Why such a fuss around allergies? Who cares if you sneeze a little during the spring? Well, the truth is far more unpleasant.

1. Allergy Types
Why is knowledge about allergy types so important?
Why such a fuss around allergies? Who cares if you sneeze a little during the spring?
Well, the truth is far more unpleasant.
Some statistics for you:
1. Presence of asthma has increased for unbelievable 50% every 10 years for
the past 40 years.
2. In States alone, researchers estimate that over 20 million on Americans have
asthma.
3. 150 to 200 people die in the States every year because of the food allergies.
4. At least 40 deaths per year occur because of the insect venom.
5. More than 400 people die every year due to the penicillin anaphylaxis.
6. There are rough estimates that allergies cost health care system over $8
billion in States alone.
7. There is a 33% chance that a child will develop allergies if one of his parents
have one.
Do you still believe that allergies are to be taken lightly?
We have made a general list on this website of different allergy types with some
further reading. This list is by far complete and we will be adding information’s on
regular basis.
Food Allergies
Statistics show that 90% of allergic responses to foods are caused by milk, peanuts,
eggs, tree nuts (like almonds or walnuts), fish (like flounder), shellfish (like shrimp or
lobster), soy and wheat. These ingredients must be also listed on food labels (FDA
requires it!). Probably the most common food allergy in States is a sensitivity to
crustacea.
Milk Allergy

2. Milk allergies are by far the most common in children. This can result in intolerance to
milk from cows, goats, or sheep, or even to dairy products such as cheese.
Egg Allergy
Egg allergy is the second most common food allergy in children. It is basically an
oversensitivity to dietary substances from the yolk of eggs and may cause
overreaction of the immune system. Usually it is treated with an exclusion diet and
avoidance of foods that may have egg included.
Most children outgrow egg allergy by the age of five but some of them will never.
Usually we made diagnosis with the combination of skin prick testing and blood
testing. At this point there is no cure for this allergy.
Wheat Allergy
Determining if you have a wheat allergy, can be quite challenging since Omega-5
gliadin that is the most potent allergen in the wheat, cannot be detected in whole
wheat preparations, but it must be extracted and partially digested to reach full
activity and therefore certain allergy tests may not be suitable to detect all kinds of
wheat allergies. On the positive side, wheat allergy is really rare kind of allergy.
Peanut Allergy
Although all allergies should be taken seriously, peanut allergy is one of those that
we should taken extremely seriously, since it is one of the most common causes of
food allergy deaths in States.
By definition it is a type of food allergy that is distinct from nut allergies. This allergy is
usually treated with an exclusion diet and vigilant avoidance of foods.
If the worst scenario comes (anaphylaxis), person should be treated immediately with
epinephrine.
Fish Allergy
Fish can cause severe allergic reactions (such as anaphylaxis) and we advice all
people that suffer from fish allergy to have a quick access to an epinephrine auto-
injector (such as an EpiPen®) at all times.
These kind of allergies are usually treated with an exclusion diet and avoidance of
foods that may be contaminated with fish ingredients and/or oils.

3. This allergy usually is lifelong and statistics show that approximately 40 percent of
people with fish allergy experienced their first allergic reaction as adults.
Shellfish Allergy
Shellfish allergies are very much alike fish allergies. Most of them are caused by
shrimp, crab and lobster (or common name crustacea). Reactions to crustacean
shellfish tend to be much more severe than from mollusks (such as clams, mussels
or oysters).
To prevent a serious reaction, avoid any shellfish and shellfish products and always
read ingredient labels to identify shellfish ingredients.
Sulfite Allergy
Sulfites are preservatives used in various foods and medications and have been
used for centuries, mainly as food additives, but can also occur naturally in foods
such as fermented beverages.
The FDA estimates that one out of 100 people is sensitive to the sulfite compounds.
A person can develop sensitivity to sulfites at any time in life.
The only way to prevent reaction is to avoid foods that contain or are likely to contain
sulfites. Be sure to read the labels on all food items!
Soy Allergy
Soy allergy is one of the more common food allergies that occur among babies and
children. Many research show that an allergy to soy generally occurs childhood and
often is outgrown by age three.
Allergic reactions to soy are generally mild, but in rare occasions severe reactions
can occur.
Interesting fact is that the FDA exempts highly refined soybean oil from being labeled
as an allergen, because studies show most individuals with a soy allergy can safely
eat soy oil that has been highly refined.
But keep in mind that if you are allergic to soy, ask your doctor whether or not you
should avoid soy oil.

4. Seasonal Allergies
Spring Allergies
As the trees start to bloom and the pollen gets airborne, allergy sufferers begin their
annual ritual of sniffling and sneezing (but this might evolve into more serious
condition, so it shouldn’t be taken lightly).
Allergy symptoms tend to be high on breezy days when the wind picks up pollen and
carries it through the air. On other hand, rainy days cause a drop in the pollen counts
because the rain washes away the allergens.
Summer Allergies
The biggest summer allergy in the summer is pollen which can trigger the runny
nose, itchy eyes, and other allergy symptoms.
On other hand, one of the most common allergies in summer is ragweed (August),
which can travel airborne for hundreds of miles.
Fall Allergies
Fall allergies are much alike summer one with ragweed and pollen as allergens
prevailing.
Winter Allergies
In winter the situation is a bit different, because we can easily mix cold and allergy.
The difference is usually in the time period, when colds go away much faster (usually
in a week time).
There are also different allergens from the Summer or Autumn like pet dander, mold
or damp wood.
Pet Allergies
Dog Allergy
If you suspect you have a dog allergy, you should have symptoms like
coughing/wheezing, itchy eyes, stuffy nose or sneezing. Dog allergy can give
someone a skin reaction and should be treated seriously with people who have
asthma.

5. If you are diagnosed with dog allergy, your doctor might subscribe you drugs like
antihistamines or decongestants.
Cat Allergy
Cat allergy is an allergic reaction to allergens produced by cats and can resolve in
symptoms like itchy eyes, itchy nose, sneezing, sore throat etc. Symptoms are often
mistaken for a common cold.
Tip: If you regularly bath your cat, you may remove significant amounts of allergens
from the fur.
Like in dog allergy, antihistamines and decongestants may provide allergy relief here
as well.
Other Allergies
Hay Fever
Hay fever (or allergic rhinitis), is a condition that shows signs and symptoms similar
to a cold (sneezing, congestion, runny nose and sinus pressures). It is caused by an
allergic response to airborne substances, such as pollen – unlike a cold (caused by a
virus).
Interesting thing about the terminology is that hay fever does not mean that the
person is allergic to hay and has a fever.
Allergic Conjunctivitis (Pink Eye)
Conjunctivitis (pink or madras eye) is inflammation of the outermost layer of the eye
and the inner surface of the eyelids and it is most commonly due to a viral infection or
an allergic reaction.
The symptoms are red eye, swelling of conjunctiva and watering of the eyes.
The most effective prevention is hygiene and not rubbing the eyes by infected hands.
Conjunctivitis resolves in most of the cases without treatment, within two to five days.
Allergies to Poison Ivy
Poison ivy (also known as Toxicodendron radicans) is a poisonous North American
plant that is well known for its production of urushiol that causes an itching, irritation
and sometimes painful rash in most people who touch it.

6. The allergic reaction to it is called the Urushiol-induced contact dermatitis and can in
extreme cases lead to anaphylaxis.
Over 350,000 people are affected by poison ivy annually in the US.
Allergies to Insect Stings (Bee Stings)
Insect sting allergy is the term commonly given to the allergic response of an animal
in response to the bite (or sting) of an insect.
In the United States approximately 40 people die each year from anaphylaxis due to
stinging insect allergy.
Read more about insect sting allergy on Wikipedia.
Mold Allergy
By the definition, the mold allergy occur when your immune system overreacts when
you breathe in mold spores.
Symptoms can be irritations of the eye, nose and throat, sinus congestion, and other
respiratory problems. You should know that mold spores won’t cause asthma for
example, but it will irritate existing conditions.
The best way to minimize the risk is to reduce your exposure to the mold.
Pollen Allergies
Over 40 million people from States suffer from pollen allergies (when you inhale it),
known as hay fever, allergic rhinitis or seasonal allergies which can range from
annoying like sneezing, itchy throat, cough, to life-threatening.
Sun Reactions of the Skin
Sun allergy is a number of conditions in which an itchy red rash occurs on skin that’s
been exposed to sun. The most common form of sun allergy is polymorphic light
eruption, also known as sun poisoning.
Mild cases of sun allergy may resolve without treatment. More severe cases may
require steroid creams or pills. People who have a severe sun allergy may need to
take preventative measures (wear sun-protective clothing).

7. Aspirin Allergy (Salicylate Allergy)
Aspirin is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug that is commonly used to recover
from headaches and fevers.
An aspirin allergy can cause symptoms that range from mild to severe and reactions
may include hives, itchy skin, red eyes or in a rare case – anaphylaxis (life-
threatening allergic reaction).
Penicillin Allergy
Penicillin allergy is an overreaction by your immune system to penicillin. If you have a
penicillin allergy, your reaction to taking the antibiotic may range from a rash to
anaphylaxis.
Although penicillin is still the most commonly reported allergy, less than 20% of all
patients that believe that they have a penicillin allergy are truly allergic to penicillin;
nevertheless, penicillin is still the most common cause of severe allergic drug
reactions.
Read more: http://treatment-allergy.net/allergy-types/