Commonly referred to as hay fever, allergic rhinitis describes what occurs when your immune system reacts to harmless particles in the air that have entered your body through respiration, or breathing.
As your immune system attacks these perceived invaders, which you happen to be allergic to, Immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibodies are produced. These antibodies migrate to cells and trigger the release of histamines. It is these very histamines that cause you to experience annoying symptoms, such as:
- sneezing
- itchy eyes
- stuffy nose
Symptoms may occur seasonally, all year long, or whenever you come into contact with your particular allergens.