Allergies can cause itching, hives and rashes. Other symptoms of allergy include watery eyes, runny nose, and sneezing. Itchiness of skin during an allergic reaction can cause severe discomfort. However, certain medications and home remedies can help in reducing the skin itch.
Causes of Itching Skin:
Itching skin in an allergy is caused when the immune system mistakenly identifies a substance as harmful as reacts against it. Histamine is released in the body to invade the allergen, which results in various allergy symptoms, including the itching of skin.
How To Treat Allergy Itching?
Here are a few ways to treat allergy itching:
- Topical steroids: Topical steroids can help in reducing the itchiness, inflammation and flaking of skin. Hydrocortisone cream is a good option as it is available without prescription. If your itchiness is stronger — you may need a stronger steroid, which is prescribed by the doctor
- Anti-histamines:Anti-histamines reduce the allergy itching by blocking histamine . Histamine, which is released by the body during an allergy, is responsible for allergy symptoms such as itchiness, runny nose and water eyes. Over-the- counter antihistamines such as Benadryl can be taken after the allergic reaction to relieve itching
- Moisturizers: Moisturizers soften the rash and prevent itching. They also prevent dryness of skin. Applying moisturizer at the site of rash or itch can relive itching to a great extent
- Cold compresses: Cool compresses for 20 to 30 minutes, three times a day can help in reducing the allergy itching
Sometimes, an allergy reaction can progress to severe symptoms such as breathing difficulty, dizziness, vomiting, diarrhea. In such cases an Epinephrine should be administered to prevent the worsening of symptoms.
To prevent allergy itching, it is important to know the allergy-causing source or the allergen. You can take up allergy tests such as allergy skin test or allergy blood tests to determine the allergen. Once you determine the source of allergy, complete avoidance of the allergen is recommended.
