Do you have a habit of petting cats and dogs, even though you’re allergic to them?
Around 40% of the global population has some allergies. Animals, plants, and food allergies are some of the most common, but they don’t all present as the same. Learning how to identify allergic reactions can help you protect yourself and others.
With allergy season coming back around, now is the time to prepare. Keep reading to learn how to handle different types of allergies.
Table of Contents
Identify Signs & Remove the Allergen
The first step to handling a suspected allergic reaction is to find the symptoms.
Depending on the allergen, these signs could appear abruptly or take several hours. They can also impact different areas of the body. For example, food allergies block breathing passages, while grass allergies may simply leave a rash.
To locate the affected area, feel for uncomfortable sensations or itchy spots. Once you know the cause, remove it from your body or step away. The sooner you can get away, the sooner relief will come.
Wash Yourself
The next move is to further remove the allergen by washing your hands, mouth, or other affected areas.
Showering will be the easiest way to get over grass or cat allergies. If you have dog allergies and touch your eyes, you may have to rinse with eye droplets or clean water. Skipping this step can lead to further spreading of the reaction and worsen your symptoms.
Take OTC Allergy Meds
Even after you rinse it off, you may still be experiencing discomfort.
Allergy medications with antihistamines will be your best defense. Unfortunately, some of these allergy medications have drowsy effects, so you can’t take them if you need to be awake. In severe situations, allergy meds can reduce symptoms within minutes or fully remove them.
Don’t ignore the reaction once meds have been consumed. Monitoring symptoms is essential to ensure things are improving. If the opposite occurs, additional help will be necessary.
Seek Medical Help
If you’ve followed the steps above and the reaction isn’t letting up, you may need further help.
A medical expert can diagnose and treat reactions. This is most helpful when encountering a new or unknown allergy. If you can’t drive yourself to the hospital, an emergency vehicle may need to respond, or you can ask for help.
Allergy testing in Nashville is recommended once you’ve recovered from a reaction. These tests can protect your health and help you avoid the dangerous symptoms of allergies. Depending on the allergen and person, something simple could become life-threatening.
Resolve Allergic Reactions with Confidence
It can be frightening to experience or witness an allergic reaction.
To prevent yourself from freezing in your tracks, you need to have a game plan. Learning how to address allergies can help save lives and prevent discomfort. In some cases, medical intervention may be needed to control severe reactions.
Winter might be starting, but allergies can happen at any time and anywhere. Check out our site for more content about staying healthy during season changes!
