Allergies, oh allergies! They are like those uninvited guests who barge into your house with no warning and overstay their welcome, causing havoc in your body. The worst part? You don't even know what triggered all this chaos inside you!
But fear not, dear reader. We have got you covered! Today we will decode allergies together to recognize their telltale signs.
Common Types of Allergies:
Food Allergy
Food allergy has its own charm, they say - if by charm they mean excruciating pain, swelling or itching which gradually leads to a lot of mental anguish. In food allergy, the immune system gets tricked into identifying certain proteins as harmful infections and attacks them in full force. Here's a list of foods that can cause food allergy:
- Peanuts
- Tree nuts (such as walnuts)
- Fish
- Irritating conversations about pineapple on pizza
- Shellfish
Symptoms:
Some common symptoms that may surface after consumption include:
- Itching or tingling sensation in the mouth.
- Swelling of lips/face/tongue/throat
- Abdominal cramps/pain/vomiting/diarrhea
Skin Allergy
Have you ever casually brushed against something only to find yourself with an itchy rash later? Hello, skin allergy! This type happens mostly due to contact allergens such as soap/detergents/cosmetics/metal/shampoos etc.
Symptoms:
Common symptoms for skin allergens include
1) Rash/skin redness
2) Bumps/blisters filled with fluid
3) Itching
Drug Allergy
Are prescription drugs giving you PTSD-like flashbacks every time someone mentions them? Do antibiotics make you feel like breaking out into hives aka'HELL IN A DELICATE PACKAGE'? Congratulations, pal! You are a victim of drug allergy which happens when your immune system reacts abnormally to the medication.
Symptoms:
The symptoms include
- Hives/itching/redness
- Swelling (of the face/lips/tongue)
- Shortness of breath/wheezing
- Anaphylaxis- a severe and potentially life-threatening allergic reaction
Oh wait, there's more - you can also be allergic to insect bites or stings (Jokes on us- sometimes even bees have infiltrated this club too).
Miscellaneous signs that indicate an Allergic Reaction:
Exhibit A: IT'S ALL OVER MY FACE Ever felt like suddenly being gifted with having high cheekbones at the cost of looking like Samantha in Sex in The City? If it wasn't for some Botox/Bee Venom/Cheek filler related mishap and from swelling due to allergies!
Exhibit B: I CAN’T STOP SNEEZING Speaking of out-of-the-blue reactions, if you find yourself sneezing incessantly without any known cause, then chances are it’s probably hay fever! It occurs when your body perceives harmless substances such as pollen/dander/mold spores/grasses into major threats.
Exhibit C: GIMME THAT BENADRYL STAT If after getting bitten by insects/shellfish/oral medication consumption someone gives you benadryl or cortisone but nothing seems to work their magic.. Uh Oh!! Might want check with Doc because it could be an indication for Mast Cell Activation Syndrome(MCAS)
MCAS?
Did we doze off during medical college classes again? Because what is MCAS?
MCAS stands for “Mast cell activation syndrome” .It usually shows up around teenage years under reports suggests that females may encounter it more often than their male counterparts. Mast cells are special immune cells responsible for releasing chemicals which help to fight off infections and other foreign invaders in your body. But when MCAS kicks in, the mast cells release too much of said chemicals even when there is no actual threat, leading to allergy-like symptoms.
Here are some probably MCAS symptoms:
- rashes
- flushing or hot flashes
- itching (pruritus)
- abdominal pain or cramping ## Solutions
As always in life it's crucial to focus on solutions! Here are a few ways you can manage allergies more effectively:
1) Get tested! You can get skin tested/blood tested by an allergist/immunologist who will actively test for specified types!
2)Spot that trigger!! Keep a handy logbook so you know what triggered those pesky allergies!
3) Carry medication
If diagnosed with any severe allergies carry epinephrine autoinjector at all times!
Allergies may be uninvited guests but luckily for us therapy and medicine have evolved greatly over time hence ramping up our chances of minimal potential harm. The End