Figuring out which things cause you to develop allergies can help you stay away from your triggers. Here are a few tips on how to find out what's causing your allergies and how you can treat them.
Itchy Mouth: Food Allergies
An itchy mouth can mean that you're having a minor food allergy. Some food allergies may start small and become worse over time, so it's important to think about what you've just eaten to cause this allergy.
For example, if you've just eaten a cake, it's time to break down the ingredients. If it has eggs, milk, flour, and chocolate in the mix, you could be allergic to any of those components.
To figure out your allergy, eliminate the food you suspect from your diet for two to four weeks. At that point, if you're feeling better, you may have found the cause. You can double-check your results by trying to add the food back into your diet. If you fall ill, it's most likely the culprit.
If instead no change has taken place, then the food you removed from your diet is most likely not the problem.
Itchy Skin: Dust, Sun, and Other Skin Irritants
There are dozens of reasons you could have itchy skin, from molluscum, a viral condition often caught when working outdoors, or an allergy to cats or dogs. Itchy skin can also be a result of a sun allergy or to a sun burn. So how can you figure out what the problem is?
Generally speaking, your allergy will only show itself when you touch or are in close proximity to the allergen. So, if you go into the sun for only a few minutes and become itchy, it's not likely that you suffered a sun burn, but you could be suffering a skin reaction from the UV-A or UV-B rays. This reaction is known as polymorphic light eruption, and while it's relatively uncommon, an allergist will be able to discuss your condition with you.
Itchy to Know More? Contact Your Allergist
In most cases, an allergist will be able to run a scratch test to help determine what your allergy is. This simple test introduces a small amount of an allergen into your skin through a small scrape; if the area welts, then you have an allergy.
These are some things to consider when you think you have an allergy. If you are worried, make sure to talk to your doctor or an allergy specialist like Oak Brook Allergists.