Our body does a great job protecting us from harm through its immune system, but there are times when your body may overreact, which is the case with allergies. At Premier Healthcare, we have experience helping patients with seasonal allergies. Please call or make an appointment online today.

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Allergies Q & A

What are allergies?

  Your body is a finely-tuned machine that has defenses in place to protect you from the myriad hazards that lurk in the outside world. From warding off harmful bacteria to fighting foreign invaders like viruses, your immune system works to keep you healthy.

With allergies, however, there’s a mixed-signal, and your body mistakenly deems an allergen harmful and jumps into action to fight it off, leaving you with, at best, annoying symptoms, and, at worst, life-threatening reactions.

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What are the most common allergies?

  Although researches still not fully understand why some people have allergies to certain substances and other people don’t, they believe that genetics and their environment play an important role. The most common allergies include:

• Food and drug allergies

• Dust and mold allergies

• Pet allergies

• Hay fever, or rhinitis

• Insect sting allergies

• Skin allergies

  The most common form of allergies is hay fever, which tends to strike during springtime when pollen fills the air. That being said, adults and children can develop allergies to almost anything, from cats and dogs to particular foods, such as shellfish.

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What are the symptoms of allergies?

  Because of the broad nature of allergies, your immune system’s response can take on many forms, including:

• Itchy skin, rash, or eczema

• Itchy eyes, nose, and throat

• Nasal congestion, runny nose, and watery eyes

• Coughing, wheezing, or chest congestion

• Cramping, diarrhea, or vomiting after eating certain foods

• A severe response to an insect sting or bite such as swelling of the face, lips, tongue, and/or throat

  While many symptoms are nothing more than a nuisance, in some cases allergic reactions can be severe and lead to anaphylactic shock, which can be life-threatening.

To gain control over your allergies, call or book an appointment online.