Allergy Symptoms

Symptoms of Airborne Allergies

• Nasal: sneezing, stuffy nose (rhinitis), nasal blockage, loss of taste of food, loss of sense of smell, nasal polyps, snoring.
• Chest: wheezing and coughing, difficulty breathing.
• Eyes: itchy eyes, watering eyes.
• Mouth or Throat: itching, burning, swelling or blistering
• Ears: itching or blockage

Symptoms of Contact Allergies

• Skin: rash, itching, swelling, hives, urticaria, redness, eczema-like reaction, blistering.
• Mouth: itching, burning, swelling or blistering.

Urticaria (or Hives)

Urticaria, otherwise known as "hives", is a kind of skin rash characterised by dark red, raised itchy bumps. There are many causes of urticaria, some of which are nothing to do with an allergice reaction.

We have a wide experience of urticaria and are frequently consulted about it. It's important to determine the cause of urticaria as a non-allergic cause has different treatment to hives caused by an allergen.

Insect Stings

It is quite normal to have some reaction following an insect sting. This will usually appear as a sore area of redness at the site of the sting.

It is NOT normal to experience any of the following symptoms AWAY from the site of the sting:

• Rash;
• Swelling or Redness;
• Urticaria or hives;
• Throat closing;
• Wheezing;
• Cough;
• Faintness, collapse or loss of consciousness.

If you develop a large reaction around a sting (grapefruit size or bigger), then you are at risk—low risk—of developing anaphylaxis if you are stung again.