Allergy symptoms are usually not so easy to distinguish from those of a cold. Here you will find out if you are affected by an allergy!
The symptoms:
- runny or stuffy nose
What is allergy ? If the nose is only dense at certain seasons, runs and itches, it is obvious: hay fever, z. By pollen. The mast cells belonging to the immune system release histamine through the pollen, causing allergic reactions. Here we tell you all hay fever symptoms ! Incidentally, in hay fever patients belong to the so-called immediate type – the symptoms occur almost immediately, if there allergen is close. A hyposensitizationcan often reduce the discomfort – only with a nickel allergy does not work.
With permanent cold or when the symptoms get worse in autumn and winter, a house dust allergy or an animal hair allergy are often behind it, because with closed windows and dry heating air, these allergens accumulate in our living rooms.
What else could it be? For example, so-called vasomotor rhinitis, in which the nasal mucous membranes swell up suddenly when lying down due to a nervous reflex. An oblique nasal septum or chronic sinusitis can cause chronic colds .
What brings clarity to allergic reactions? In hay fever , the combination of seasonal complaints and positive allergy tests ( prick test ) in allergology provides a fairly certain diagnosis. If in doubt, a blood test can also be done (RAST). A provocation test is almost always unnecessary.
The allergy symptoms:
- watery, red, itchy eyes
What is allergy? Hay fever is available even without a cold. Then you sometimes realize that it is a pollen allergy, if the eye problems always occur at the same time of year.
What else could it be? A conjunctivitis by viruses or bacteria may look very similar. Therefore, allergy sufferers should go to the ophthalmologist as soon as possible the first time. Rarely are eye irritation z. B. by dry air or irritants in the workplace.
What brings clarity? The same tests as for hay fever.
The symptoms:
- red itchy skin spots
- wheals
What is allergy? For example, a reaction to drugs, especially antibiotics. Attention: If the immune system is alarmed by an infection, it can also lead to allergic reactions in remedies that are otherwise well tolerated (eg the analgesic ASA). If the rash always comes back, food can be to blame.
What else could it be? Quite commonly a so-called hives that is allergic in less than ten percent. Reasons for this can be inflammations in the body (eg suppurated teeth), but also mental stress.
What brings clarity? In case of suspected food intolerance: careful self-observation and omission of suspicious foods. If a possible trigger is circled in this way, skin or blood tests and possibly a provocation test bring further clarity; in chronic hives the systematic search for a source of inflammation in the body.
The symptoms:
- itching
- Tingling or burning in the mouth
What is allergy? Some pollen allergy sufferers develop a so-called cross-allergy to food. Guilt are certain foods , often z. As apples, nuts or celery.
What else could it be besides allergies? A burning, tingling tongue exists z. B. also in nervous disorders or in vitamin deficiency (especially vitamin B12).
What brings clarity? Mostly, as an allergic person, you quickly recognize the connection with individual foods; Prick and blood tests are often not necessary. Exception: celery. It is not easy to recognize as an allergy trigger, it hides in many ready meals and seasoning mixtures and can trigger very severe allergic reactions. Therefore, a celery allergy should be backed up or excluded by testing.
The allergy symptoms:
- swollen face
- swollen lips
What is allergy? Triggers can be, for example, certain foods, but also medicines, insect bites (also insect venom allergy) or inflammatory foci in the body as in hives.
What else could it be? There are so-called hereditary angioedema in which, just like an allergy, lips and respiratory tracts suddenly swell. They do not improve by cortisone, unlike allergies.
What brings clarity? The same examinations as in hives. And there are special laboratory tests for hereditary angioedema.
The symptoms:
- intestinal cramps
- Diarrhea after eating
What is allergy? Triggers of such allergies can be very many foods, eg. As milk, eggs, fish and seafood, soy, nuts, mustard, celery and sesame.
What else could it be? Often it is not a “real” allergy if you can not tolerate certain foods. Much more common are not allergic intolerances, for example of lactose (lactose intolerance), Gluten protein in cereals or histamine (in mature cheese, smoked sausage, sauerkraut, spinach, tomatoes).
What brings clarity? Pass a food diary as an allergy self-test, circling suspicious foods. Then a prick test, specific IgE and, most notably, a provocation test after leaving the suspicious food out for a while.