Understanding Allergies
According to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, more than 50 million people in the United States live with allergies, and they’re the sixth leading cause of chronic illness. May is Allergy Awareness Month. Now is the perfect time to learn about allergies and talk to your doctor about potential allergies and their relation to your overall health.
What Are Allergies
An allergy is when your immune system’s reaction to something is different from the average person’s. The immune system can trigger a reaction in your skin, sinuses, airways, or digestive system. Sometimes, the body misidentifies a substance or food as harmful, causing a person to have an allergic reaction.
Many people develop allergies in childhood. However, it’s not uncommon for new allergies to arise or past allergies to grow more severe with age. Some allergies can be life-threatening or lead to medical complications such as anaphylaxis, asthma, or infections.
Types of Allergies
People can have allergies to various substances, including the environment, food, insects, and medications. Signs and symptoms of a reaction can vary depending on the allergy.
- Hay fever- Hay fever is when a person is allergic to indoor and outdoor allergens such as pollen or dust. Hay fever symptoms include sneezing, watery eyes, swollen eyes, runny nose, or itching nose or eyes. Depending on the allergen that triggers you, you may experience it seasonally or year-round.
- Food allergy- Food allergies are when your body’s immune system reacts to certain foods. It can often cause tingling in the mouth, swelling in the face, hives, and anaphylaxis.
- Insect allergy- An insect allergy is when the body reacts to an insect bite or sting. Inset allergies cause swelling of the bitten or stung area, hives, chest tightness, wheezing, and anaphylaxis.
- Drug allergy- A drug allergy is when the body reacts to certain medications, such as aspirin. Drug allergies cause hives, itchy skin, rash, wheezing, anaphylaxis, and facial swelling.
- Atopic dermatitis- Also known as eczema, atopic dermatitis is a skin allergy that causes itching, redness or peeling.
Allergy vs. Intolerance
The words “allergy” and “intolerance” are often used interchangeably, but they are not the same thing. Some people experience physical reactions to substances that they may confuse with an allergy when it’s an intolerance. Both allergies and intolerances have similar responses. However, an allergy affects the immune system, whereas an intolerance does not.
People misunderstand the two cases, most often with food. Peanut allergies are a common allergy among people in the United States. When a person allergic to peanuts eats them, their immune system reacts, often causing anaphylaxis. During an anaphylaxis episode, people may experience a sudden drop in blood pressure, trouble breathing, skin rashes, nausea, or vomiting. A person who undergoes anaphylaxis needs epinephrine to treat the condition.
An intolerance does not cause an immune system reaction, and you can often manage symptoms with medication. A common intolerance is a lactose allergy. Many people, especially as they grow older, have digestive reactions to lactose, such as nausea or diarrhea. In most cases, a person can take medication before consuming lactose to help their body digest it, and they don’t require emergency medical treatment to get better.
Working with Visiting Angels
If you’re a senior living with allergies that require assistance at home, the team at Visiting Angels can help. Our professional caregivers can assist with medication reminders, preparing allergen-free meals, or transporting you to and from doctor’s appointments. They can also provide light housekeeping, personal grooming, and mobility assistance.
Our Mobile office serves those in Mobile and the surrounding communities. If you’d like to learn more about our at-home care services, you can complete this online form or call us at 251.345.4100.