How can you develop an allergy to something later in life?

1. 72

   buckleupdorothyposted 13 years ago

   How can you develop an allergy to something later in life?
   
   Can someone who had no known allergies as a child develop an allergy to something as an adult? If so, how would that allergy manifest itself?

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2. 75

   daisydayzposted 13 years ago

   Hi I'm not sure how it happens sorry, but it may be that the underlying allergy had always been there, they just wernt subjected to a high quantity of the substance. I myself have always had a dislike of the taste of pepper, but not until last summer when I was 23 and was filling pepper shakers at work did I have an allergic reaction. up to that point I had only been subjected to the odd small quantity in food and stayed away from anything heavy in the taste as I simple thought i disliked it. When I did react, i had a burning throat, nostrils, lips and a tingling in my tounge, plus watering itchy eyes. Not knowing what was happening my boss sent me to a chemist nearly the pub I work in to ask for some help. The pharmastic said it was an allergic reaction but couldnt understand how I got to the age of 23 before knowing I had the allergym, I told him I hated the taste so didnt eat it, and he said that that was my bodies way of rejecting it due to the allergy. I later found out my grandmother had a bad allergy to it also so thats where mine probably came from.
   I had had allergy tests in the past for other things but it had never been flagged before. No more pepper cellars for me!!
   I know that an allergy happens when the cells think the forign body is harmfull or attacking it and reacts to destroy it by secreating histamine. I have written a hub on Hayfever allergies which I assume are the same basics as other allergies if your interetsed.
   Hope this helps a little

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3. 61

   maggiejuposted 13 years ago

   This is because for some reasons, someone's immune system changed and it reacts to harmless substances that it did not as a child.

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