Seasonal and food allergies can wreak havoc on the patient's system, even with the smallest exposure to the trigger allergen. The reactions range from minor skin rashes to anaphylactic shock. Upon noticing the first allergic response to a trigger, it is important for the patient to seek immediate medical care. Allergy tests can help pinpoint the triggers, so the patient can avoid those substances and respond to accidental exposure right away.
Symptoms
Many seasonal and food allergies share the same symptoms. The most common shared symptoms are:
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Skin rash
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Itching
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Fatigue
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Breathing difficulties
Symptoms related to seasonal allergies only are:
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Red, watery eyes
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Sneezing
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Coughing
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Runny nose
Symptoms caused by an allergic reaction to food are:
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Chest tightness
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Throat swelling
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Shock
Triggers
Seasonal allergy triggers often include pet dander, dust and pollen. The allergic reactions may start to appear only during certain months when the presence of these triggers in the air increases due to environmental changes. For example, dust and pet dander exposure increases in the fall and winter when the windows in the home stay shut tight for extended periods of time. Exposure to pollen in the air, on the other hand, increases during the flowering season in the spring and summer months.
Triggers for food allergies are a bit more difficult to identify. The most common triggers are nuts, soy, dairy and wheat. People may also develop an allergy to chemical additives in packaged food products. Fruit and vegetables can cause an allergic reaction, including throat swelling, with a single bite of the offending ingredient. All of these allergen triggers are caused by a negative reaction to the protein changes in the suspected substance.
Diagnosis and Treatment in Friendwood, TX
Patients must go through the diagnostic process to find out the cause of their allergic reactions. Physicians can perform a skin exposure test or blood draw to determine the main allergen triggers. Upon discovering the problem substances, physicians advise their patients to avoid contact with those triggers.
Patients can also undergo targeted treatment to reduce the chance of a reaction upon coming into contact with the identified allergen. The treatments include anti-histamine pills and injections that reduce the body's histamine response.
Patients must take the allergy pills daily or come in regularly for shots to keep histamine production to a minimum. Patients can also elect to undergo a serious of light exposure injections in an effort to stop the allergic reaction from occurring altogether.
Seeking Care For Seasonal and Food Allergies
Even while working closely with a physician to treat seasonal and food allergies, it is important to seek urgent medical care if a reaction occurs. The physicians at Twin Oaks Urgent Care in Friendswood, TX can identify and treat allergic reactions to keep the body from going into shock or developing other serious complications. The urgent care center provides prompt care to keep patients from having to sit in the local hospital emergency room waiting for medical assistance. Contact us today at (832) 569-4390.