Whether you’re allergic to dust, pets or certain foods, prevention is always the best cure. Find out how to allergy-proof your home, and the most common medical treatments available

An allergic reaction is a hypersensitivity disorder of the immune system – an exaggerated immune response or reaction to substances that are generally not harmful. Allergies can be environmental, respiratory or dietary, and are characterised by excessive activation of white blood cells, resulting in an extreme inflammatory response, such as eczema, hives, hay fever and asthma attacks.

Data from allergy tests conducted in 2008 on 5,400 people from across India at Dr Lal PathLabs, Gurgaon, shows that 80.3% were allergic to dust mites – microscope bugs that primarily live on dead skin cells – while 21% were allergic to one or more foods, such as peanuts, chocolate, soyabean, rice, wheat, fish, shrimp and milk.

Dr Samrat Shah, general physician at Cumballa Hill Hospital, Mumbai, adds, ‘The most common cause of allergy in recent times is pollution. Surveys suggest that approximately 10% of people who go on early morning walks suffer from allergic rhinitis (inflammation of the mucous membrane) or bronchitis. The cause of this is smog and other pollutants in the air.’

Dr Sujoy Roychowdhury, a consulting physician at Fortis Hospital in Kolkata, says, ‘Allergies are definitely on the rise in India. The main reason for this is the rise in environmental pollution. Fluctuations in temperature can also lead to allergies. Another reason for the rise is the introduction of exotic food items such as kiwis, avocados, pecans, and a range of spices.