About Allergies & Allergy Symptoms

The Allergy Basics

When you suffer from allergies, your body responds to an allergen that many other people can tolerate without difficulty. According to the Center for Disease Control, allergens stem from substances that stimulate the immune system. These substances are capable of inducing allergies or specific hypersensitivity situations. Once an allergic person is exposed to these allergens, the body’s immune system believes that these allergens are a threat and the response is that your body releases antibodies (called “IgE”) to attack them. Typically, the immune system will protect against true threats to your health. However, for an allergic person, the immune system believes that a typically harmless substance is a threat. As a result, an allergic person cannot tolerate exposure to simple substances and sensitivity to these substances can even become extreme.

Common indoor allergens can include dust, dust mites, indoor molds and pet dander. Other allergens, typically found outdoors and which can cause seasonal allergies are pollens, outdoor molds, grasses, ragweed and more. Allergy sufferers can have food allergies and be sensitive to nuts, dairy foods, eggs, wheat, fruits, shellfish and many other foods. Chemicals and fragrances in products can be a few of the causes of skin sensitivities. Severe reactions can be caused by bee-stings and latex or any of the above allergy-causing items. Unfortunately, the types of allergies or allergens listed here only touches on those items that people can be sensitive too. Allergies and allergic sensitivity seem to be growing problems, as more people are experiencing sensitivity to otherwise common items. In the United States, approximately 50 million Americans suffer from allergies. This astounding number only begins to indicate just how severe allergies are and how many people are coping with this chronic condition. 

Your Allergy Symptoms

Understanding your allergic symptoms and your body’s response can make a large difference in improving your health. If you monitor your allergy symptoms and proactively manage your allergic condition, you can make lasting differences to improving your overall health.

Allergy symptoms can include:

• Congestion
• Sneezing
• Runny Nose 
• Watery Eyes
• Wheezing
• Rash or Hives
• Swollen Eyes, Lips or Other Areas
• Itchy Skin
• Shortness of Breath or Asthma Conditions

Allergy symptoms may range from mild to extreme, depending on your condition. The severity of your symptoms can dictate the approach for treating your allergy condition. Allergy treatment can include allergy relief steps (also known as allergen avoidance measures) around your home, allergy medication and allergy immunotherapy. All of these steps are designed to help the body handle exposure to allergens and avoid allergic reactions that can range from irritating to life-threatening.