Have you recently been diagnosed with allergies or one allergy in particular? Are you worried about suffering from an allergy attack and not knowing how to identify the signs/symptoms and whether you will be able to take the right steps during the attack? This is exactly why it’s so important to be prepared and know how to react to and treat an allergy attack so that if it does happen, you’ll be able to think with a clear head.
Here are some simple tips and steps that will help you to identify whether or not you’re having an allergy attack, and if so, how you can treat it.
What is an Allergy Attack?
One of the first steps in being prepared is to understand what an allergy attack is and what the common symptoms are. An allergy attack is just your body creating an over-reaction to something that is an irritant. That irritant is the item you are allergic to, such as animal dander, pollen, or an insect sting. Once your body senses that irritant, an allergy attack occurs.
As for the symptoms, this will be different for everyone depending on the item you are allergic to and the severity of your allergy. A mild reaction can include congestion, eye irritation such as itchiness, or a small rash. A more moderate reaction can include having a hard time breathing and skin itchiness. If it is a severe reaction, the entire body will react, and this is called anaphylaxis.
What Should You Do?
As for how to treat an allergy attack, again it depends on the severity of the allergy. If you have a severe allergy, then you need to be carrying medication with you at all times. This is given through an auto-injector and needs to be done immediately. It’s also important you seek immediate medical assistance.
For more moderate to mild allergy attacks, you will probably be able to treat the symptoms on your own. Ideally, you want to put distance between yourself and the item that is causing the allergy attack, so that the symptoms can die down. For example, maybe you have environmental allergies to things such as pollen. In that case, if there is a day where the pollen count is high, either stay indoors or take allergy medicine to help lessen the symptoms.
When to Seek Medical Help
One of the top questions people have about allergy attacks is when to seek medical help. In terms of a severe allergy, immediate medical attention is always recommended. For moderate and mild allergies, if you have tried using allergy medicine and avoiding the trigger and your symptoms are still getting worse, then it’s best to seek medical attention.
The Best Preparation Is to Be Aware of Your Allergies
The best way to be prepared is to be aware of what your allergies are. You can have an allergy test performed by a doctor that will identify what you are allergic to, and may even be able to pinpoint which allergies are more severe.