Understanding Your Allergy Symptoms - Finding Fast Hay Fever Relief

People having allergy symptoms to certain foreign substances can react differently. In fact, allergy attacks can be mild, moderate or severe - depending on the extent of its effect on the body. Mild symptoms only include itchy, watery eyes, rashes and congestion. This doesn't spread to other bodily parts. As for moderate symptoms, these can spread through the body like itchiness and difficulty in breathing.

Among all three levels of allergy symptoms, the most life-threatening is Anaphylaxis. It is a rare case but is so severe it can suddenly affect the entire body. It starts with sudden itching of the face or eyes then it progresses to more complicated symptoms like cramps, vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea, dizziness or mental confusion and varying degrees of swelling which make swallowing as well as breathing very difficult.

An allergy is a result of an exaggerated reaction of the immune system as a response to bodily contact with distinct foreign substances. The reason it is exaggerated is due to the fact that these foreign substances are already seen as harmless to the body with no apparent reaction for non-allergic people.

The bodies of people with allergies recognize these as foreign substances and trigger one part of the immune system. Allergens are referred to as allergy-producing substances. This includes dust mites, pollens, dander, molds and certain foods as well as medicines.

In North America alone, there is an estimated 50 million people suffering from allergic conditions. In the US, the cost of allergies is believed to be over $10 billion dollars a year. In fact, it is noted that about 35 million Americans have allergic rhinitis while about 6 million of these are children. As for asthma, there is an estimated 15 million Americans with this condition while 5 million of these are children. Thus, the number of cases of asthma is also noted to have doubled in the last twenty years.

With the various types of allergies, hay fever is the most common. Allergy symptoms for this condition include red, stuffy noses with thin, clear discharges; sneezing; postnasal drips; water, bloodshot eyes; fatigue; sensation of plugged ears; having trouble sleeping; and itching noses, ear canals, soft palates, skins or eyes.

Another term for hay fever is allergic rhinitis. It refers to allergic reactions to airborne, outdoor materials like molds and pollens. These can affect your body once they enter through your skin, by swallowing or through inhalation. There are many medications now for allergy symptoms. People with hay fever can resort to taking antihistamine for fast, short-term relief but this medication can make you drowsy or sleepy. For long-term 24-hour protection, you can take cetirizine one hour before you go to sleep at night. It can guarantee freedom from allergy attacks for an entire day.