May is Allergy Awareness month: Looking at symptoms and types of allergies

Since I was a child, I always suffered from seasonal, dust and cat allergies. The symptoms are the typical sinus congestion, sinus pressure, fatigue, itchy eyes, itchy nose, watery eyes, etc.

What are allergies? (Cleveland Clinic, WebMD )

Allergies are the immune system’s abnormal response to a foreign substance. People who have allergies have an immune system that reacts to what is normally a harmless substance and causes the immune system to react as though it were harmful.

What are some symptoms of allergies? (WebMD )

They can range from mild symptoms such as sinus congestion or watery eyes to severe reactions such as vomiting, diarrhea, mental confusion and swelling.

What are some types of allergies? (WebMD , eMed TV )

• Hay Fever/ Allergy Rhinitis

  It is the most common seasonal allergy, caused by pollinating trees and grass.

• Poison Ivy/ Plant

  Poison Ivy contains irritating sap called uroshiol, which triggers a allergic reaction, resulting in rashes.

• Food

  There are a variety of food allergies, which include milk, egg, nut, fish, shellfish, soy, and wheat). My dad who used to work for an airline catering company said that there were some customers that had severe peanut allergies. He said that smelling an opened bag of peanuts was enough to cause an allergic reaction.

• Latex

  This is particularly common in healthcare workers who utilize latex gloves. Now, most hospitals have become a latex-free facility.

• Other allergies

  These include pets, mold, multiple chemical sensitivity, cosmetics, drugs, sun, cigarette smoke, dust, and bee stings.

Stay tuned for tomorrow’s blog which will look at treatments to survive allergy season.