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Anaphylaxis or allergic shock can be life threatening and it is an allergic reaction that can affect a number of our organs at the same time. Anaphylaxis is usually caused by foods, medications and venom/poison such as a bee sting. Airborne allergens rarely cause anaphylaxis. The...

23 July, 2018

Atopic eczema is also known as atopic dermatitis and is an itchy rash or disease of the skin. Eczema is inherited. The skin of a patient who has atopic eczema reacts very easily to irritants, food and environmental allergens such as pet dander and house...

23 July, 2018

The chances are that if both your eyes are affected – it is an eye allergy. Unlike pink eye, eye allergies are not infectious and they will not harm your eyes. The term for an eye allergy is allergic conjunctivitis and the conjunctiva of the...

23 July, 2018

Nickel is a leading cause of allergic contact dermatitis and it is likely that your earrings contain an amount of nickel in them. Nickel is a silver-coloured metal that is mixed with other metals to make coins, jewellery, eyeglass frames, home fixtures, keys and other...

23 July, 2018

Most people believe that that the airborne fur/hair of pets causes allergies but it is the airborne saliva and urine-derived proteins that cause allergies from pets. Glands in the skin of the pet also produce these allergies and pets shed the upper layers of their...

23 July, 2018

The symptoms of allergies can be very similar to those of a cold but there are some differences. Both allergies and colds cause a blocked nose, runny nose, sneezing, and/or a cough. Seasonal allergies may cause itchiness of the nose, roof of the mouth, back of the...

23 July, 2018

The origin of the word ‘allergy’ comes from the Classical Greek word ‘allos’, then the German word ‘allergie’. It is a noun with the following meanings: A hypersensitivity to a specific substance (such as food, pollen, dust etc.) or condition (as heat or cold) which...

23 July, 2018

"Hay fever" is an incorrect term. Hay is not a usual cause of this problem, and it does not cause fever. Early descriptions of sneezing, nasal congestion, and eye irritation while harvesting field hay promoted this popular term.24  Allergic rhinitis is the correct term used to...

23 July, 2018

Hives (also known by the name urticaria) affect about 20 % of people at some time during their lives. It is a reaction that can be triggered by many substances if you are allergic to them and usually starts as an itchy patch of skin...

23 July, 2018

The most common allergy symptoms are sneezing, a runny nose, itchy eyes, wheezing, coughing, itchy skin rash. The type of symptoms you experience depends on what you're allergic to and how you come into contact with it. For example, you may have difficulty breathing if...

23 July, 2018