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You are more than likely suffering from an allergic reaction if you experience the following symptoms.
If you experience the following symptoms, you can be sure that you are suffering from an allergic reaction:
- Tingling, numbness, itching, and swelling of the lips, face, and tongue
- Swelling in other parts of the body, especially fingers
- Trouble breathing
- Wheezing
- Nasal congestion
- Hives
- Abdominal pain
- Diarrhea
- Dizziness
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Fainting
- Itchy, watery eyes
- Runny nose
- Itchy nose
- Swelling
- Skin redness
- Sneezing
- Rashes
- Stomach cramps
- Vomiting
- Bloating
- Pain
- Cough
Some people may even experience a severe, life-threatening anaphylactic reaction that can cause them to go into shock. If you experience any of the below symptoms, immediately consult your physician:
- Trouble breathing
- Hives or swelling
- Tightness of the throat
- Hoarse voice
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Abdominal pain
- Diarrhea
- Dizziness
- Fainting
- Low blood pressure
- Rapid heartbeat
- Feeling of doom
- Cardiac arrest
How to treat allergies
The treatment for anaphylaxis is an epinephrine shot or an EpiPen.
The primary approach to treat an allergic reaction (to prevent recurrence and severity) would be to identify and completely avoid the allergen. If removing allergen isn’t a viable option, your doctors might prescribe other treatment options, which include allergy shots:
- Initially, you may be exposed to a small amount of allergen, slowly increasing the amount over time to desensitize your body to it. The treatment course begins with weekly shots and gradually moves to monthly shots. Sublingual allergy shots, a tablet form of allergy shots, may also be given to treat allergies.
- Medications
- Medications such as antihistamines or leukotriene inhibitors can be beneficial in blocking immune cells released when the body gets exposed to allergens. Inhalers may also be given to ease the symptoms of allergies.
- Epinephrine auto-injector
- For life-threatening allergies, your doctor might ask you to carry an epinephrine auto-injector to treat your reaction within seconds.
5 ways to prevent allergies
There are some things you can do to prevent allergies, which include:
- Identifying your allergens:
- Eliminating or controlling the allergen:
- Once identified, you should either control or eliminate the allergen, such as the following examples:
- If you have a pet in your house, you should avoid bringing it to your bedroom. Brush a dog outside to prevent the allergen from getting trapped inside. While shopping for furniture, choose leather over fabric if possible.
- To control dust mites, use allergy-proof covers for bedding. Wash your bedding weekly in hot water to avoid allergens.
- To control pollen, you should keep your windows shut and use the air conditioner while staying indoors. Also, drive with the car windows closed to avoid pollens. You can also install a high-efficiency particulate air filter on your air-conditioning system and a flat or panel filter on your furnace.
- To get rid of household mold, make a mixture of cleaning solutions of 5 percent bleach and a small amount of detergent and apply it to the wall. Outdoors, airborne mold from vegetation can trigger an allergic reaction.
- Once identified, you should either control or eliminate the allergen, such as the following examples:
- Avoid touching or rubbing your nose
- Wash your hands often with soap and water
- Wear sunglasses and a wide-brimmed hat to reduce pollen getting into your eye