allergies Archives - On Call Medical Clinic

Food Allergies are a Problems?

Food allergies are a common occurrence throughout America. We at On Call Medical Clinic would like to share some important information about food allergies that may be helpful.

More than 50 million Americans have an allergy of some kind. Food allergies are estimated to affect 4 to 6 percent of children and 4 percent of adults, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Food allergy symptoms are most common in babies and children, but they can appear at any age.

The body’s immune system keeps you healthy by fighting off infections and other dangers to good health. A food allergy reaction occurs when your immune system overreacts to a food or a substance in a food, identifying it as a danger and triggering a protective response.

While allergies tend to run in families, it is impossible to predict whether a child will inherit a parent’s food allergy or whether siblings will have a similar condition.

Symptoms of a food allergy can range from mild to severe. A food that triggered only mild symptoms on one occasion may cause more severe symptoms at another time.

The most severe allergic reaction is anaphylaxis — a life-threatening whole-body allergic reaction that can impair your breathing, cause a dramatic drop in your blood pressure and affect your heart rate. Anaphylaxis can come on within minutes of exposure to the trigger food. It can be fatal and must be treated promptly with an injection of epinephrine (adrenaline).

Below are the most common foods that cause allergies in people.

Eggs, Milk, Peanuts, Tree Nuts, Fish, Shellfish, Wheat and Soy.

Certain seeds, including sesame and mustard seeds, also are common food allergy triggers and considered a major allergen in some countries.

Symptoms of an allergic reaction may involve the skin, the gastrointestinal tract, the cardiovascular system and the respiratory tract. They can surface in one or more of the following ways:

Vomiting and/or stomach cramps
Hives
Shortness of breath
Wheezing
Repetitive cough
Shock or circulatory collapse
Tight, hoarse throat; trouble swallowing
Swelling of the tongue, affecting the ability to talk or breathe
Weak pulse
Pale or blue coloring of skin
Dizziness or feeling faint

Anaphylaxis, a potentially life-threatening reaction that can impair breathing and send the body into shock; reactions may simultaneously affect different parts of the body (for example, a stomachache accompanied by a rash)

We at On Call Medical Clinic hope this information was helpful. We gathered this information from the American College of Allergy, Asthma, & Immunology’s website. Please remember that we are here 7 days a week when you need us. Please call us at 228 818-5155 or visit our website at www.oncallclinic.com to learn about all the services we offer as well as skin care services.

Food Allergies are Common

food allergies

Food allergies are a common occurrence throughout America. We at On Call Medical Clinic would like to share some important information about food allergies that may be helpful.

Food allergy symptoms are most common in babies and children, but they can appear at any age.

While allergies tend to run in families, it is impossible to predict whether a child will inherit a parent’s food allergy or whether siblings will have a similar condition.

Symptoms of a food allergy can range from mild to severe. A food that triggered only mild symptoms on one occasion may cause more severe symptoms at another time.

Below are the most common foods that cause allergies in people.

Eggs, Milk, Peanuts, Tree Nuts, Fish, Shellfish, Wheat and Soy.

Certain seeds, including sesame and mustard seeds , also are common food allergy triggers and considered a major allergen in some countries.

Symptoms of an allergic reaction may involve the skin, the gastrointestinal tract, the cardiovascular system and the respiratory tract. They can surface in one or more of the following ways:

Vomiting and/or stomach cramps
Hives
Shortness of breath
Wheezing
Repetitive cough
Shock or circulatory collapse
Tight, hoarse throat; trouble swallowing
Swelling of the tongue, affecting the ability to talk or breathe
Weak pulse
Pale or blue coloring of skin
Dizziness or feeling faint

We at On Call Medical Clinic hope this information was helpful. We gathered this information from the American College of Allergy, Asthma, & Immunology’s website. Please remember that we are here 7 days a week when you need us. Please visit our website at www.oncallclinic.com to learn about all the services we offer as well as skin care services.

Spring Allergies – Know the Difference From a Cold

spring allergies

Spring is here and this can mean a problem for the more than 50 million Americans with spring allergies. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, allergies are the sixth leading cause of chronic illness.

Allergies have been found to be a leading cause of chronic sinusitis, a chronic condition that may result in multiple sick days and lost productivity. Spring and fall are the worst time for allergies and sinusitis.

There are differences between a cold and spring allergies in the Springtime. Here is how you tell the difference.

Allergy attacks never include fever as part of their presentation. Colds often involve low-grade fevers, below 101 degrees, and can run higher if the virus is aggressive.
Common colds often involve some form of cough while patients may never cough during an allergy attack. Some allergy patients, however, especially asthmatics, can experience wheezing or cough as part of their presentation.
Frequent and multiple sneezes are a hallmark of the allergy attack, especially in a patient who doesn’t feel “sick.”
Runny, stuffy nose. Nasal congestion is a common symptom for both allergy and cold sufferers. It results from increased blood flow to the internal mucous membranes of the nose and sinus cavity as the immune system responds to the condition at hand. Generally, allergic mucous is clear and watery, while an infection causes thick, colored mucous. Contrary to popular belief, the color of nasal mucous does not distinguish whether the infection is viral or bacterial.
Often congestion can cause a feeling of pain or pressure within the sinuses, sometimes called “sinus headaches.” This can occur in both allergies and colds. But if the headache is one-sided, that could indicate a more serious bacterial infection.
Itchy eyes, ears and throat. Itching in these areas almost always suggests an allergic cause of the symptoms.
Sore throat. Both colds and allergies can result in sore throats. But allergy patients often describe the pain as more “scratchy” while colds produce a more severe, “sharp” sore throat.
Swollen glands. Swelling of the lymph nodes in the neck and under the chin frequently accompanies the common cold and resolves on its own. Allergies seldom produce swollen glands.

We at On Call Medical Clinic hope that this information was helpful. We are here 7 days a week if you are suffering from a Spring cold or allergies. Please visit our website at www.oncallclinic.com to review all the medical services we offer. Our friendly and courteous staff is ready to help you get back out and enjoy the Spring.