Most people suffer from various forms of allergy at some point in their lives.
Allergy, a
disorder of the immune system, occurs when a person is exposed to substances
called allergens such as dust, pollen,
molds, fur or hair of pets such as cats and dogs, certain food, medicines or
stinging insects like bees.
According to health experts,
allergies are very common as they note an increasing number of people suffering
from different
types of allergies all over the world. They say in North America and Western
Europe alone, an estimated 20% of people suffer from allergies when exposed to pollens.
The symptoms of allergies vary. A person may experience allergic reactions in the nose, eyes, throat, sinuses, lungs, chest, stomach and skin. But the most severe allergic reaction that requires immediate treatment is called anaphylaxis, particularly if the patient is allergic to certain medicines like penicillin.
According to researchers at the University of Manitoba in Canada, anaphylaxis commonly affects the skin (80% to 90%), respiratory (70%), gastrointestinal (30% to 45%), cardiovascular (10% to 45%) and the central nervous system (10% to 15%).
When a person is allergic to pollens and dust, he or she may experience itchy, blocked and runny nose; itchy, swollen and watery eyes; and cough.
For
allergies that involve the skin, the signs and symptoms include redness,
rashes, flaking of the skin, itchiness and peeling while those who suffer from
food allergies may experience vomiting,
shortness of breath, stomach cramps, itchiness and tingling sensation in the
mouth, diarrhea, rectal bleeding in children, anaphylaxis and swelling of the tongue,
lips, face and throat.
Those
people who are bitten by stinging insects may experience swelling and itching of
the affected part, wheezing, restlessness and anxiety, shortness of breath and
chest tightness, sudden drop in blood
pressure, dizziness, cough and anaphylaxis.
Anaphylaxis affecting the skin may show signs of red and itchy rashes all over the body that look and feel like insect bites, burning sensation on the skin, sometimes the skin becomes bluish in color which could be a sign of lack of oxygen, swelling of the tongue and throat, and runny nose.
Among the respiratory symptoms of anaphylaxis are hoarseness of voice, shortness of breath, cough, wheezing, pain when swallowing, and a high-pitched vibrating wheezing sound when breathing (stridor).
If the patient has asthma, he or she may experience shortness of breath since the allergen may trigger the condition.
For the cardiovascular system, the symptoms of anaphylaxis include sudden tightening of the arterian wall muscle (coronary artery spasm) which could lead to heart attack, abnormal heart rhythm and cardiac arrest.
In
the gastrointestinal system, the symptoms of anaphylaxis
are vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal cramps, pelvic pain and loss
of bladder control.
Some of the most common allergens that may result to anaphylaxis include certain medications, peanuts, insect stings and shellfish.
Some people may experience mild allergic reactions when exposed to allergens. However, if these signs of anaphylaxis are present, the patient should be brought immediately to the hospital for treatment.
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Joel Escol is an online media professional, Internet Entrepreneur and Network Builder. He has an allergy problem so that he shares to this blog how to properly treat allergy while you will have also the opportunity to not only monitor your allergy but also earn in the process. Joel is now earning $1000 per month online.
