Allergys Favorite Symptoms

If allergies had a top ten list of their favorite
symptoms what would be on it? Would they prefer life
threatening or just really annoying?

The most common symptoms, that may or may not be on
their favorites list:

Breathing problems.

This one should be fun for an allergy. It really gets
the persons attention. Nothing like the lack of oxygen
to center a persons attention on the allergy.

Burning, watery or itchy eyes.

This symptom falls into the really annoying category.
It could cause additional problems if you cant see
where youre going.

Red, swollen eyes, also called Conjunctivitis.

Certainly annoying, but most people can deal with this
one.

Coughing.

This one gets old real quick. And a constant cough
quickly becomes painful.

Diarrhea.

This one might start out in the annoying category, but
left unchecked could switch to the life threatening
section very quickly.

Headache.

Depending on the severity of the headache, this one
might be tolerable.

Hives.

This symptom is not only annoying and uncomfortable
(possibly painful) it draws the attention of strangers
on the street.

Itchy nose, mouth, throat or skin.

Another in the category of really annoying. An itch
that cant be soothed is one of the most annoying
things there is.

Runny nose.

Yeah, this one could cause problems with other people.
No one likes to hear someone constantly sniffing or
blowing their nose. Makes people wonder what germs
youre spreading around.

Skin rashes.

Possibly ugly to look at, but tolerable

Allergic To Food?

Food allergies are the most common and prevalent type
of allergy. Up to 12 million Americans suffer from
some type of food allergy.

The most common culprits are eggs, fish and shellfish,
peanuts and other tree nuts.

Children are most commonly allergic to the same foods
but with the addition to milk and other dairy
products.

Corn and corn products also commonly cause allergic
reactions in children.

Most allergic symptoms are often only bothersome, but
they can be life threatening.

The most common symptoms are itching of the mouth,
eyes and skin, hives, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea,
often but not always accompanied by stomach cramps and
wheezing, shortness of breath or trouble swallowing.

The more severe symptoms can include swelling. The
swelling tends to focus on the face area causing
swelling of the eyelids, lips, ears and tongue.

Mood swings and depression is another symptom.

The most severe symptoms can result in death. Around
200 deaths each year are reported from both the
initial allergic reaction and secondary complications.

There is currently no cure for food allergies. While
allergy shots have been developed to help with many
different types of allergies, none have been
successfully made for food allergies.

The people with the allergies usually avoid those
foods that cause the allergic reaction. Epinephrine
can relieve the symptoms, and is often carried by
people diagnosed with food allergies to be used in an
emergency.

Some scientists believe genetic engineering may create
vaccines, but thats still years away.

What Is An Allergy?

Theres a lot of talk about allergies. But just what
is an allergy and what causes them? Why do some people
have them while others dont? And why are people with
one allergy more inclined to have many?

The immune system is set up to protect our bodies from
harmful, foreign substances. Like viruses and bacteria
(dirt and germs). Sometimes the immune system doesnt
develop properly or is just oversensitive and doesnt
react right.

In these cases, it reacts to things that arent
harmful and dont usually cause people any problems.
These things are called allergens. The term allergens
is just an easier way to say things that cause
allergies.

When the oversensitive or improperly developed immune
system sees these allergens, it sends out chemicals
like histamine. Its the histamines that cause the
symptoms that are common with allergies.

Symptoms like itching, watery eyes, runny nose,
swelling, hives or rashes. Different people have
different symptoms, but the causes are the same.

The symptoms that are displayed depend on the part of
the body the allergen comes in contact with. Allergens
that are breathed in, like pollen or dust cause
coughing or wheezing, stuffy or runny noses and an
itchy nose and throat.

Plant allergies usually come in contact with the skin,
so they cause rashes.

Food allergies usually result in nausea, vomiting,
stomach pains or in severe cases, life threatening
reactions. Drug allergies tend to involve the entire
body, so they have a variety of symptoms.

This entry was posted on Friday, March 14th, 200

Types Of Allergies

Its estimated that 60 million Americans suffer from
some type of allergy. Thats 1 out of 4. Its the 5th
highest chronic disease in America and the 3rd most
common chronic disease in children.

Many people suffer from more than one allergy type.

Pollen from trees, grass and weeds are in the
indoor/outdoor allergy category. Other common
indoor/outdoor allergy triggers are mold spores, dust
mite and cockroach allergen and cat, dog and rodent
dander.

About 75% of people with allergies have indoor/outdoor
allergies. The most common pet allergy is cat dander.

Skin allergies are another common allergy. The most
common causes of skin allergies are plants like poison
oak, ivy and sumac.

Allergic reactions can also be caused by skin contact
with latex, cockroach and dust mites and even some
foods. Skin allergies are the main allergy for about
7% of allergy sufferers.

While we here a lot about food and drug allergies,
theyre the primary allergy of only about 6% of
allergy sufferers. Food allergies are more common in
children.

Peanuts, tree nuts, milk, eggs, wheat, soy, fish and
shellfish are responsible for 90% of all food
allergies. Food allergies claim over 200 lives yearly.
When it comes to common drug allergies, penicillin is
the winner.

Almost 400 Americans die every year from allergies to
penicillin.

Latex and insect allergies both claim around 4% of
allergy sufferers. Latex allergies result in 10 deaths
a year and nearly 100 deaths a year are the result of
insect allergies.