It’s Allergy Season! When to Seek Medical Care for Your Symptoms
Whether you suffer from seasonal allergies or something else triggers a reaction, it is important to recognize the symptoms, as well as which ones require immediate care. Depending on the severity of your reaction, you may need to obtain the necessary emergency medical treatment quickly.
Common Allergy Symptoms
Many allergic reactions are perfectly normal and are simply irritating to the allergy sufferer. Fortunately, over-the-counter medications often eliminate these symptoms, making life more tolerable. Some of these symptoms include:
- Sneezing
- Itchy, watery eyes
- Rash or hives
- Nasal congestion
- Runny nose
When you experience these symptoms, immediate medical care is not typically needed.
Severe Symptoms
For many people, allergic reactions become more severe as time passes and individuals are exposed to allergens more often. As these reactions build, the risk to the allergy sufferer increases. Therefore, it is imperative to know what reactions can be labeled as severe and in need of emergency medical treatment. Severe reactions, often the result of food allergies or insect bites, can include:
- Difficulty breathing
- Swelling
- Wheezing
- Sweating
- Low blood pressure
- Dizziness or fainting
- Nausea or vomiting
If you experience any of these symptoms, get medical treatment as soon as possible.
What to Expect from a Severe Reaction
Severe allergic reactions can be extremely dangerous. When someone experiences these reactions, the airways often restrict, making it difficult for the body to get the oxygen it needs to continue to function. Blood vessels also dilate, causing blood pressure to drop, sometimes to dangerous levels. For this reason, it is important to contact 911 immediately to avoid the worst possible scenario. If you or someone in your home has a history of allergies, particularly those that are prone to severe reactions, it is important to be prepared. An Epipen, a medical device that delivers a dose of epinephrine, can be a useful tool for some allergies.
Allergic reactions aren’t something to take lightly, even if previous reactions have been mild. Many allergy sufferers only experience minor symptoms that are annoying at worst. However, for those individuals who suffer from food allergies or are severely allergic to insect bites, it only takes one severe reaction to have detrimental effects. Understanding the symptoms of an allergic reaction and those that require immediate attention will help you decide if a call to 911 may be necessary. Whenever you experience a reaction you’ve never had before, it is important to seek medical care as soon as possible.
Springtime is allergy time. If you or someone you love suffers from allergies, we hope this list of symptoms and solutions will help you be more prepared this in the event of an allergic emergency. For non-emergency medical transport services, then call 800.550.1025 or request a quote online. No matter the season, we can assist in your long distant patient transport needs.
