What Are the Symptoms of Allergies?

Allergy symptoms can be categorized as mild, moderate, or severe (anaphylactic).

• Mild reactions include those symptoms that affect a specific area of the body such as a rash, itchy, watery eyes, and some congestion. Mild reactions do not spread to other parts of the body.
• Moderate reactions include symptoms that spread to other parts of the body. These may include itchiness or difficulty breathing.
• A severe reaction, called anaphylaxis, is a rare, life-threatening emergency in which the response to the allergen is sudden and affects the whole body. It may begin with the sudden onset of itching of the eyes or face and progress within minutes to more serious symptoms, including abdominal pain, cramps, vomiting, and diarrhea well as a varying degrees of swellings that can make breathing and swallowing difficult.
• Mental confusion or dizziness may also be symptoms, since anaphylaxis causes a quick drop in blood pressure.

*Allergy overview by Web MD.