Allergies are very common but it is sometimes hard to determine whether you have an allergy. Even if you’ve had a doctor tell you that you may have allergies, you still may not know what exactly is causing them. There are some obvious signs that indicate your body is reacting to something that may be an allergen. You need to decide whether you need to take action. Until you know what is causing your allergy you may just be searching for some effective tips for allergy symptom relief.
Your first step to determining if you have an allergy is to simply look at your body. Your immune system reacts to allergens by releasing histamines into your body which can cause redness, itching, swelling, sneezing, hives, and wheezing. These are all typical symptoms of an allergy.
Symptoms of allergy
Allergy symptoms usually begin with your body’s reaction to an irritant such as pollens or dust mites. Once these irritants get on your skin, they can begin to cause an allergic response that causes the release of histamines.These histamines can affect your body in different ways.
The histamines can travel to the surface of the skin to the capillaries, which supply blood to the areas of the body that are affected. This can cause reddening and swelling of the skin.
Your upper respiratory system will release histamines to the bloodstream, which can then travel to the bronchial tubes and to the nose. This can cause sneezing, a runny nose, and respiratory problems. Wheezing, coughing, and shortness of breath are signs that your body is possibly allergic to an irritant. These are often signs that your body is experiencing an allergic reaction. If you’ve not previously experienced a reaction to a certain substance then you may not understand why it makes you wheeze, cough, or feel short of breath.
Learning more about what makes these reactions happen will help you determine if you have allergies. Some allergies occur because of repeated exposure to an allergen; others come from eating foods that contain certain types of allergens that trigger allergic reactions.
Histamines can pass to the brain where they can further increase your body’s reaction to the irritant. They can cause an allergic reaction called anaphylaxis. When you feel a swelling in your throat or shortness of breath, you need to seek medical attention right away. In a severe anaphylactic reaction the effects can be life threatening.
When you have a severe allergy, you may find that your body’s immune system goes into overdrive and starts to produce antibodies that attack your own cells.
Allergies in childhood
Allergies can sometimes be hereditary. People who had allergies as children may have them again as adults. It is more common for your allergies to last into adulthood than it is for your allergies to disappear as you get older. Childhood asthma is becoming more common and often seems to also come with allergies. If you live in a polluted environment with a lot of traffic then your child will be at greater risk of developing asthma and also allergies.
The increase in allergies in children is sometimes suggested to be because we are becoming too clean these days. If children are not exposed to general dirt when young some people think this leads to an increased chance of developing an allergy in later childhood.
Diagnosing an allergy
It is important to get medical attention if you start to experience any of the symptoms listed above. If you suspect that you may have an allergy, it is important to identify the particular allergen and eliminate it from your diet. If you suspect that you may have a fungal or mold allergy then eliminating that from your environment may be the key to your health.
For best results always seek professional help. You may need to see a specialist to look for signs of allergies and diagnose the allergens responsible. The most effective tip for allergy symptom relief is of course to avoid the offending allergen. This relies on correct identification of the problem substance or food.
In order to diagnose an allergy it is usually necessary to expose you to potential allergens in a controlled manner. This is usually done by applying drops of allergen to your forearm and waiting to see if there is a response. Once the allergen is identified you will need to reduce your exposure to the problem substance. If you have a severe reaction, like some people do to peanuts for instance, then you will be advised to carry an Epi-pen. This contains adrenalin and you will need to learn to administer it if you are exposed to your problem allergen. This could save your life.
