Drug allergy is a form of allergic reactions to medicines. After consuming certain medicines, you may get rashes, itching, swelling, anaphylaxis, difficulty in breathing and hives. These are the common symptoms that you may have a drug allergy. Drug allergy happens when some medicine composition is not suitable for your immunity system, and your body identifies it as foreign invader which results releasing of chemical fluid as the defender.  If you are suffering from drug allergy, here is an effective guide to understand your problem, before you find an allergist specialist.

Common causes of drug allergies

• Antibiotics related to penicillin and penicillin
• Sulfonamides (sulfa drugs) containing Antibiotics
• Anticonvulsants
• Ibuprofen, aspirin, and other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)
• Drugs of chemotherapy

Symptoms of a penicillin allergy

Penicillin allergy symptoms can be mild to severe. Penicillin allergy symptoms may include hives swelling – usually around the face, wheeziness, throat tightness, breathing trouble and coughing.

Anaphylaxis which is more life-threatening severe reaction can occur due to penicillin allergy. It can arise suddenly, aggravate quickly and can be deadly. The common symptoms include:

Itching, red skin rash, hives, reddening in mixture of other symptoms like

• Gasping and stiffness in the chest
• Swelling of lips, tongue, throat, and face
• Dizziness

If the reaction gets worse with above-noted symptoms, immediately you need epinephrine auto-injector.

Also, if you avoid the drug for ten years, there is fair chance to lose penicillin allergy as 80% people usually do. However, it will be better to get yourself tested by an allergist to find if you are still allergic.

How to diagnose drug allergy?

It is a bit difficult to diagnose medication allergies. Through a skin test, allergy to penicillin-type drugs can be diagnosed. It will be better if you carry the suspected drug with you while visiting an allergist. This will help the allergist recommend the possible alternatives if required.

An allergist may advise for a skin test or, a blood test depending on the suspected drug. Your allergy physician may ask for an oral drug challenge if drug allergy is suspected.

What is the treatment for drug allergies?

Once your allergic reason is identified, the allergist will advise you to halt over from that particular drug consumption. It is crucial to inform all your health care providers to stop prescribing the drug in any circumstances. Immediate treatment is necessary if react to a particular drug also, the severity of the treatment will be determined by the allergic reaction caused. If the allergic reaction is as severe as life-threatening anaphylaxis and you need epinephrine auto-injector immediately, call at 911.

No matter how careful you are with weeds, pollen grains or pets, you might still experience a runny nose, itching or coughing. The reason is probably because you might be still around the tricky allergens in your home. Closing your window or relying on the air conditions cannot help you to avoid allergic reactions unless you eliminate the real culprits which are triggering the problem. Before your symptoms worsen in the allergy season, consult an allergist and take the precautionary measures to be on the safer side.

Deal with allergic reactions from fragrances:

Many people are allergic to the chemicals used in the perfumes, body sprays, insect killing sprays or even other healthcare products. When the fragrances are sprayed in the air, it tends to affect the people with a sensitive nose. In fact, some people are also affected by the scented candles or the aromatic oil dispensers. Even though essential oils do not trigger nasal allergies, a mixture of multiple oils or other compounds used to manufacture the candles might cause the allergy. To avoid these reactions, consider the mildly scented body creams or moisturisers and turn to homemade body mists or natural body sprays.  Use organic soaps, and phthalate-free, non-scented detergents and cleaning solutions to minimise the problem. Take a walk in fresh air, if you experience allergic reactions from any fragrances outside your home.

Oil-based wall paints can be culprits too:

A newly painted wall, especially with oil-based paints can lead to a runny nose or headaches. Even after drying, the chemical solvents used in the paints release chemicals and trigger allergy symptoms. In order to overcome this problem, it is better to opt for the green certification marked latex paint or the paints with relatively low level of volatile organic compounds. Keep the doors and windows of the painted room open, to let in fresh air.

Clean your carpets, blinds, beddings and your soft toys as well:

It is not easy to believe that your soft toys can also be your enemies. In most of the cases, people clean their entire home but forget to clean their furry toys, which encourage the growth of microscopic bugs. The allergy doctors recommend, washing the soft toys with organic disinfectant and hot water at 140° to slay the bugs. Dry them thoroughly in the sunlight, to make sure that the mites are killed. Storing the non-washable toys in a ziplock and keeping them for 3-4 hours in the freezer can also wipe out the bugs.