More and more people suffer from allergies every day. 20 percent of people in the United States have allergies. 60 percent of children are taking a prescription medicine for their allergies. If allergies get very serious, they can turn into asthma. The month you are born in is usually the month your allergies are the worst. If you have more siblings than you won’t have as much allergies. When you are an infant you usually find out that you are allergic to something. Sometimes allergies can be passed down to people in your family. 

    Allergies affect more than 20% of adults and children (40 to 50 million people) in the United States . An allergy skin test may be used to identify the substances that are causing your symptoms. The test is performed by pricking your skin with an extract of an allergen, and then evaluating the skin’s reaction.

    If a skin test cannot be performed, a blood test may be taken, although its results are not as accurate as a skin test. Allergies can be treated with over-the-counter products or prescription medication. Most allergies can not be prevented, but they can be treated and controlled. Making changes in your environment can greatly limit your exposure to certain allergens and reduce your symptoms. Pets do not only cause allergies, but the environment is another factor. Air pollution is a cause of allergies. Smoke from factories may affect your allergies. This can cause severe coughing, sneezing, and nose bleeds. Most allergies are inherited, which means they are passed on to children by there parents. People inherit the tendency to be allergic, although not to any specific allergen.