Many Americans suffer from symptoms of allergies. At Broward ENT & Allergy, Dr. Sina Joorabchi and his team serve the Broward County and Hollywood area and can help diagnose your allergies while providing proper treatment.

What is an Allergic Reaction?

When your body responds to an allergen with an allergic reaction, they are reacting by creating antibodies. Then, the antibodies find the allergen and try to remove it from your system. The result is the release of a chemical called histamine and causes allergy symptoms.

What Are the Symptoms of Allergies?

The symptoms of allergies depend on the person and type of allergy. Dr. Joorabchi, located in Pembroke Pines, FL, serving the Broward County and Hollywood area, offers several diagnosing and treatment options to manage allergies and symptoms.

Seasonal Allergy Symptoms

Seasonal allergies are caused by allergens like pollen, mold, animals, bugs, and trees. Typically, you will see the following symptoms:

• red, watery eyes
• sneezing
• runny nose 
• coughing
• itching around the eyes, mouth, and nose

When you leave allergy symptoms untreated, they worsen and lead to symptoms like:

• headache
• sore throat
• ear infection
• sinus infection
• decreased sense of smell
• shortness of breath
• fatigue

Severe Allergy Symptoms

Sometimes, allergies can manifest severe symptoms that require immediate medical intervention. You may see life-threatening allergic reactions with the following allergens:

• medication
• latex
• food
• insect venom

If you experience any of these symptoms, you may be experiencing an anaphylactic reaction to an allergen requiring emergency care:

• Skin: redness, itching, swelling, and hives
• Respiratory: wheezing, coughing, chest pain, shortness of breath, throat swelling
• Heart: weak pulse, dizziness
• Mouth: lip and tongue swelling
• Headache, congestion, watery eyes, sweating
• Confusion
• Loss of consciousness

When two or more organ systems, like the skin, mouth, and stomach, start to exhibit symptoms, you are probably experiencing anaphylaxis and need immediate treatment.

How Do I Know If I Have Allergies?

Allergy skin testing identifies some allergens that may be causing your allergy symptoms. When a skin test cannot be performed, blood work may be done, along with other types of allergy testing. If you think there is a chance you may have allergies, it is best not to wait to see if your symptoms will go away on their own.

If your symptoms last more than a week or so, make an appointment today with Dr. Joorabchi at Broward ENT & Allergy, located in Pembroke Pines, FL, (serving the Broward County and Hollywood area), for an appointment to evaluate your allergies and offer treatment. Call (954) 953-3603 today.