Allergies are caused due to the body’s immune system responding to a particular allergen which is disturbing the body. The disturbances and the corresponding reactions manifest themselves in various ways.
Allergies are taken to be the symptoms of a particular group of allergies.
The symptoms of an outbreak of a certain allergy can be categorized in to three groups- mild, moderate and severe. Mild
allergy symptoms are generally not long lasting. They manifest in the form of congestion, rash or itchy and watery eyes, subsiding in a couple of days at maximum. Moderate allergies can spread throughout the body and may cause severe itchiness or difficulties in breathing.
Allergies are mostly either mild or moderate but when they go out of hand and show severe
allergy symptoms, it is time to consult medical help. In fact, severe allergies can threaten lives as well! A rare allergy, Anaphylaxis, which indeed is a life threatening allergy, can start manifesting in the form of a minor itching in the eyes or face and spread through out the body in just a matter of minutes. There could be swellings all over the body and the face to make both breathing and swelling difficult. These blocked, the patient enters a perilous zone. There could be acute abdominal pains and cramps. Vomiting and diarrhea are another couple of symptoms that accompany severe allergies. In the most acute of cases, a patient might as well suffer from low pressure, anxiety, dizziness or confusion, failing to keep up the mental balance.
The above said symptoms are rather the most common symptoms of allergy. However, symptoms, like their mother allergies vary in degrees from person to person. For example, a person suffering from
allergic rhinitis suffers from a running and clogged nose accompanied with severe sneezing. Itching nose throat and eyes are also commonly found. Patients also develop dark circles around their eyes. This is accompanied by a condition commonly known as conjunctivitis where the patient has an inflammation in the membrane of eyelids leading to swelling of eyes and crusting of eyelids.
In asthma, patients feel the chest tightening up and a difficulty in inhaling and exhaling. This leads to a noisy breathing, called wheezing. Breathlessness and coughing accompany these.
Welts, hives and itchy skin are common symptoms of eczema, utricaria and contact dermatitis.
There is not much that you can do to control
allergies because they are generally non-curable in nature. But there are some steps that might be of help if you can identify the source of your allergy. Say, if you are suffering from
allergic rhinitis, which agitate due to pollen grains, you can have a bath before bed time to get rid of any pollen grains that might have accumulated on your hair or skin. If you are allergic to molds, you can reduce mold at your home by decreasing the number of plants you keep at home or avoid damp carpets or rooms that can be mold proof. Reducing dust or keeping pets out of your house are often good ways to control allergies.
