Changes in season, combined with things like cold, flu, and pollution, often result in allergy symptoms. Allergies encompass a wide range of symptoms that may cause mild reactions in some people, but for others, they can be life-threatening. Knowing when you should seek medical assistance or urgent care is vital.
Regardless of what triggers your allergies, we can help you by diagnosing, treating and taking steps to prevent it. We have allergists who can provide professional guidance to patients with allergies, no matter how severe the symptoms.
Allergies are the reactions of your body to any substance that it views as an “invader." For instance, if your body comes into contact with a substance like pollen, your immune system may react to it in different ways, like sneezing, a runny nose or puffy eyes. A healthy immune system instantly recognizes foreign substances and responds accordingly. To protect the body, your defense system uses resources like white blood cells to attack and destroy them.
Many foreign substances that enter your body are risk free. If you are a non-allergic person, your body will not react at all. If you are an allergic person, however, exposure to allergens may cause your body to react in different ways.
This reaction can be disruptive and cause you to experience a variety of symptoms. Our health professionals can help you determine the type, severity and symptoms of your allergic reaction.
The range of what you are allergic to and how severe the symptoms are depends on each individual person. You can be allergic to nothing or almost everything.
These are common types of allergies:
Seasonal allergies
Generally, people suffer from seasonal allergies in the spring or winter, though that does not mean that these allergies cannot occur at any other time of the year.
Pollen is one of the most common allergens, along with oak, grass and dust. Allergic rhinitis, commonly referred to as "hay fever," is a body's reaction to pollen, grains or any other foreign substances. If not treated, seasonal allergies can be severe enough to disrupt your daily tasks and routine.
If your symptoms include congestion, watery eyes, sneezing or itching, our allergists can recommend over-the-counter medications. They know exactly how nasal steroids, antihistamines or nasal cromolyn can help with seasonal allergies.
We also have specialists and physicians who can help identify the allergens that trigger asthma and other detrimental allergies.
Food allergies
It is not only the seasons that can cause the body to have an allergic reaction. Food allergies are also common, where you may be sensitive to a specific food or ingredient, causing your immune system to respond adversely. Sensitivity to food may occur if you lack essential enzymes to decompose specific proteins. For example, if you experience lactose intolerance, it can lead to debilitating stomach cramps.
A food allergy can also trigger your defense mechanism, displaying severe symptoms like swelling airways (difficulty in breathing) or inflammation. The most common food allergens are nuts, fish, eggs and milk.
Depending on the severity of your food allergy, our allergists may prescribe you injectable epinephrine (commonly called an Epi-Pen) in case you have accidentally eaten food you are allergic to without realizing it.
Animal allergies
If you have an allergic reaction to a bee sting or any other insect, it is essential to talk to our allergists to find out the best method of treatment now and to prevent the reaction in the future. Not only do we provide immediate medical assistance, but we also help you avoid having the same allergic reactions again.
The allergy shot is one of the best examples of preventative treatments. We inject allergens into your blood over time. Once your immune system gets used to it, it does not have such an adverse reaction to that same type of bite or sting. In addition, we have board-certified immunotherapy doctors who can treat you if you experience any type of venom allergy. Afterward, we typically recommend venom immune therapy to reduce the risk of another reaction to the same kind of sting.
Seek immediate attention if you experience the following reaction because of an animal allergy:
Medical allergies
If you are allergic to any medication, such as penicillin, your body may react inappropriately to antibiotics in your bloodstream. It triggers your immune system and may cause symptoms such as:
Skin tests
They do skin tests in which a specific type of drug is injected under the skin. Allergists observe the reaction of your body to antibiotics or muscle relaxants.
Patch tests
Patch tests follow the same process in which an allergist injects a small amount of the drug in your skin to observe whether you are allergic or not. The test is usually appropriate for delayed reactions to anticonvulsants and antibiotics.
Blood test
A blood test helps doctors diagnose allergies in your bloodstream.
Does everyone suffer from allergies?
No, but allergies can be inherited, so it is worthwhile to talk to older family members about any allergies that they may have.
What are the common allergies?
Common types of allergies include drug, seasonal, eye, skin and food allergies.
What are the most common symptoms of allergies?
Want more information?
Call today, and our team of dedicated providers will answer any questions you may have about allergies. We work hard to create a health system that is always there for you.
Request an appointment in our Houston office here: https://www.eldridgeclinic.com.
Eldridge Family Clinic is located at
1809 Eldridge Pkwy, Suite 208
Houston,
TX
77077