Allergy is a condition that makes a person sick or develops some kind of skin or breathing problems because the human immune system does not recognize certain foreign substances and therefore reacts to them. Our immune system creates antibodies for the particular type of allergen. As an individual is exposed to a form of allergen, our immune system reacts to it which causes inflammation of the digestive system, skin, as well as skin.
Allergies can vary from one person to another. To some people, the allergic reaction can be a minor irritation whereas to some other people it could lead to an emergency that may prove to be life-threatening.
Symptoms of allergy
The symptoms of allergies mainly depend upon the intake of any kind of substance and therefore can affect any part of our body. The reactions caused by the allergy can be mild and life-threatening as well. Different kinds of substances cause different kinds of allergic reactions in our bodies. Some of them are –
- Allergic rhinitis: also popularly called Hay Fever, Allergic Rhinitis causes a lot of sneezing, itchiness of the nose, and irritation of the eyes, and may also lead toconjunctivitis.
- Food allergy: allergies triggered by food can cause certain reactions in our body such as tingling inside the mouth, face swelling, lip swelling, and throat, hives, or in some major cases anaphylaxis.
- 3. Insect sting allergy: even though it may sound ridiculous, if an individual is stung by an insect, it can also trigger allergic reactions. Such as – inflammation in the area of the sting bite, itching all around the body, continuous coughing, struggling to breathe, wheezing, chest tightness, and anaphylaxis.
- Drug allergy: drugs are harmful to our health. Not only does it have a devastating effect on any addicted person’s life it can trigger a certain type of allergic reaction as well. They are – irritation of the skin, presence of rashes, face swelling, or in some extreme cases anaphylaxis.
- Atopic dermatitis: commonly known as eczema, it is an allergic skin ailment that can cause itchiness and irritation of the skin, flake, redden, and peel.
- Anaphylaxis: sometimes certain allergic reactions could reach the extreme stage which is commonly called anaphylaxis. With this condition, the human body may experience a lot of trauma, which in turn, may cause your body to go into shock. The symptoms of such a severe condition may include – losing consciousness, breathing issues, blood pressure drop, skin irritation, the development of rashes, and vomiting.
As we have now discussed the symptoms of certain types of allergic reactions we must always remember that behind every allergic reaction there is a particular allergen. The allergen triggers our immune system to produce antibodies which are released when the body is exposed to the allergen.
Let us now look at the common allergens for each type of allergic reaction.
- Airborne allergens: This includes dust particles, animal dander, mould, and pollen particles that may cause hay fever (allergic rhinitis).
- Foods: This includes food such as prawns, eggs, peanuts, soy, milk, and various other food sources depending upon the condition of the individual concerned.
- Insect stings: includes sting from a wasp, mosquito, or bee and can cause allergy from the insect sting.
So far by now, you must have realized how fatal allergies can be. If it is not identified at the initial stage then it can also take a deadly form which is why now we will learn about the importance of allergy blood tests.
Importance of allergy tests
Severe reactions caused by allergies can trigger our immune system to produce antibodies. As our body comes in contact with any kind of foreign substance that it does not recognize, our immune system starts preparing antibodies to combat the particular type of foreign substance.
Some allergic reactions can have a mild effect while some can be fatal. This is the only reason why we must be aware of which particular allergen can cause allergic reactions in our bodies. Prevention is better than cure. To tackle allergic reactions, we must identify the culprits – allergens.
The first step towards the treatment of allergies is the identification of a particular type of allergen. Once the identification is complete our next step should be avoiding the particular allergen. In the case of mild allergic reactions, the doctor might prescribe some antihistamines.
Procedures of allergy tests
Allergy tests are mainly done in three ways – skin prick test, intradermal test, and patch test.
- Skin prick test: a small number of potential allergens is placed on the skin and a small prick is made, allowing the allergen to penetrate the skin. The test takes about 15-20 minutes.
- Intradermal test: allergen is injected into the skin. This test is often done for bee venom or penicillin.
- Patching test: the allergen is taped to the skin for a certain period. The skin is observed for a period of up to 96 hours.
Final Overview – Results of the allergy tests
After the tests are done comes the result of those tests. From here we can conclude how mild or severe our allergies can turn when they come in contact with a particular allergen. If the results are negative then there is no allergic reaction. If the results are positive then there is a certain allergic reaction.
Be sure to seek assistance from experts to learn more about the concept of Allergy Blood Tests.
