Call
Locations
Care Team
Patient Portal
Facebook-f Twitter Youtube Instagram Linkedin
Appointments

Our Health Library information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Please be advised that this information is made available to assist our patients to learn more about their health. Our providers may not see and/or treat all topics found herein.

Allergic reaction

An allergic reaction is an overreaction of the immune system to a substance called an allergen. Allergens include chemicals, foods, medicines, mold, plants, and pollen.

Symptoms of an allergic reaction can range from mild and annoying to severe and life-threatening.

  • Allergens can affect different tissues in the body, such as the airways, eyes, gastrointestinal tract, nose, lungs, and skin.
  • Some allergic reactions, such as hives or itching around an insect bite or where a plant or chemical touched the skin, affect only one area of the body.
  • Other allergic reactions may affect the whole body, causing itching all over, swelling, fainting, belly pain, nausea, vomiting, or difficulty breathing.
  • A severe allergic reaction (called anaphylaxis) can lead to shock and even death.

Allergic reactions may not occur the first time a person is exposed to an allergen. A person may become more sensitive to the allergen with each exposure.