Allergy is heightened sensitivity to some substance. This may be any chemical ingredient, product, hair, dust, pollen or microbe. Below you’ll learn about the most common symptoms of allergies.
1. Characteristic rubbing of the tip of your nose
Your vacuum cleaner is equipped with a HEPA filter, you stay indoors during the period of active flowering, you take the medicine the way your doctor has prescribed… But do you really control all the symptoms of allergies? If you are constantly rubbing your nose, just as people with allergies do, it means that your illness is not under total control. This characteristic gesture of scratching the itchy tip of the nose with a finger and constant runny nose are particularly common in children.
2. “Raccoon eyes” (bruises around the eyes)
Dark circles around the eyes are another sign of allergy. They are formed when constantly rubbing itchy eyes or the skin around them. Use antihistamines to get rid of annoying the symptoms, such as itching, watery eyes, sneezing and runny nose. If you started taking some medications, but they do not lead to the desired effect, talk to your doctor about changing the treatment plan.
3. Chronic nasal congestion
If you have a cold or the flu, nasal congestion is cured after a week or two. If this does not happen, the most likely reason is allergy. During an allergic reaction the mucosa of the upper airways swells and produces extra mucus, which can go out and block the cavity, so you feel pressure in the sinuses and headache. Vasoconstrictive drugs can alleviate this feeling for a short time, but you will have to consult with an allergist for the full treatment.
4. Wheezing that is audible at a distance
Wheezing is often associated with asthma, but it can also be one of the symptoms of severe allergic reactions. Wheezing occurs when breathing through significantly narrowed airways. In severe cases, an allergic reaction may even require emergency assistance. Be sure to contact your doctor if you suffer from wheezing.
5. Itchy red skin
Perhaps the skin has just dried up, but if the itch is not relieved or is accompanied by rash, another likely diagnosis is eczema. Such a reaction of the skin is common in people with allergies. Typically, such a reaction is caused by soaps, detergents, animal dander, and coarse fabrics. Eczema is treated with antihistamines and special moisturizers, which include hydrocortisone. In severe cases, your doctor may prescribe more serious drugs.
6. Hives
Hives are characterized by pale pink or red itchy blisters, which may remain in the skin from several hours to several days. This is an allergic reaction to some food, drug or insect bite. As a rule, antihistamine drugs have immediate effect, greatly facilitating both local manifestations and the general condition. If they do not help, you have to take some medicine containing steroids. However, the best protection from this disorder is to detect the allergen and to try to avoid any further contact with it. Therefore, you will not manage without an allergist.
7. Insomnia
Itching of the skin and eyes, the feeling of heaviness and pressure in the head, mucus running down the back wall of the nose and throat, pain in the sinuses and other symptoms of allergies create significant discomfort and interfere with normal sleep. Some medications, cough or shortness of breath also disturb your sleep. If you cannot sleep for a long time, describe the problem to your doctor: he may change your treatment plan.
8. Problems with concentration
Indeed, it is difficult to focus when tears flow from your eyes, the nose is full of mucus, and the head is buzzing because of lack of sleep at night. Moreover, the use of certain antihistamines can significantly slow down the speed of your reaction. If allergy interferes with your work, family life and personal relationship, discuss with your doctor how modern medicine can help you.
9. Fatigue
Allergy deprives you of energy, your immune system is forced to constantly fight allergens, and medications take your normal sleep away. As a result, you can barely move in the afternoon because of the loss of strength and sleepiness or suffer from insomnia at night. Talk with your doctor, if this situation is seriously bothering you. Perhaps the doctor will prescribe modern drugs, which do not have such an effect.
10. Depression
Do you feel tired and overwhelmed during acute allergy? Scientists are now studying the link between allergies and significant changes in mood, including depression. Although there is no convincing evidence that allergy should be blamed for causing depression, a specific treatment strategy of such complex conditions has been developed. Contact your doctor when you feel very gloomy and depressed, and he will choose the version of therapy that is suitable for you.
