Allergies are very common in the United States. The normal allergy symptoms include itchy skin and eyes, nasal congestion, wheezing, and rash. There are various types of allergies. Seasonal allergies occur to grass, tree pollen, molds, and weed. The common food allergies include peanut or milk. The most widely prescribed allergy medications belong to a class of drugs called ‘Antihistamines’. Allegra (Fexofenadine) is one of the best allergy medicine.
Allergy is a body’s response when it is exposed to a foreign substance. These foreign substances are termed as Allergens and they include mold, pollen, animal dander, any food, etc. Allergies are extremely common in people residing in the US. About one in five people living in the US suffer from allergies.
What exactly happens during an allergic reaction?
It occurs when you inhale, swallow or get an allergen on your skin. As a response to an allergy, your body starts synthesizing a protein called IgE, which takes hold of an allergen. It triggers the synthesis of histamine and other substances that are released in the blood. Histamines are substances that produce all the symptoms that you notice.
What are the different allergy symptoms?
The allergy symptoms depend on the type of allergen your body is exposed to. If you are suffering from nasal allergy (one that is caused by a substance that you inhaled), you might experience symptoms such as watery eyes, runny nose, and fatigue. If you have a skin allergy, you normally experience hives and rashes. Food allergies can produce symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal cramps. If you have allergy due to an insect bite, you will experience redness, pain, and swelling at the site of an insect bite.
These symptoms can range from mild to severe. Most of these symptoms disappear shortly after exposure stops. Mild allergy symptoms may go unnoticed. Moderate symptoms can you feel sick and you might feel as if you are having a cold or flu. A severe allergic reaction is very rarely observed. A severe allergic reaction is called as ‘Anaphylaxis’. Your entire body is affected due to that, the symptoms of which include, hives over the entire body, shortness of breath, hoarseness or tightness in the throat, tingling in hands and feet. Anaphylaxis is a life-threatening condition and thus call your medical practitioner right away.
Who can get allergies?
Anyone can get allergies and at any age. You can get them when you are a child of you may not experience allergic symptoms until you are an adult. Some persons can be sensitive to certain allergens while others might not be. Your chances of developing a certain type of allergy increase more than twice in case your parents are suffering from the same type of allergy.
How can you obtain relief from allergies?
Medicines such as antihistamines are widely prescribed for treating allergies. Antihistamines act by blocking the action of histamine on H1 receptors. Antihistamines are the best allergy medicines and they come in various forms such as tablets, capsules, nasal sprays, liquids, and eyedrops. Some medicines are available on prescription, while others are available over the counter. Prescription antihistamines include Hydroxyzine (Atarax), Desloratadine (Clarinex), and Azelastine eyedrops (Optivar), etc. Over the counter, anti-histamines include Diphenhydramine (Benadryl), Fexofenadine (Allegra), and Loratadine (Claritin).
Take antihistamines producing drowsiness before bedtime. Never take them while driving or using machinery. Other allergy meds include decongestants, corticosteroids, etc.
The above things will help you to understand allergies in a better way.
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