An allergy is caused by your immune system reacting to something that is harmless in itself, such as pollen, dust, animal fur and certain foods, but which it mistakenly identifies as harmful. Symptoms may be mild, severe or even life-threatening. Your immune system plays the important role of defending your body from unwanted invaders such as bacteria and viruses that could harm you. It releases antibodies to fight against them.
Substances that your body mistakenly takes as invaders to be fought against are known as allergens. The antibodies produced to fight them cause the release of histamine, which makes blood vessels expand, resulting in the allergy symptoms. Your body’s antibodies target only one type of allergen. This is why you may be allergic, for instance, to peanuts but not to eggs. Identifying what causes your allergic reaction enables you to try to avoid these allergens and so avoid the allergic reaction. There are many ways in which you can come in contact with allergens, such as through the skin, eyes, nose, mouth or stomach. This can cause your sinuses to clog up, inflame your skin, make it hard to breathe or cause stomach problems.
Common allergens
Common allergens include tree and grass pollen, house dust mites, foods such as peanuts, milk and eggs, animal fur particularly from pets such as cats and dogs, insect stings such as bee and wasp stings and certain medicines. The most severe reactions tend to be the result of food allergies and allergies to insect stings or certain medicines.
Symptoms
Symptoms range from being mildly uncomfortable and irritating to serious and life-threatening. Some of the commonest symptoms include a runny nose or sneezing, pain or tenderness around your cheeks, eyes or forehead, coughing, wheezing or breathlessness and itchy skin or a raised rash or hives. Other symptoms include diarrhoea, feeling or being sick and swollen eyes, lips, mouth, tongue or throat.
You should seek medical attention if you have a skin rash that may include itchy, red, swollen, blistered or peeling skin. You should seek urgent medical help if you are wheezing, experience tightness in the chest or throat, have trouble breathing or talking or if your mouth, face, lips, tongue or throat start swelling. You could be having a serious allergic reaction called anaphylaxis that may need immediate treatment at a clinic or hospital.
Treatment
Given the body’s range of reactions to allergens, treatment recommendations vary from simple home administered remedies to seeking emergency medical assistance. If you experience skin reactions such as itching, redness or a rash, wash the affected area with mild soap and lukewarm water to remove the allergen. You may then also apply hydrocortisone cream or lotion. Calamine lotion and cool compresses may also bring relief.
Hives are a skin rash usually triggered by allergens and in some cases stress. The good thing about hives is that they will subside in time. It helps to avoid hot showers and bathwater and wear loose clothing to avoid irritating your skin. Sleeping in a cool room lessens the irritation. If your reaction is due to an external source such as poison ivy, make sure you wash clothing or other items that may have the irritant on them. If your itchiness is severe, your rash does not go away or you see signs of infection, see your doctor. If you think you know what is causing your skin reaction, for example makeup or jewellery, stop using the product or wearing the item.
You may experience multiple allergic symptoms such as itching, sneezing and watery eyes at the same time. Antihistamines that are available over the counter at pharmacies, are generally effective for countering mild allergic reactions. More severe reactions may require other forms of treatment. If you experience difficulty breathing or throat swelling, seek immediate medical attention for possible anaphylaxis. Your life or someone else’s life may depend on taking quick action in the event of a severe allergic reaction.
Some people with potentially life-threatening allergies carry with them an injector to inject themselves, typically in the thigh, with a dose of epinephrine or adrenaline in the event of a serious allergic reaction. This may help reverse severe allergic reactions while you await medical care. Even if symptoms improve as a result of this, you should still pursue medical attention, as they may return once the effect of the injection has worn off.
Food allergies are the most common trigger of anaphylaxis. Severe reactions can also be brought on by insect stings, latex or medications. An allergic reaction that makes it difficult to breathe can create a sense of impending doom. Anaphylactic reactions can be intense, so it is important to remain calm, while seeking urgent medical assistance.
Prevention
Once you have an allergy it doesn’t normally go away. The best way to prevent an allergic reaction is to avoid the source of the allergy. An allergy profiling blood test can sometimes identify the source of the allergy. If you do not know what you are allergic to, keep a diary to track what you do and what you have eaten when symptoms occur. This may help you and your doctor discover the cause.
Avoiding your allergens is not always easy. When you cannot avoid an allergen, try to minimise your contact with it. Wear a medical alert bracelet or necklace, particularly if you are allergic to certain medicines, to let others know what you are allergic to if you are unable to communicate. If your allergic reaction tends to be serious, have a written anaphylaxis emergency action plan that you or others can follow if you have a severe allergic reaction. If the reaction becomes progressively more severe, call an ambulance immediately. It is better to call an ambulance than to try to take yourself or someone else to a medical facility, lest assistance is required on the way.