Urgent Care for Allergies

Allergies start when your body misinterprets something harmless as a deadly invader. When you inhale pollen, pet hair sticks to your nose hairs, causing the hairs to swell up like balloons. This swelling causes itching and sneezing. Histamine, a chemical produced by cells lining your airways, causes redness, itchy eyes, and runny noses. People are allergic to various substances, but here are some common triggers: Pollens, animal danders, dust mites, and mold spores. Common allergens include grasses, trees, weeds, and ragweed; house pets such as cats and dogs; insects such as cockroaches, mosquitoes, and bees; food such as peanuts, milk products, eggs, wheat, soybeans, fish, shellfish, and citrus fruits.  

Types of Allergies

Allergic reactions occur when your body’s immune systems see a certain substance as harmful, and it responds by causing an allergic response. This causes swelling, itching, hives, sneezing, coughing, wheezing, difficulty breathing, vomiting, diarrhea, and sometimes even death. These responses are caused by chemicals called antigens. Antigens are found in pollen, dust mites, mold spores, animal dander, insect stings, foods such as peanuts and shellfish, drugs like penicillin and latex, and cosmetics. In most cases, you don’t know what causes your symptoms because there isn’t enough information about the antigen involved. However, if you know the antigen, you can avoid exposure. For example, if you’re allergic to cats, you’ll want to keep your cat indoors. If you’re allergic to grass, you won’t want to play outside during springtime. There are several different types of allergies. Seasonal allergies are triggered by pollens, trees, weeds, ragweed, grasses, and other plants that grow around us throughout the seasons. Pollen counts are highest in spring and fall. Tree and weed allergies are usually triggered by tree and weed pollens. Food allergies affect people differently. People react differently to food allergies depending on whether they had an egg allergy growing up. Egg allergies can cause problems eating eggs, milk, cheese, nuts, soy, wheat, and fish. Drug allergies affect people differently, too. A person might develop a skin rash from antibiotics, aspirin, ibuprofen, or acetaminophen. Latex allergies are very rare. They are often associated with severe asthma attacks. Latex allergy symptoms include rashes, hives, shortness of breath, chest tightness, and throat irritation.

Allergic Signs and Symptoms

Allergic reactions can vary from one person to another. They can be minor or severe. When someone experiences an allergic reaction, it usually happens minutes to hours after exposure to something that triggers the immune system to release histamine into the body. Histamines cause itching, hives, redness, swelling, and wheezing. Common allergens include pollen, dust mites, mold spores, animal dander, food additives, insect bites, latex, medications, and cosmetics. Symptoms can range from mild to life-threatening, depending on how much histamine gets injected into the body. If you experience any of the following symptoms, seek medical attention immediately.

• Difficulty breathing
• Swelling around the mouth or tongue
• Wheezing
• Skin rash or hives
• Nausea or vomiting

What is Anaphylaxis?

Anaphylaxis is a severe allergy affecting about one in 13 people worldwide. Symptoms include hives; swelling of the lips, tongue, throat and face; trouble swallowing; dizziness; fainting; and low blood pressure. In some cases, the person experiencing anaphylaxis will feel shortness of breath, chest pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal cramps, fatigue, headache, muscle aches, and joint pains. Anaphylaxis can cause death within minutes. If you or someone you know suffers from anaphylaxis, here are things you should do:

• Call 911.
• Stay calm. Do not panic.
• Tell emergency personnel what happened and where it occurred.
• Keep the area around the affected person clean and free of anything that could trigger another attack.
• Make sure everyone else knows how to respond in case of an attack.

Can Allergies Be Dangerous?

Allergic reactions are common occurrences, especially among children. They can range from mild symptoms like sneezing to more serious conditions such as asthma and sinus infections. However, some people experience more severe reactions known as anaphylactic shock. This happens when the immune system overreacts to something it perceives as dangerous. Anaphylaxis occurs when someone has an allergy to one or more foods, insect bites, medication, latex products, or another substance. Symptoms usually begin within minutes and can include hives, swelling of the lips or tongue, difficulty breathing, low blood pressure, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, fainting, dizziness, headaches, confusion, loss of consciousness, and even death. The most effective way to prevent anaphylactic shock is to avoid contact with whatever triggers the reaction. If you do come into contact with the trigger, seek immediate medical attention.

How Can Allergies Be Treated?

When doctors treat an allergy, they consider the severity of your symptoms, your medical history; and whether there are any existing test results. Many different types of treatment may be prescribed for allergies, including prescription medications, natural remedies, and lifestyle changes. Nasal sprays, such as corticosteroids, can help reduce nasal congestion. Antihistamines work by preventing the release of histamine, which causes allergic reactions. Decongestants act as vasoconstrictors, causing blood vessels to constrict. They work best when used along with antihistamines and mast cell stabilizers. Mast cell stabilizers prevent the production of certain chemicals that cause inflammation.

Pediatric Considerations

Allergies are one of the most commonly reported conditions among children. While many people think of allergies as something adults develop over time, allergies start during childhood. Allergic reactions occur when the immune system reacts to allergens, such as pet dander, tree pollens, grasses, molds, insect bites, foods, medications, chemicals, or latex. These substances cause allergic symptoms like sneezing, coughing, watery eyes, itchy skin, hives, congestion, wheezing, asthma attacks, and difficulty breathing. While some allergies go away on their own, others require ongoing management. Early diagnosis and intervention can help prevent serious health problems later in life. Pediatricians play a critical role in identifying and managing allergies in children. They work with parents to understand how allergies affect the child’s daily routine and overall well-being. In addition, pediatricians guide proper nutrition, exercise, sleep hygiene, and emotional support.

When should you seek urgent care?

While many people suffer from seasonal allergies, others experience severe reactions to common allergens. These include hay fever, food allergies, asthma, contact dermatitis, and anaphylaxis. These allergic reactions often don’t seem to affect anyone around you, but they can be deadly. If you’re experiencing any of the following symptoms, call 911 immediately.

• Difficulty breathing
• Wheezing
• Rapid heartbeat
• Skin rash, itching, hives, swelling, or redness
• Vomiting
• Severe abdominal pain

 Zappy Health Can Help treat your allergy Symptoms

You might consider seeing a doctor if you are experiencing a runny nose, itchy eyes, sneezing, or coughing. But what if you don’t have health insurance? Or maybe you prefer to avoid doctors’ offices because you’re afraid you’ll get sicker while waiting around. That’s where Zappy Health comes into play. We offer same-day appointments and provide quick diagnoses and treatments without waiting in long lines at the hospital.