An Overactive Immune System

When someone is very attractive, very tall or very athletic, you often hear some comment that they have great genes or won the genetic lottery.

However, inheriting an overactive immune system, is anything but a lottery win.

These individuals face the day like a game of Russian Roulette. Things in the air and the environment (allergens) that would occur unnoticed in other people’s lives trigger an immune response that is anything but pleasant.

Having an allergic reaction is the most common example of an overactive immune system. Dust, mold, pollen, and foods are examples of allergens.

Some conditions caused by an overactive immune system are:

• Asthma: The response in your lungs can cause coughing, wheezing, and trouble breathing. Asthma can be triggered by common allergens like dust or pollen or by an irritant like tobacco smoke.
• Eczema: An allergen causes an itchy rash known as atopic dermatitis.
• Allergic rhinitis: Sneezing, a runny nose, sniffling, and swelling of your nasal passages from indoor allergens like dust and pets or outdoor allergens like pollens or molds.