The symptoms of allergies
The symptoms that an allergic person experiences are determined by the type of allergen that triggers the reaction, the site where the reaction occurs, and the immune system‘s response. Some people suffer from symptoms that are mainly consistent with hay fever: runny nose, congestion, and sneezing. Others experience a reaction that is more typical of a response to a food allergy: swelling of the throat, difficulty breathing, and dizziness. Still others break out in hives, an itchy skin rash that forms in clusters, when exposed to a medication such as penicillin.
Allergic reactions can be quite different and can range from merely annoying to fatal. The milder, more annoying symptoms can begin with watery, swollen eyes; an itchy, irritated nose and throat; and hoarseness in the voice. The nasal passages can drain profusely, through the front of the nose or down the back of the throat. The symptoms can grow more irritating as they start to reduce the person’s ability to be active. Thick phlegm (mucous secretions in the respiratory passages) can occur as the chest becomes more congested. Coughing and sneezing can be so severe that the person becomes exhausted from the effort both require. The skin can become one red, itchy, swollen rash. Abdominal cramps, vomiting, and diarrhea can make it impossible for a person to leave home. Still, however awful these symptoms sound, none is as bad as those suffered during anaphylaxis.
Anaphylaxis is a sudden, severe allergic reaction that can have a variety of symptoms. It is important to learn about these symptoms, because anaphylaxis can be fatal if it is not properly treated. This allergic reaction can involve major areas of the body at the same time, such as the skin, the respiratory system, the gastrointestinal tract, and the cardiovascular system. Symptoms can occur within minutes of an exposure to a trigger (for example, after receiving an insect sting). It is important to remember, though, that sometimes symptoms do not appear for several hours (for example, after taking a medication).
- Anaphylaxis
Loss of consciousness
Hives
Swelling of tongue, inability to swallow
Rapid swelling of throat tissues
Symptoms associated with various forms of anaphylaxis include fever, swelling throughout the body or in one area, difficulty swallowing or breathing, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal or uterine cramping, congestion, a feeling of having to urinate, hives, swelling of the lips and joints, severe anxiety, headache, itching, sneezing, coughing, and wheezing. The most dangerous symptoms of anaphylaxis are low blood pressure, breathing difficulties, shock, and loss of consciousness. Sometimes anaphylactic symptoms are misdiagnosed as hyperventilation, anxiety attacks, low blood sugar, or drug and alcohol intoxication. A misdiagnosis can be deadly.
There are no cures for this variety of allergic reaction, but many promising treatments can prevent or control the symptoms.
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