Have you ever wondered if you might have an allergy? The doctors at Allergy Care in Watertown and Utica NY, share a few common 
allergy signs and discuss food allergies and intolerances.
Allergy signs and symptoms
Allergies to mold, pollen, trees, cockroaches, pet dander and grasses can cause several unpleasant symptoms, including:
- Cold-Like Symptoms: Allergy symptoms often mimic common cold symptoms, such as sneezing, runny nose, nasal congestion, coughing and itchy, watery, burning eyes. Although cold symptoms go away in about two weeks, allergy symptoms continue as long as you're exposed to an allergen.
- Morning Nausea: Post-nasal drip can make you feel nauseated when you wake up in the morning. If you tend to feel better a few hours later, your allergy symptoms may be to blame for your problem.
- Dark Circles Under the Eyes: Dark circles under the eyes, commonly called "allergic shiners," may be an indication of an allergy.
- Fatigue: Living with allergy symptoms can make you feel very tired and worn out.
Food allergies and intolerances
People often confuse food allergies and intolerances. Allergy symptoms occur even if you're only exposed to a very small amount of a food and may appear and few minutes to a few hours after exposure. Food allergy symptoms may include:
- Nausea or vomiting
- Sneezing, nasal congestion on runny noise
- Hives
- Itchy ears or mouth
- Stomach pain
- Diarrhea
- Strange taste in your mouth
- Redness around your eyes or mouth
If you experience a severe allergic reaction, you may faint, have difficulty breathing or swallowing, turn blue, develop a weak pulse or feel pain in your chest. These symptoms require immediate emergency medical treatment.
Food intolerances usually only trigger gastrointestinal symptoms, such as stomachaches, nausea or diarrhea. Intolerances aren't life-threatening and may only occur if you eat a large amount of a food.
Because intolerances and allergies both cause gastrointestinal symptoms, it's not always easy to tell which is responsible for your symptoms. Allergy testing in our Watertown and Utica office can determine whether you're allergic to particular foods and also detect allergies to pet dander, mold and seasonal allergens. If you do have an allergy, we can prescribe appropriate medications and offer suggestions that will reduce your exposure to allergens.
Do you have any of the symptoms of seasonal or food allergies? Schedule an appointment with the doctors at Allergy Care by calling (315) 624-7911 for our Utica, NY office or (315) 782-6200 for our Watertown, NY location.
