Urgent Care for Allergy Treatment in Minneapolis, MN

Allergic reactions are a common medical condition that affects millions of people each year. People with allergies have immune systems that will overreact to certain substances, causing itchy skin, runny eyes, and breathing problems. To prevent an allergic reaction, people with allergies must take all necessary precautions to avoid the things that trigger them. Air travel is a common source of allergic reactions due to dust, mold, animal dander, and other airborne allergens. However, there is no set limit on how often you should get your allergies and asthma checked. Doctors will recommend an annual allergy checkup appointment for people that suffer from severe allergies, but those with milder conditions can get by, by visiting their allergists less frequently.

Allergic reactions can happen at any time of the year. However, spring and summer are the most common times of year for airborne allergies to emerge. People with spring allergies often experience an outbreak within the first few weeks of the new season. In addition to dust, mold, and tree pollens, dust mites are common culprits in springtime allergy attacks. Both animal and insect dander also cause serious symptoms at this time of year. After the Spring season ends, Summer may bring even more dramatic changes to the environment for insects and animal dander. Many people will experience an allergic reaction during these months; however, some can experience a persistent condition even after their summer vacation has ended.

First Stage: Exposure to the Allergen

Allergens can either be eaten, inhaled, or touched; they can also enter your body through a cavity via a bite of your flesh. A few examples of an allergen include pollen, dust, wheat, dairy, cleaning chemicals, pollution, and smoke. Once the allergen has entered the body, the reaction can happen in a matter of seconds, to a few hours.

Second Stage: Early Allergic Reaction

If you suffer from allergies, it is often due to your immune system misinterpreting the material as a foreign invader trying to attack the body. Your body will naturally respond by trying to eliminate or rid of the allergen; the immune cells will start to release histamines and other mediators which make the capillaries permeable for the white blood cells to attack the “invader”.

However, this overreaction will oftentimes cause inflammation, which can lead to:

• Allergic rhinitis
• Asthma
• Hives
• Diarrhea
• Vomiting
• Swelling
• Anaphylaxis

Anaphylaxis is one of the more serious symptoms that can be potentially life-threatening. If you suffer from anaphylactic shock – which is also known as an anaphylactic reaction – your blood pressure will immediately drop, the muscles within your lungs will start to become constricted, and the airways will become blocked due to swelling. If this starts to occur to you or someone you know, call 9-1-1 immediately, especially if they are having sudden breathing problems.

Third Stage: Late Allergic Reaction

Late allergic reaction is often preceded by an earlier allergic reaction to the body, which may not react at all until a few hours after the initial exposure to the allergen. This delayed reaction will generally reach its peak around six to nine hours after your body has been exposed to the allergen.

These late symptoms will often include the skin appearing red, warm, look swollen, and you may experience pain and labored breathing. While a late reaction is due to the mast cells continuing to attract inflammatory cells, such as lymphocytes, and basophils, the symptoms from this subside within one to two days.

The most common food intolerances we often see are from sugar found in milk, which is known as lactose intolerance, casein, which is a protein found in milk, and gluten intolerance, which include foods that have grains in them like wheat, barley, and rye.

Often you will notice your allergies are beginning to showcase symptoms that will include watery or red eyes, itchiness, circles under the eyes, or your nose, mouth, or throat becoming itchy.

For more information, please call us or book an appointment online. We serve patients from Minneapolis MN, Mendota MN, Edina MN, Lauderdale MN, Golden Valley MN, St Paul MN, and BEYOND!