Allergic reactions happen when your body becomes hypersensitive to pollen, dust, plants, food items, medicines or even animal dander. The usual symptoms are skin rashes, acute sneezing, watery eyes, coughing and wheezing. Qualified allergy physicians treat their patients in a number of ways depending on the type and severity of the allergy. This may be done either in the patient's home or in a hospital.
Reliable allergy physicians prescribe oral antihistamines particularly for nasal allergy, itchy or watery eyes and skin inflammations caused by flowers, hay, grass or animal dander. Non-drowsy antihistamines are available to help you stay alert. For skin inflammations, doctors prescribe anti-inflammatory hydrocortisone creams to relieve redness or itching. They even advise applying an ice pack or wet cloth to alleviate skin irritation. Should ice be unavailable, wrapping frozen vegetables with a thin cloth also helps.
Consult a doctor if over-the-counter medicines don't help. This is because allergies can be internal and may result in sudden swelling of the air passage and subsequent choking. Doctors usually prescribe a drug called Cetirizine for indefinite periods for allergies caused by pollen, dust, pet dander or mould. Along with anti-histamines, nasal decongestants are also prescribed for a runny nose or even for allergic sinusitis that is caused by pollen. Your doctor may also prescribe a nasal corticosteroid, if the nasal allergy persists. This has an advantage over oral steroids, as they don't usually have side effects.
Immunotherapy with regular anti-allergic shots is also helpful for handling frequent allergic attacks. These are antigen shots administered in stages depending on the specific needs of the patient. These are known to alter the response of the body's immune system and prevent future reactions. They desensitize the body to the identified allergen.
Doctors advise emergency hospital admission in cases of sudden and severe swelling, hives, abdominal pain, acute respiratory distress, and continuous vomiting. These allergies are usually caused by food items like peanuts, eggs, milk or seafood like prawns, shrimps, crabs, and lobsters. Insects are the main culprits in causing hives and swellings. In such cases, the patient is put on an intravenous drip through which the anti-allergic is administered for immediate relief.