There is a strong relationship between stress and allergy. An allergic reaction is, by nature, very stressful. Alternatively, stress can make allergy symptoms worse.
When one is under severe stress, the body can release chemicals, mainly histamine, into the blood at a level that leads to discomfort.
I have outlined the five things you need to be aware of to reduce stress and allergy.
Table of Contents
1. Stress and Allergy in Children
The most common allergy symptom that your child is likely to have is allergic rhinitis, which causes a runny, stuffy and itchy nose.
Allergic symptoms are no fun for children and can lead to sinusitis and ear infections if left untreated. Consult your allergist, who can find out what triggers your child’s symptoms and recommend practical and safe treatments.
Some people with peanut allergy develop their allergy in early childhood. Still, if your baby is allergic and comes into contact with peanuts for the first time, his immune system will produce antibodies that remain in his body.
In the meantime, the best way to alleviate coughing, sneezing or other signs of allergic reactions in your baby or toddler is to try to avoid the allergen and keep the strain as low as possible.
2. Stress and Allergy in Adults
Another condition linked to allergies is asthma, a severe respiratory disease that can cause asthma attacks, making breathing difficult and potentially life-threatening. Severe allergy symptoms are not so common, but when they do occur, they can happen quickly and require emergency medical attention.
In many cases, early detection of the signs of an allergic reaction can be life-saving. If you already know which allergens you seem affected by or suspect you are reacting to a substance you did not think you were allergic to before, it is helpful to understand the signs of an allergic reaction. Understanding the effects of allergens is all you need to know to protect your child and yourself from a severe allergic reaction.
3. Extreme Allergy
Anaphylaxis is an extreme reaction to allergies that occurs when the human body overreacts to an allergen. Food causes this reaction and can be a potentially life-threatening allergic reaction.
Your doctor will want anyone diagnosed with a life-threatening allergy to carry an adrenaline auto-injector in an emergency.
Epinephrine (adrenaline) acts quickly on severe allergy symptoms. For example, it reduces swelling and increases blood pressure by so doing prevents sudden death.
While severe allergic reactions typically require a medical emergency, common medications can relieve minor allergic reactions. Allergic reactions can vary between mild and severe, even life-threatening – with anaphylactic shock and even death.
To determine the source of your allergies, consider whether you have been exposed to any allergens. You likely have an idea of what might be the source of your allergy symptoms, but only your doctor can confirm this.
4. Food Allergy
Food allergies occur when the immune system considers a particular protein or allergen in food to be harmful. When a sensitive person inhales a substance that triggers an allergy, the body’s immune system reacts to the allergen.
If a person has a food allergy, an allergic reaction can occur at any time when they eat such food. Food allergies can also occur in people who are allergic to certain foods like dairy products, eggs, fish, meat and eggs.
Symptoms of an allergic reaction to a food can range from mild to severe, and symptoms of severe allergic reactions can cause vomiting, diarrhoea, nausea and vomiting. If you experience any signs of a severe allergy, you should immediately call your doctor or local emergency room.
Food allergies that come to mind involve shellfish, peanuts and soya. Still, diarrhoea can also be a sign of other allergies, and even eczema, hay fever, asthma or allergies to certain meats.
Some food allergies are considered a possible cause of perennial nasal symptoms, but can also exist in various other foods, including nuts, seeds, dairy products, eggs, fish, meat and eggs.
5. Seasonal Allergy
Symptoms of seasonal inflammation of the nose (allergic rhinitis) often occur in the warmer months – spring and summer – due to a combination of pollen and other allergens like peanuts, nuts and seeds farmers harvest during these months.
While these symptoms worsen with certain pollen seasons, some people experience this type of rhinitis even in the winter months.
