Food Allergy Glossary of Terms

1. 10 Common Allergy Triggers Slideshow Pictures
2. Take the Quiz on Allergies
3. Nasal Allergy Relief Slideshow Pictures

Abate: To lessen or decrease. For example, after a boil is lanced, the pus can drain and t...

Adverse reaction: In pharmacology, any unexpected or dangerous reaction to a drug. An unwa...

Airway: The path that air follows to get into and out of the lungs. The mouth and nose are...

Allergen: A substance that can cause an allergic reaction. Common allergens include ragwee...

Allergic reaction: The hypersensitive response of the immune system of an allergic indiv...

Allergy: A misguided reaction to foreign substances by the immune system, the body system ...

Allergy shots: See Allergy desensitization.

Alzheimer disease: See: Alzheimer's disease.

Anaphylactic shock: A widespread and very serious allergic reaction. Symptoms include di...

Anaphylaxis: Allergic reaction. In severe cases, this can include potentially deadly anap...

Antibody: An immunoglobulin, a specialized immune protein, produced because of the introdu...

Antigen: A substance that the immune system perceives as being foreign or dangerous. The b...

Antihistamines: Drugs that combat the histamine released during an allergic reaction by bl...

Arms: An appendage in anatomy and in clinical trials. See: Arm.

Asthma: A common lung disorder in which inflammation causes the bronchi to swell and narro...

Belly: That part of the body that contains all of the structures between the chest and t...

Blood pressure: The blood pressure is the pressure of the blood within the arteries. It is...

Brain: The portion of the central nervous system that is located within the skull. It func...

Breathing: The process of respiration, during which air is inhaled into the lungs through ...

Bumps: The raised area of a bump or bruise results from blood leaking from these injured b...

Calamine: An astringent made from zinc carbonate or zinc oxide, customarily used in lotion...

Chest: The area of the body located between the neck and the abdomen. The chest contains t...

Chinese restaurant syndrome: A syndrome first described in 1968 in people who had eaten Ch...

Chorea: Ceaseless rapid complex body movements that look well coordinated and purposeful ...

Chronic: In medicine, lasting a long time. A chronic condition is one that lasts 3 months ...

Corticosteroid: Any of the steroid hormones made by the outer portion (cortex) of the adre...

CPR: Cardiopulmonary resuscitation.

Diagnosis: 1 The nature of a disease; the identification of an illness. 2 A ...

Diarrhea: A common condition that involves unusually frequent and liquid bowel movements. ...

Dilate: To stretch or enlarge. Also known as dilatate.

Dizziness: Painless head discomfort with many possible causes including disturbances of ...

Eczema: A particular type of inflammatory reaction of the skin in which there are typicall...

Emergency department: The department of a hospital responsible for the provision of medica...

Enzyme: A protein (or protein-based molecule) that speeds up a chemical reaction in a livi...

Epinephrine: A substance produced by the medulla (inside) of the adrenal gland. The name e...

Glutamate: A form of glutamic acid. See: Glutamic acid.

Glutamic acid: An amino acid, one of the 20 building blocks of protein. A nonessential ami...

Headache: A pain in the head with the pain being above the eyes or the ears, behind the he...

Heart: The muscle that pumps blood received from veins into arteries throughout the body. ...

Histamine: A substance that plays a major role in many allergic reactions, dilating blood ...

Hives: A raised, itchy area of skin that may be a sign of an allergic reaction. It can be ...

Immune: Protected against infection, usually by the presence of antibodies.

Immune response: Any reaction by the immune system. For example, poison ivy can cause an i...

Immune system: A complex system that is responsible for distinguishing a person from every...

Immunoglobulin: A protein produced by plasma cells and lymphocytes and characteristic of t...

Immunoglobulin E: A class of immunoglobulins that includes the antibodies that are importa...

Immunotherapy: Treatment to stimulate or restore the ability of the immune (defense) syst...

Itching: An uncomfortable sensation in the skin that feels as if something is crawling on ...

Lactose: The sugar found in milk. Lactose is a large sugar molecule that is made up of two...

Lactose intolerance: The inability to digest lactose, a component of milk and some other d...

Lightheadedness: A feeling you are "going to faint." Lightheadedness is medically distinc...

Lips: Aside from the lips of the mouth, there are two pairs of lips at the entrance to the...

Low blood pressure: Any blood pressure that is below the normal expected for an individua...

Mechanical ventilation: Use of a machine called a ventilator or respirator to improve the ...

Medical history: 1. In clinical medicine, the patient's past and present which may ...

Monosodium glutamate: MSG, a sodium salt of the amino acid glutamic acid that enhances the...

Mouth: 1. The upper opening of the digestive tract, beginning with the lips and con...

Muscle: Muscle is the tissue of the body which primarily functions as a source of power. T...

Nausea: Stomach queasiness, the urge to vomit. Nausea can be brought on by many causes, in...

Neck: The part of the body joining the head to the shoulders. Also, any narrow or constric...

Nose: The external midline projection from the face. The purpose of the nose is to warm, c...

Ointment: An oil-based preparation that is applied to the skin. Whereas an ointment has an...

Oxygen: The odorless gas that is present in the air and necessary to maintain life. Oxygen...

Pollen: Small, light, dry protein particles from trees, grasses, flowers, and weeds that m...

Prescription: A physician's order for the preparation and administration of a drug or dev...

Prescription drug: A drug requiring a prescription, as opposed to an over-the-counter dr...

Prognosis: The forecast of the probable outcome or course of a disease; the patient's chan...

Protein: One of the three nutrients used as energy sources (calories) by the body. Protein...

Proteins: Large molecules composed of one or more chains of amino acids in a specific orde...

Pulse: The rhythmic dilation of an artery that results from beating of the heart. Pulse is...

Rash: Breaking out (eruption) of the skin. A rash can be caused by an underlying medical c...

Recur: To occur again; to return. For example, a symptom, sign, or disease can recur.

Respiratory: Having to do with respiration.

Saline: Relating to salt. As an adjective, "saline" means "salty, containing salt." As a n...

Sensation: In medicine and physiology, sensation refers to the registration of an incoming...

Shock: In medicine, a critical condition that is brought on by a sudden drop in blood flow...

Shortness of breath: Difficulty in breathing. Medically referred to as dyspnea. Shortness ...

Sodium: The major positive ion (cation) in the fluid surrounding cells in the body. The ch...

Stomach: The digestive organ that is located in the upper abdomen, under the ribs. The upp...

Stuffy nose: : The presence of increased secretions and mucus in the nasal passages, most ...

Surgery: The branch of medicine that employs operations in the treatment of disease or inj...

Symptom: Any subjective evidence of disease. In contrast, a sign is objective. Blood comin...

Syndrome: A combination of symptoms and signs that together represent a disease process.

Syringe: A medical device that is used to inject fluid into, or withdraw fluid from, the b...

Therapy: The treatment of disease. Therapy is synonymous with treatment.

Thigh: The thick, muscular portion of the leg that extends from the hip to the knee. The t...

Throat: The throat is the anterior (front) portion of the neck beginning at the back of th...

Trigger: Something that either sets off a disease in people who are genetically predispose...

Tubes: The "tubes" are medically known as the Fallopian tubes. There are two Fallopian tub...

Unconscious: 1. Interruption of awareness of oneself and one's surroundings, lack ...

Ventilation: The exchange of air between the lungs and the atmosphere so that oxygen can ...

Wheezing: A whistling noise in the chest during breathing. Wheezing occurs when the airway...