Could it be an allergy?

An increasing variety of symptoms is now being attributed to allergies and an increasing range of substances is now thought to be capable of causing them.

Understandably many people do not like the idea of using drugs to suppress symptoms that might possibly be caused by something they could avoid. This may make them suspicious about allergy to items of food or substances in their close environment.

Featured this month: 

Mouth and throat allergy
A new kind of food allergy to fresh fruits, nuts and raw vegetables has started to affect people who suffer from spring hay fever. Why is this happening?

In this website

Summer hay fever
Misery for millions in the spring or summer when trees or grasses release their pollen

Food allergy and intolerance
Adverse reactions to food are not always due to food allergy - how can we tell?

Insect venom allergy
We all react to stings and bites, but insect venom allergy is a problem for some

Asthma
What causes it and how can you avoid the asthma triggers that affect you?

Eczema and dermatitis
There is a link with asthma and hay fever, but why does this happen?

Irritable bowel syndrome
Food sensitivity affects half of all cases but standard food allergy tests don't help

Urticaria and angioedema
Urticaria (hives) is an itchy rash and angioedema causes mouth and throat swelling - why?

Unexplained symptoms
Can food sensitivity be a common cause of medically unexplained symptoms?

Allergy to medicines
90% of the side effects of drugs and medicines are not due to allergy - why does this happen?

Life threatening allergy
How common is it and what happens when someone has a sever reaction?