How Serious is an Allergic Reaction?

Allergic reactions are fairly common. According to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, 100 million Americans experience allergies yearly. But how serious is a reaction?

Here are a few allergic reaction facts you need to know.

What is an Allergic Reaction?

First, let's talk about what happens during a reaction.

When your body encounters an allergen, your immune system becomes defensive. Your body believes the allergen is a dangerous invader, similar to a disease-causing virus. So, it attacks the allergen and raises the red flag! It flushes your body with histamines, causing a wide range of symptoms. You may notice inflammation, itchiness, watery eyes, congestion and more.

The problem with allergic reactions is that there's no real reason for your body to react the way it does. Immunotherapy can help "retrain" your immune system to react less negatively to simple allergens. However, it takes time to see results.

Allergic Reaction Facts

How severe a reaction depends on many factors. There's no real way to know how bad an issue will be. This is especially true if it's a first-time reaction.

Generally, first-time exposures are mild. However, they can worsen the more your body runs into the allergen. After that first run-in, you get sensitized. As a result, even minor exposures cause substantial problems.

Fortunately, many allergic reactions are mild. You may experience hay fever and all the uncomfortable symptoms that come with it. Those symptoms are awful, but they're not life-threatening. They can also affect you in specific body areas or cause widespread discomfort.

Severe reactions are possible. They're common in people with a family history of allergies and can be so bad that they're life-threatening. Known as anaphylaxis or anaphylactic shock, these reactions require immediate treatment. Exposure can cause the throat to close up, resulting in breathing difficulties. Some people also lose consciousness and have low blood pressure.

There are ways to treat anaphylaxis, but it requires quick intervention. That's why many people with serious allergies carry auto-injectible devices that contain life-saving epinephrine. It combats anaphylaxis and can save a person's life.

Read a similar article about drowsiness from allergies here at this page.