Food Allergies
Food allergies have been on the rise over the past few decades, affecting approximately 15 million Americans. Allergic reactions to food can range from a mild itchy mouth to a severe, life-threatening reaction. Food allergy symptoms usually develop within a few minutes to a few hours after ingestion.
In some people, a food allergy can trigger a severe allergic reaction called anaphylaxis. Emergency treatment is critical for anaphylaxis. Untreated, anaphylaxis can be fatal.
Indoor/Outdoor Allergies
Perennial allergies are often caused by common indoor triggers such as dust mites, mold, pets and cockroaches. Seasonal allergy triggers generally include trees, grasses, or weeds. Symptoms include stuffy or runny noses,itchy eyes, sneezing, and sometimes wheezing.
Insect Sting Allergies
Insect sting symptoms include:
Pain
Redness
Swelling (in area of sting and sometimes beyond)
Flushing
Anaphylaxis (less common), a potentially life-threatening reaction that impairs breathing and can cause the body to go into shock
Skin Inflammation/Dermatitis
Dermatitis simply means skin inflammation, but it embraces a range of ailments. In most people, the early stages of dermatitis are characterized by red, dry, and itchy skin. More serious dermatitis may result in crusty scales, painful cracks, or blisters that ooze fluid. Since many things can irritate the skin, a doctor will try to narrow the diagnosis to a specific category of dermatitis, even though treatment is similar for most types of skin irritation and inflammation.
Contact dermatitis typically causes a pink or red itchy rash. Pinpointing the exact cause of contact dermatitis can be difficult.
Asthma
Asthma is a common long-term inflammatory disease of the airways of the lungs. It is characterized by variable and recurring symptoms, reversible airflow obstruction, and bronchiospasm. Symptoms include episodes of wheezing, coughing, chest tightness, and shortness of breath. These may occur a few times a day or a few times per week. Depending on the person, they may become worse at night or with exercise.
Hives/Urticaria
Hives, also known as Urticaria, affects about 20 percent of the population at some time in their lives. It can be triggered by many substances or situations and usually starts as an itchy patch of skin that turns into swollen red welts.