Allergy is a condition which is caused by the hypersensitivity of the immune system due to changes in environment conditions and a reaction with the substances present in it. There are different sorts of allergies occurring to people which vary between mild to potentially life threatening. Allergy is one of the leading causes of asthma to many people.
The various substances in the environment to which the immune system reacts are known as allergens. The allergens include house dust mites, pets, pollen, insects, foods and some medicines. The inherent tendency to develop allergic diseases is known as atopy and the people with atopy are known as atopic.
Everyone reacts differently:
If a substance is acting as an allergen for people, then it may or may not react in the same way to someone else. Every person has a different immune response to the allergens.
If a person is having an allergy or asthma, then the likelihood of having the same is increased to family members.
Allergies exist in many different forms, and the symptoms for those are:
#1 Food allergy
A food allergy occurs when a person’s body natural defenses overreact to exposure to a particular substance. You may also develop an allergy to foods you have eaten for years and had no problem.
Symptoms of food allergy:
- Repetitive cough
- Swelling of the tongue
- Breathing impairment
- Weak pulse
- Wheezing
- Shortness of breath
#2 Skin allergy
Skin irritation can be caused by many factors. Skin allergy occurs when dermatitis comes in direct contact with allergens and result in hypersensitivity on the skin.
Eczema is the most common skin allergy condition which is seen in children.
If your skin is allergic to a particular substance and your skin comes in contact with that allergen, then you may develop red, bumpy, scaly, itchy or swollen skin at the point of contact.
Symptoms of skin allergy:
- Rashes
- Redness and swelling
- Severe itching
- Flaking of the skin
#3 Dust allergy
One of the most common trigger to the immune system hypersensitivity can be the mild dust particles that are scattered naturally around the house.
Dust allergy most commonly occurs in wet seasons and is most prevalent in summers.
A person gets affected by the dust particles either in the home or outside in a polluted environment.
Symptoms of dust allergy:
- Sneezing
- Nasal congestion
- Runny nose
- Tightness in chest
#4 Insect sting allergy
The five insects that can inject venom in our body are:
- Honeybees
- Hornets
- Wasps
- Yellowjackets
- Fire ants
The insect stings result in swelling and redness onto the affected area.
Symptoms of insect sting allergy:
- Redness
- Swelling
- Flushing
- Anaphylaxis
- A sharp drop in blood pressure
- Unconsciousness
- Cardiac arrest
#5 Pet allergy
Only people with over-sensitive immune system get allergic to pets. Most of the people have an allergic reaction to dogs and cats. Cat allergies are common.
Symptoms of pet allergy:
- Facial pain(nasal congestion)
- Stuffy nose
- Watery red nose
- Contact with a cat can trigger a severe asthma attack
#6 Eye allergy
Eye allergies occur when the eyes react to substances that irritate them and cause an allergic reaction.
These sort of allergic reactions cause red itchy eyes.
It is also known as allergic conjunctivitis that occurs when the eye comes into contact with an irritating substance.
Symptoms of eye allergy include:
- Swollen or puffy eyelids
- Red, watery eyes
- Watery discharge
- Itching around eyes
#7 Allergic rhinitis
Allergic rhinitis is a condition in which a person sneezes a lot and nose is always stuffy, and there is constant itching around the mouth.
It is inflammation in the nose which occurs when the overreacts to allergens in the air.
Symptoms of allergy rhinitis:
- conjunctiva swelling
- eyelid swelling
- middle ear effusion
- swollen nasal turbinate
- fatigue
#8 Latex allergy:
Some people are sensitive to latex, which is found in rubber gloves and other products. Latex allergy includes food allergies such as to bananas, avocados.
Health care workers who most of the times wear latex gloves are prone to this allergy.
Symptoms of latex allergy:
- blisters on the back of the hands
- hives
- chest tightness
