Skin Allergies

Are you experiencing skin rashes, a runny or stuffy nose, sneezing, ear fullness and popping, watery eyes or even severe life-threatening shock? If you feel any of these symptoms, you probably have an allergy.

Allergies are defined as immune reactions to different stimuli which result into reactions such as the above. In a nutshell, every time your body experiences an overreaction to something that doesn't affect other people, it's an allergy. The thing that causes the allergy is called an allergen.

Every year, over 50 million Americans suffer from some kind of allergy, and this is only the tip of the iceberg. They only reflect those who actually went to a medical institution to seek treatment and not the countless others who treated their allergies on their own. Among all leading chronic diseases, allergies were found to be the sixth most common cause of such diseases. In terms of actual dollars, the American health care system estimates that allergy treatment cost the nation approximately $18 billion a year.

When a doctor discovers an allergy, the first thing he will want to do is identify the allergen because that's the only way he can prescribe the best and most effective treatment. He has to attack the allergy at its root cause. He does this through an allergy skin test which subjects your skin to tiny amounts of allergens and takes not of your reaction to them. Sometimes, doctors employ blood tests to determine allergens.

Skin allergies manifest themselves through hives, rashes or blisters. These are the most common types of allergies.

One of the most common allergens is pollen and it can come from grass, weeds or trees. Pollen is sometimes seasonal in nature. In spring, say in April and May, your allergy is probably caused by tree pollen. In summer, especially during late May to mid-July, the most common cause of pollen-induced allergies is grass. During fall, say from late August to the first signs of winter, you can probably blame weed pollen for your allergy.

Doctors advice people to take a shower before bedtime to clean themselves of any allergens before they go to sleep. Other common allergens are mold, animal dander and dust.