pilot projects, open panel discussions, parallel workshops, and poster presentations.

"The 2010 BHGI Summit will be a very important meeting that is relevant not only to low- and middle-income countries, but to all countries," said Eduardo Cazap, M.D., president of SLACOM-Sociedad Latino Americana y del Caribe de Oncologia Medica, and president-elect of the UICC-International Union Against Cancer.

Issues applicable to optimal program implementation, education and training, communication and informatics, and medical technology will specifically be considered. The Summit will serve as the foundation for publication in a peer-reviewed medical journal of the major findings and observations generated during the meeting.