Allergies are becoming more common with around one in three people presently suffering from some sort of allergy. Because allergies are so common and can cause significant health problems it is worth discussing how you can recognise if you have an allergy and also learn what you can do about it. Allergies can develop at any time in our life but are more common in our childhood years due to our developing immune system. It is possible to go through life and not be allergic to anything or, on the other end of the spectrum, some people develop allergies to multiple substances. There is a genetic component to the development of allergic tendencies that can run in families. However you do not necessarily develop an allergy to the same substances as your relatives.
What Are the Symptoms of Allergies?
Symptoms of allergies can range from mild to severe and in the case of anaphylaxis can be fatal. Symptoms depend on the allergy, but may include:
- Sneezing
- Runny nose
- Postnasal drip
- Itchy throat
- Dark circles under the eyes
- Red, watery and itchy eyes
- Wheezing
- Coughing
- Breathing problems
- Headache
- Skin rash
- Stomach pains
- Vomiting and diarrhoea
Another common symptom is fatigue. I recall a patient who was waking every morning feeling exhausted. She often cleared her throat and frequently suffered from a sore throat. On further questioning she informed me that she would wake in the middle of the night with a dry mouth and needed to have a glass of water beside her bed. This is a classic symptom of mouth breathing and is commonly associated with dustmite allergy. Dustmites live in bedding and feed off our dead skin cells. In those who are not allergic they cause no problem, but for those of us who react to dustmites going to bed can be problematic. When we discovered what her problem was and reduced her dustmite exposure, her symptoms greatly improved. In particular she is no longer waking exhausted. If you can relate to any of these symptoms it is worth speaking to your healthcare practitioner about the possibility of a dustmite allergy.
#healthyhabits #healthyliver
Dr Cris
Holistic Medical Doctor, Author ‘Healthy Habits, 52 Ways to Better Health‘ and Healthy Liver
