Yes, Jean, any thing that would stimulate the immune response would contribute to some degree or another. Once the hypersensitivity is in place, dozens of environmental factors become potential "causes". As if that were not bad enough, some of them synergize with one another.
While all this is building up, our endocrine system is pumping out steroids to quell the inflammation. But, because our immune system is sensitized it doesn't go into a full stand down mode and is ready to resume the inflammatory response on a moment's notice. We end up on a destructive see-saw.
Quote:
Originally Posted by jeanb
Ron,
My mom was a smoker my whole life long. Plus I had a bad case of Valley Fever at age 16 (a lung infection from airborne fungus -- when dust around construction areas and agricultural areas is transported by the wind). Maybe either or both fit your hypothesis?
Jean
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