Outdoor Air Pollution and Allergy

The worsening of asthma due to outdoor pollutants may occur for a number of reasons. For example, many of these pollutants are irritants, and so exposure to SO, and NO, may induce an acute narrowing of the airway. Associated with this is breath­ing difficulty, while exposure to ozone causes coughing and an inability to breathe deeply, which again leads to the sensation of breathlessness.

Carpet and Allergies

Soon after a new carpet has been installed, house-dust mites will be busy making themselves at home. Micro­organisms, such as bacteria and molds, can also thrive in carpeting, which provides them with a warm, moist environment with plenty to eat. Dirt will inevitably be walked into the carpet from outside, depositing traces of soil, pollen, animal dander; animal waste products, pesticide residues, mold spores, and so on. All of these can cause allergies. This is a good reason to adopt a “no-shoes” policy in the home, for guests as well as members of the family.

What is an Allergy ? What causes allergic reactions ?

An adverse immune response is the body’s attempt to kill or expel a foreign protein that has invaded it. From the body’s perspective, therefore, an allergic reaction is a protective mechanism. While immune reactions can occur in response to viruses or bacteria – and, on occasions, inappropriately to the body’s own proteins allergic reactions usually occur in response to external, non-infectious substances.