Allergies are the body’s inappropriate immune reaction to certain substances.
Your immune system is always working to fight off parasites, fungi, viruses, and bacteria. However, sometimes your immune system will treat a harmless substance (called an allergen) as an unwanted invader and try to fight it. This overreaction of the body’s immune system to a typically harmless substance is called an allergic reaction.
Common allergens include pollen, mold, dust mites, pets, foods, and wasp or bee stings. A person’s reaction to these allergens can range from mild or severe.
Mild Allergies
Severe Allergies
Mild allergies may cause sneezing; coughing; headaches; a runny nose; itchy, watery eyes; or an itchy rash. The symptoms may be uncomfortable and annoying, but they are not life-threatening. These allergies may be treated with over-the-counter allergy medications.
Some people are severely allergic to certain substances, such a peanuts or bee stings. When these people are exposed to the substance, their airways begin to swell shut, cutting off their oxygen supply. Severe allergies can be life-threatening. As a result, people who have them take care to avoid the substances they are severely allergic to. If they are exposed to these substances, they require an injection of medication to save their lives.
Question
What symptoms would you expect to see in someone having a sever allergic reaction?
In a severe allergic reaction, the person’s airways are swelling shut. You would expect to see the person wheezing and gasping for air. The person's face might be red. The person might signal that he or she can’t breathe.
