If you suffer from allergies, you have probably taken anti-histamine drugs at some point during your life. By the time the drug entered your blood stream, you were probably too exhausted to wonder what histamine is, but it turns out that it is actually an extremely important chemical that causes a chain of physiological reactions.
How does histamine work?
Basically, histamine is responsible for triggering your allergic response. It is always in your body, but the introduction of an allergen can cause a sudden spike of histamine that is either localized to the area (for instance, the itchy red bump caused by a mosquito bite), or system-wide. Indeed, with a severe allergic reaction, the histamine response is so strong that it can lead to organ failure due to anaphylactic shock.
While anti-histamine drugs can block histamine receptors in your body, they don’t actually reduce the amount of histamine in your system—the only way for your body to actually reduce histamine is by releasing adrenaline. If you have a chronic allergic reaction, your body is constantly releasing too much adrenaline to combat the excess of histamine, which ultimately depletes the adrenaline available for you to do other things. This is likely to leave you feeling fatigued and unhappy. It might also cause you to experience panic-like symptoms, as sudden spurts of adrenaline are released into your system.
If you have allergies, then, it’s not just your sinuses that are suffering—it’s your whole system. We think it’s important to find the root cause of your allergic reactions, instead of simply prescribing medication to control your symptoms. If you want relief from you allergies, contact us today. We can help you get healthy and stay healthy.
Frequently Asked Questions
Histamine is a chemical in the body responsible for triggering allergic responses. When an allergen enters the body, histamine levels spike, causing symptoms such as localized itching or red bumps, and in severe cases, systemic effects like anaphylactic shock.
Anti-histamine drugs work by blocking histamine receptors, preventing histamine from binding and causing allergic symptoms. However, they do not reduce the actual amount of histamine in the bloodstream, so the underlying histamine levels remain unchanged.
The body naturally reduces histamine levels by releasing adrenaline, which helps counteract the effects of excess histamine. This adrenaline release helps diminish symptoms but can be depleted if allergic reactions are chronic.
Chronic allergic reactions cause the body to constantly release adrenaline to combat excess histamine. This continual adrenaline use can deplete the body's reserves, leading to fatigue and symptoms similar to panic attacks due to sudden adrenaline surges.
Treating allergy symptoms alone with medications may provide temporary relief, but it does not address the root cause of allergic reactions. Identifying and treating the underlying triggers is essential for achieving long-term health and relief.
The New York Sinus Center focuses on identifying the root causes of allergic reactions rather than just managing symptoms with medication. Their approach aims to help patients achieve lasting health and minimize allergic responses effectively.