Allergy: Symptoms, Complications, and Treatment

Home
/
Health Wiki
/
Allergy: Symptoms, Complications, and Treatment

Contents

In this article, we will take a look at:

You can click on any of the links above to navigate to the section of your interest.

What is an allergy?

Allergies are responses from the body and immune system against some common elements. An allergy occurs when the person comes into contact with these elements, which might include bee venom, pollen, pet dander, peanuts, and much more. A substance that causes the person to show an allergic reaction is termed as an allergen. The latter can be found in many drinks and foods.

Many people are not affected by these allergens. Generally, allergy is a response to harmless substances that are mistakenly deemed as hazardous by the patient’s body.

The most common types of allergies are:

How does allergy occur?

An allergy occurs when the body mistakes a harmless element as a threat. The immune system immediately reacts and causes few symptoms of allergy. It is an inappropriate immune response that happens unnaturally.

Any allergy has five stages for development:

Stage 1: The allergen contacts the biological cells through air, touch, or food.

Stage 2: The immune system calls out plasma cells and creates antibodies called immunoglobulin E as a reaction to an allergen.

Stage 3: The IgE comes inside the skin, respiratory tract, or gastrointestinal tract and does nothing.

Stage 4: When the body gets exposed to the allergen again, the IgE gets bound to the allergen and reacts, considering the allergen to be an intruder.

Stage 5: This stage occurs after 24 hours of the previous stage. The cells of the immune system move closer to the affected area and release the chemicals.

Who is prone to allergy? 

You can get an allergic reaction if:

What are the symptoms of allergy? How is allergy diagnosed?

Symptoms

The symptoms of allergy vary according to the different types, as follows:

Skin reactions:

Food reactions:

Drug reactions:

Diagnosis

At first, the doctors will ask you several questions and examine the symptoms observed. The doctors will also ask about your family history concerning allergies. Then, he or she will recommend several tests such as skin prick, patch, and blood test.

What are the complications of an allergy?

If an allergy is left undiagnosed and untreated, it can cause complications like:

What is the treatment for allergy?

Doctors will usually recommend medicines to get rid of the harmful effects of allergic reaction. Few types of medicines include decongestants, steroid sprays, antihistamines, and anti-leukotrienes. Another powerful treatment consists of immunotherapy that is used for the rehabilitation of the entire immune system. It stops the further expansion and production of IgE in the body.

Would you like to consult a doctor for Allergy ?

Questions answered by trusted doctors

Verified User
I ate fish (Hilsa or ilisha ) last night.... After near about 1 hour I started itching some parts of my body and it was getting worse. Today morning I visited a homeopathy doctor and he told me the  cause of allergy is Hilsa fish and gave me a medicine and told me to take it after each 15 mins,but until now I can not see any improvement.I work in a IT sector, so I need to go to office, so please help me. How long the allergy will last in my body.
Dr. Sandeep Utreja
Internal Medicine, Chandigarh
Take tab levocetrizine 5 twice a day.
Take tab Allegra 90 at night.
Take tab Medrol 8 mg in morning

3 days

Dr. Meera Malhautra
General Physician, Gurgaon
You can take tablet Allegra M once a day for the next 3 days and apply calamine lotion to the rash
Ask health queries and get free answers from doctors in 24 hrs
Did you know?

Allergy reason ?

Scientists have found a link between the asthma, fast food, and allergy.

Penicillin allergy

The penicillin allergy increases the risk of C. Difficile and MRSA.

Feeding breast milk

Feeding breast milk to newborns can prevent the occurrences of food allergies in the future.

Related videos

Allergy Symptoms

24 Home Remedies to Cure Skin Allergy

Seeking asthma and allergy treatment from a naturopath

Related articles

Bladder Infection: Symptoms, Complications, and Treatment

Bladder infection or cystitis is inflammation and disease within the urinary bladder. Bacteria are the most common causal organism for the bladder infection.

Peripheral Artery Disease: Causes, Symptoms, And Treatments

PAD (Peripheral Artery Disease) occurs when narrowing of the blood vessels happen due to the buildup on the walls of the blood vessels.

Leucoderma: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatments

leucoderma is a skin disorder in which patches of skin tend to lose its natural color.

Home Remedies

Alkaline diet

Alkaline foods such as garlic, lemons, green leafy vegetables, probiotic-rich foods, bone broth, coconut milk, almond butter & seeds, gluten-free flours/grains, and breastmilk can provide the immune system with the ability to have a self-repair mode.

Quercetin

It is a naturally available element found in plants and vegetables like cauliflower and broccoli. It can also be found in green tea, citrus fruits, and onions, and can reduce chances of allergies.

Acupuncture

Studies have found that acupuncture has positive results on allergy, when offered by a professional.

Vitamin C

Natural medicine practitioners indicate that the regular intake of vitamin C helps in the reduction of histamine levels that further enhances the immune system.

Stinging Nettle

This element has been known to treat allergies since when it was popular in medieval Europe. People used to take it to get relief from fluid reactions and joint pain. It also relieves allergy symptoms by controlling histamines.

Neti Pot

It helps in the reduction of allergies and other respiratory problems in the body. It clears the nasal passages and removes the elements that cause irritations. It also deals with seasonal allergies and common cold.