How do allergies work?

Some get hives around dogs, others get puffy lips from shellfish, and many get swollen throats from tree nuts. No matter the consequence, allergies have existed since the beginning of time and have affected the lives of millions throughout the world. When your immune system is unaware of a foreign substance entering the body, it begins producing antibodies that signal danger, even when there is none. The immune system prepares itself to fight a dangerous and harmful substance, thus inflaming several factors of the human body, including sinuses, airways, skin, or the digestive system. I was interested in looking into the topic of allergies because many of my friends and family members have severe allergies, which left me curious to better understand them. According to Mayo Clinic, symptoms of allergies can range anywhere from sneezing; mouth tingles; hives; swelling of the lips, tongue, face or throat; coughing; wheezing; to anaphylaxis. I am curious to further research allergies to continue understanding their effects on millions of people annually.