Autoimmune & Inflammation

The immune system is able to detect invaders (such as bacteria) and then figure out how to go about destroying or disabling the threat. The body uses three basic strategies to protect itself from infections. It first creates and maintains a barrier designed to keep bacteria and viruses out of the body (skin, mucus). If a foreign invader manages to get in, the immune system kicks in and specialized cells detect and eliminate the pathogen. The body continues to fight the invader until it has been destroyed and eliminated from the body. Inflammation is generally the body’s first immune response to infection and irritation and is often referred to as the innate cascade. It is characterized by redness, heat, swelling, pain, and the dysfunction of those organs involved. We would like to be able to think that our immune system could recognize our own body. Unfortunately, this is not always the case and sometimes our immune system attacks our own cells, causing a host of medical problems. After transplants, our immune response sometimes attacks the new tissues threatening failure. On a much lighter scale, sometimes the smallest triggers such as pollen and dust can cause an active immune response, causing allergy symptoms to be an annoyance for millions of people.

Allergic Rhinitis (Allergies)

Allergic rhinitis is a collection of symptoms, predominantly in the nose and eyes, caused by airborne particles of dust, dander, or plant pollens in people who are allergic to these substances.

When these symptoms are caused by pollen, the allergic rhinitis is commonly called hay fever. Hay Fever is one of the most common seasonal allergies, varying from region to region due to the types and amounts of flora and fauna present. Allergies are caused by an overactive immune response to substances, known as allergens, which are generally harmless to most people.