Signs and Symptoms of Allergies
Allergy symptoms can occur both on first exposure of your body to allergens and after repetitive contact when the concentration reaches critical levels. The first case is common in children, whose immune system is not used to fighting substances in the environment and is sensitive to any unusual exposure. The second type is frequent among adults and the more stable their immune system is, the longer the immune response to an allergen will develop.
Just like with any other disease, all the symptoms of allergy can be subdivided into several types. The first type includes the typical symptoms that are most often attributed to allergy by patients. They are:
- hives
- cough
- sneezing
- swelling
- irritated eyes
- stuffy nose
Among the atypical allergy symptoms are acute anaphylaxis, fainting, confusion, etc. These occur much less commonly than the typical ones and only as a result of hypersensitivity or continuous exposure to an allergen.
There’s another way to classify all the signs and symptoms of allergies, i.e. based on the organ system involved in the allergic reaction.
- Respiratory system – The most common symptoms of respiratory allergies include dry coughs, bronchial spasms, and mucous membrane irritation. The distinctive feature of such irritation is the inability to inhale: when a person tries to take a deep breath, the mucous membrane is badly irritated causing a spasm of the bronchial and tracheal smooth muscles;
- Gastrointestinal tract – The common gastrointestinal reactions observed with food and drug allergies are diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, and dehydration. The symptoms go away within a few hours after the allergen exposure is eliminated;
- Blood circulatory system – the immune system’s response to an allergen may cause blood count changes, which usually affect the number and shape of leukocytes. That’s natural because these blood cells are responsible for the body’s immune response;
- Skin reactions to allergen exposure are well-known: redness, hives, rash, and, in severe cases, eczemas altogether signal the presence of pathogens in the human body. Skin symptoms are usually the first manifestations of allergy, while other organs are affected later.
Young children are highly susceptible to all kinds of allergies, and symptoms may occur even when they are exposed to seemingly harmless substances. If the child keeps experiencing frequent symptoms as he or she grows, you should visit a physician to avoid serious allergy issues in the future.