Symptoms of Allergies - Know the Most Common Ones

Symptoms of allergies could be very dangerous if left untreated. There are even some complications of allergies that could kill you. This is the very reason why it is important to know about them. Knowing if the symptoms that you are exhibiting are those of allergies will greatly help in determining the kind of treatment that you need.

For some people, allergies are developed the day they were born. It could be because of a genetic disorder such as in the case of G6PD. For others, allergies are developed over time. This could be particularly true with wheat allergies. This type of allergy is usually diagnosed in school-aged children. The reason behind this is babies do not usually eat foods made from wheat. Most of the time they are fed with milk and baby food made from fruits or vegetable purees. A great way to know if your baby is allergic to a certain type of food will be to feed him with just one kind of food a week. For example, this week its pureed carrots; next week would be pureed sweet potatoes; the week after that would be pureed apples, and so on and so forth. This way it would be easier for you to determine which types of food caused the onset of symptoms.

So, how do you know if you are exhibiting wheat allergy symptoms? You would be able to observe the following manifestations right after you have consumed something that is made from wheat or something containing wheat derivatives:

• Irritation and swelling observed in the mouth area. Your lips and tongue might swell because they came in contact with wheat. This could make it hard for you to breathe or talk.

• Rashes can be observed. For some people, these rashes could be very itchy. It is advisable that you not scratch them to avoid breaking your skin resulting in infection and scarring.

• Nasal congestion is a very common symptom of allergies. This can occur immediately after consumption of a product that contains wheat.

• Diarrhea can be experienced as the allergies involve the digestive system. Your body would try to get rid of the offending object as fast as possible, or it might not be able to digest it properly, thus resulting in diarrhea.

• Anaphylaxis. Out of all the symptoms of allergies, this would be the most fatal. During anaphylaxis, you would experience severe difficulty in breathing. You would also feel chest pains, tightness in your throat area, and very rapid heartbeat. This is a medical emergency and must be treated immediately.People who have a predisposition to anaphylaxis are advised to always carry with them a medical alert bracelet and an epinephrine pen.

Diagnosing wheat allergies will require certain laboratory tests most of the time involving blood serums and skin testing. It is important to be aware of possible allergies because the threat of undergoing anaphylaxis is very serious. If you feel that you have allergies, however minor, to a certain type of food, animal, or medication, you must consult your doctor immediately.