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Hygiene Hypothesis
The hygiene hypothesis of atopic disease suggests that environmental changes in the industrialized world have lead to reduced microbial contact at an early age and thus resulted in the growing epidemic of atopic eczema, allergic rhinoconjunctivitis, and asthma. Because of the decrease in minor infections at a young age, the body turns on non-infective antigens, "allergens." These findings have been combined with the Th1/Th2 paradigm of immune responsiveness, mentioned below, to provide a coherent theory. However, recent advances in immunology demonstrate that this hypothesis may need to be extended. The importance of early infections may be out weighed by other sources of microbial stimulation, namely the intestinal flora. Also immunomodulatory and suppressive immune responses complement the Th1/Th2 paradigm. And a final modification to the traditional theory may be its ability to not only explain atopy but other immune reactions, such as protection against infectious, inflammatory, and autoimmune diseases. These diseases may also depend upon healthy host-microbe interactions implicated in the hygiene hypothesis.
Th2 Theory in Allergy
The allergic diseases are determined by genetics and thought to affect between 20 to 30 percent of general people in developed countries. The allergic diseases are characterized by an increase of B-lymphocytes' ability to produce IgE antibody; this synthesis of human IgE is a result of collaboration between subsets of T helper cells CD4+ and B cells. The functional property of Th cells has been studied recently, fundamentally Type 2, in the cooperation among IgE-producing B cells, mast cell, basophils and eosinophil in the allergic reaction. It is postulated that individuals with a higher ratio of Th1 to Th2 cells are less likely to develop atopic symptoms. Similarly, those individuals with immune response weighted more toward Th2 are likely to suffer from allergies, asthma, and atopic disease.
Allergic Toxemia Theory
Dr Theron Randolph MD, suggests that individuals acquire allergies due to frequent exposure to foreign substances. These continued exposures at first provide no evidence of impact on the individual's life. However, the allergen is slowly increase due to its addictive nature. He suggests that when the food is first ingested it provides the individual with increased energy and feelings of health. However, after a short period of withdraw the patient becomes tired. Therefore, he must increase the frequency of the substance until he is addicted to its effects. In this way, he relates a food allergy to an addiction. Slowly the symptoms become more sever. In its most severe cases, he reports that individuals can experience extreme mood disorders, going from maniac to severe depressive episodes depending on food exposure. In this way Allergic Toxemia theory attempts to explain not only traditional allergy symptoms but also diseases such as ADHD, autism, depression ,and bipolar disorders.
Homoeopathic Theory (Hormesis)
Several theories surround the use of Homeopathic therapies. The basic tenet is that micro solutions of particular herbs, elements, or antigens will begin the healing process. These solutions, sometimes diluted 24 times, are reported as having profound effects. They argue the body produces micro amounts of hormones that cause a variety of responses and thus the homeopathic remedies work in a similar manner. The corner stone of this theory is that "Like Cures Like." Therefore, if an individual suffers from a particular allergen, then the patient must take a micro solution containing that substance. Modern science as well as the practitioners who prescribe these solutions have a difficult time explaining the results.
Total Load Theory
Through clinical experience, some clinicians have developed this hypothesis. They suggest that that for some individuals exposure to a single antigen is not sufficient to trigger an allergic response. However, when two or more allergens are exposed to the individual over a short period of time, the patient is symptomatic. An example would be a person who drinks milk everyday experiences not symptoms. However, when ragweed is in the air the symptoms manifest themselves. If the person were to avoid the milk during ragweed season, this theory suggests he/she will lessen the "allergic load" and reduce allergic symptoms.