Because of the different types of allergies, there are also very different symptoms that an allergy can show through. All of the main symptoms that can occur as part of an allergy are listed below:
Rash with and without itching
Pimples
eczema
flaky, dry skin
Pustules
Vesicles
Reddening of the skin
Wheals
Swelling of the lips / tongue
Swelling of the mucous membranes in the area of the airways up to shortness of breath and suffocation
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Runny nose
Cough, sneeze
Asthma attacks with sudden shortness of breath
Watery eyes (itchy)
Reddening of the conjunctiva (allergic conjunctivitis)
diarrhea
Vomit
stomach pain
Anaphylactic shock (an anaphylactic shock can be associated with many of the symptoms mentioned above. The additional symptoms mentioned here are circulatory symptoms that only occur as part of anaphylactic shock, but not as part of a "normal" allergic reaction)
Drop in blood pressure
Racing heart (tachycardia)
Reduced consciousness up to loss of consciousness
The typical symptoms / key symptoms of the allergy manifest themselves on the skin, eyes, airways and the intestines.
The allergy symptoms include sneezing attacks, itching and reddening of the skin and eyes, wheals of the skin, diarrhea, as well as shortness of breath and coughing. Depending on the organism and the type of allergy, these symptoms appear individually or in combination.
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Learn more at: Cough if you have an allergy
In the case of respiratory diseases with an allergy, symptoms such as shortness of breath, sneezing and "hay fever" (allergic rhinoconjunctivitis) with runny noses and watery, itchy eyes. Swelling of the palate can also occur, and a sore throat caused by an allergy is also possible.
Read more on the topic: Eye pain
Food allergies can manifest themselves through symptoms of the skin (reddening, itching), intestines (diarrhea, vomiting, nausea, diarrhea) or the respiratory tract (shortness of breath, feeling of suffocation).
Allergic skin diseases include Urticaria (itchy wheals), neurodermatitis / atopic dermatitis (itchy, reddened skin rash on typical parts of the body) and contact dermatitis (very itchy skin changes at the point of allergen contact).
Read more on this topic at: Contact dermatitis
In principle, allergies to drugs can trigger symptoms in any organ. The skin is most commonly affected.
The maximum severity of an allergic reaction is known as Anaphylaxis or anaphylactic shock. This is understood as an allergic, acute, life-threatening reaction of the system that begins with the symptoms mentioned above. With increasing severity, there are also a drop in blood pressure, a racing heart and unconsciousness. If left untreated, this reaction ultimately results in cardiovascular and respiratory arrest.
$config[ads_text3] not foundRash is a fairly typical symptom of an allergy. Contact allergies in particular lead to skin rashes. A contact allergy occurs when the skin is overly sensitive to repeated contact with a certain allergen and the immune system triggers an allergic reaction in the sense of hypersensitivity.
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Typical triggers of a contact allergy are, for example, nickel, fragrances or latex. However, food allergies or drug allergies can also be accompanied by skin rashes. Another very typical allergy representative of the skin rash is hives (urticaria).
Allergies can lead to a variety of forms of rash. From individual grouped pimples to blowing or blistering to dry, flaky skin or wheals. An allergic rash is very often accompanied by severe and excruciating itching.
An allergy can cause a wide variety of skin rashes. For example, contact allergies can lead to the formation of pustules.
But hives are also a typical allergic symptom. This leads to the formation of wheals which are usually associated with severe itching. One then speaks of one Urticaria. Often the cause of such urticaria cannot be identified. It can recur over a period of days, weeks, and months.
In most cases, antiallergic therapy with antihistamines can help.
Eczema, or eczematous rash, is a relatively common allergy symptom. It occurs as what is known as allergic contact eczema.
$config[ads_text4] not foundThis type of allergy is a delayed-type allergy. The body's reaction to the allergen does not take place immediately a few minutes after contact with the allergen, but rather with a more or less pronounced latency. The eczema can only appear 1-3 days after contact with the allergen.
The possible allergens are numerous:
A skin test called a patch test can help with the diagnosis. This is carried out by the dermatologist. Therapy usually consists of consistent allergen avoidance and the use of an ointment containing cortisone in the acute phase.
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Skin rashes of all kinds are a common symptom of allergies. The formation of numerous small allergy pimples or pimples can also be a type of rash.Such allergy pimples can occur, for example, in the context of contact allergies to substances such as nickel, various fragrances, preservatives, cleaning agents and latex.
However, pimples are not an allergy-specific rash. Instead of pimples, wheals, vesicles, pustules or dry peeling skin may develop.
A constantly runny nose, also known as a runny nose, is typically associated with hay fever. But runny nose is also a very common symptom of allergies such as animal hair allergy or house dust mite allergy.
Special nasal sprays can help against the constantly runny nose. These contain active substances such as antihistamines (e.g. levocabastine), mast cell stabilizers (e.g. cromoglicic acid) or cortisone derivatives (e.g. mometasone).
Also read:
Watery eyes, often accompanied by itching and reddened conjunctivitis (conjunctivitis), are a typical symptom of hay fever, animal hair allergy and the like. The symptoms are exacerbated by the constant rubbing of the eyes due to the agonizing itchiness.
Eye drops, which are specifically aimed at eye problems caused by allergies, can help here. As with nasal sprays, the active ingredients used are primarily mast cell stabilizers such as cromoglicic acid and antihistamines such as ketotifen.
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Itching in both the skin and the eyes is a typical allergy symptom.
Itching of the eyes occurs especially with hay fever, house dust mite allergies and animal hair allergies.
Itching of the skin is a typical symptom of contact allergies, drug allergies and sometimes food allergies.
Special anti-allergic eye drops help against itching in the eye area. Various ointments or gels can be used against the itching in the skin area. Fenistil®-Gel is a typical representative from the active ingredient group of antihistamines. Preparations containing cortisone can also be used. However, they should only be used for a short period of time, otherwise they can lead to thinning of the skin, for example.
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Fatigue is a very unspecific symptom that can occur in the context of numerous diseases or even without any disease value. Allergies are also among the diseases that can cause fatigue.
Patients with an allergy who are taking antiallergic drugs (antihistamines) and complain of increased fatigue may also be a side effect of the drug.
In contrast to the antihistamines of the older generation (e.g. Fenistil), the newer antihistamines such as Cetirizin® lead to tiredness significantly less often, but the package insert still lists the side effect of tiredness under “frequent”. This means that about one in ten people who take the drug complains of fatigue as a side effect.
Diarrhea is also a possible symptom of an allergy. Food allergies in particular can lead to recurring diarrhea. It often takes a relatively long time to establish the connection between the diarrhea and a possible food allergy. It can therefore be useful to keep a food diary in the event of recurring diarrhea in order to uncover possible connections between the intake of certain foods and diarrhea.
Inform yourself: What helps with diarrhea?
Hoarseness is not a typical symptom of an allergy. Symptoms such as increased coughing, sneezing and runny nose are more likely.
However, as part of a severe allergic reaction, known as anaphylactic shock, the airways can swell quickly. Under certain circumstances, this can become noticeable through an initially rapidly increasing hoarseness, which is then accompanied by shortness of breath. Medical help should be sought immediately.
A sore throat is not a classic symptom of an allergy. They are more likely to occur as part of viral or bacterial infections. However, sore throats can also occur in the context of allergies such as hay fever or a house dust mite allergy. Usually dry mucous membranes or more frequent coughs are the triggers of the sore throat, which arise from an irritation of the pharynx.
$config[ads_text2] not foundA sore throat is rarely the only symptom of an allergy. If sore throats occur more often seasonally and are accompanied by other allergy symptoms such as runny nose, watery itchy eyes or coughing, this can be an indication of an allergic sore throat.
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Coughing is often an expression of an allergic reaction. One then speaks of an allergic cough. Such an allergic cough occurs especially with allergies like
Depending on the type of allergy triggered by the cough, various therapeutic measures can be used. Antiallergic treatment with antihistamines in tablet form is often useful. Typical preparations here are, for example, Cetirizin ® or Loratadin ®.
In the case of an allergic cough that occurs in the context of hay fever, desensitization can also be a sensible option - provided the symptoms recur every year.
Learn more at: Cough if you have an allergy
Bronchial asthma is a chronic disease of the respiratory tract caused by over-sensitivity of the bronchial system. It is characterized by bouts of shortness of breath, and a chronic cough often occurs. Bronchial asthma can have various causes.
A rough distinction is made between allergic and non-allergic asthma. However, these are often mixed forms.
Allergic asthma often develops in childhood and adolescence. The triggering allergens are the same as for other allergies: animal hair, pollen or house dust mites can trigger an asthma attack.
Special asthma sprays are used therapeutically. A distinction is made between acute or on-demand medication and medication that must be taken permanently. Asthma therapy is based on a tiered scheme. In some cases, desensitization can also be a useful additional therapy option for allergic asthma.
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It is not always easy to distinguish an allergy from bronchial asthma, as there are forms of asthma in which asthma attacks are triggered by certain allergens.
In so-called allergic asthma, allergens such as animal hair, house dust mites or pollen, which in allergy sufferers lead to allergic symptoms such as runny nose and watery eyes, lead to asthma attacks. Asthma and allergy are in some cases much more closely linked than might initially be assumed.
If classic asthma attacks with sudden shortness of breath occur repeatedly, an asthma diagnosis should first be carried out, including with the help of a pulmonary function test. Once the diagnosis of bronchial asthma has been confirmed and there is a suspicion of an allergic form of asthma, further allergy tests should follow. Skin tests or blood tests, for example, but also provocation tests are possible here.
The distinction between a pure allergy and an allergic bronchial asthma, on the other hand, is usually relatively easy: While a pure allergy tends to lead to symptoms such as runny nose, increased sneezing, watery and itchy eyes and skin symptoms, in asthma it is classic to seizures with sudden shortness of breath .
The lymph nodes are an important part of the human immune system. They play an important role in the defense against pathogens.
Possible symptoms of the lymph nodes include swelling of the lymph nodes and pain in the area of the lymph nodes. Such symptoms in the lymph nodes are rarely associated with a simple allergy.
Infections with viruses or bacteria are much more common triggers for symptoms in the lymph nodes. Cancer can also be the cause of symptoms in the lymph nodes.
Often, lymph node swelling lasts only a few days and is completely harmless. However, if it is accompanied by other symptoms such as persistent fever or night sweats or if it lasts for a longer period of time, a doctor should be examined.
Learn more at: Swollen Lymph Nodes - Is It Dangerous?
As part of an allergic reaction, symptoms in the lip area can occur. For example, allergies to certain foods can lead to tingling of the lips and oral mucosa or numbness of the lips. Swelling of the lips can also occur in the context of a food allergy.
Swelling of the lips as part of an allergic reaction should be taken seriously as there is a risk that the mucous membrane in the area of the airways will also swell. This can lead to a potentially life-threatening swelling of the airways within a very short time. If the lips swell quickly as a result of an allergy, medical help should be sought as soon as possible. Antiallergic measures can be taken here and, if necessary, monitoring can take place.
Not only food allergies can cause lip symptoms; contact allergies, and less often hay fever, can also cause such symptoms.
Similar to lip symptoms, an allergic reaction can also cause tongue symptoms. This can be tingling and abnormal sensations or a feeling of numbness, but the tongue can also swell quickly as part of an allergic reaction.
Just like with swelling of the lips, medical help should be sought immediately, as there is a risk that the airways will also swell. This can happen within minutes and quickly become life-threatening.
In patients with known allergies, for example a nut allergy, the emergency medication (especially the adrenaline pen) should be used immediately in the event of tongue swelling after allergen intake.
Also read: Shortness of breath
As already mentioned in the previous section, allergies, especially food allergies, can lead to symptoms in the area of the lips, tongue and oral mucosa as well as the mucous membrane of the respiratory tract.
However, other symptoms on the face can also occur as part of an allergic reaction. Typically, hay fever, for example, results in watery, itchy eyes and reddening of the conjunctiva (allergic conjunctivitis). Furthermore, swelling in the area of the eyelids can occur as part of an allergy.
A skin rash on the face can also occur as part of an allergy. For example in the context of a nickel allergy when wearing earrings containing nickel. Itching then often occurs as an accompanying symptom.
Histamine is one of the most important messenger substances or mediators in allergies.
The first time the body comes into contact with a substance to which it is over-sensitive, what is known as sensitization occurs. The B cells, an important part of the immune system, form IgE antibodies after activation by certain messenger substances. These IgE antibodies bind to the body's own immune system cells, including mast cells.
If the body comes into contact with the allergen again, the binding of the allergen to the IgE antibodies, which are located on the mast cells, leads to so-called mast cell degranulation. This means that the mast cells release their ingredients into the bloodstream. One of the most important ingredients in mast cells is histamine.
Histamine leads to numerous typical allergy symptoms such as
In addition to histamine, other messenger substances such as leukotrienes and prostaglandins also play an important role in the development of allergy symptoms.
You might also be interested in: You can recognize histamine intolerance by these symptoms
