Can there be a nervous allergy? As a rule, the cause of a non-standard reaction of the body is some kind of allergen: cat hair, pollen, dust, food or medicine. In some cases, stress can also act as an irritant.
Nervous allergy develops against the background of constant stress, excessive emotionality, prolonged overexertion. True, in scientific circles, in this case, they often talk about pseudo-allergy, that is, a pathological condition in which a complex of symptoms characteristic of a “normal” disease is observed, but the allergen is absent.
Other common causes of nerve pseudoallergy include:
- Failures in the functioning of the body's immune system. Weak immune protection predetermines greater susceptibility to allergic reactions in principle.
- Stress, which may be accompanied by eating or appetite disorders, insomnia, increased fatigue and irritability.
- Depression,persisting for a long time, reduces immunity, worsens the physical and psycho-emotional state. As a result, inflammatory processes develop, and the risk of allergic reactions increases.
The difference between a nervous allergy and a true one
The true form of the disease is characterized by the presence of a reaction only upon direct contact with an irritant. Nervous allergy (symptoms, the treatment of which is described below, in the relevant sections) is a pseudo-allergy, that is, it occurs solely as a result of emotional upheavals.
Anxious, overly receptive and unbalanced people are prone to this disease. For some patients, for example, it is enough to look in the direction of flowering plants, as they will feel the entire list of symptoms that characterize a disease such as a nervous allergy (treatment, by the way, also involves the normalization of the psychological state). Other people experience anxiety symptoms after a stressful situation, when alone or when they are frightened.
Physical manifestations of allergies
Nervous allergies show the same general symptoms as any other type of individual reaction to foods or other stimuli. Thus, patients primarily complain of dermatological manifestations, which include:
- rashes that are accompanied by itching (the symptom often appears on the face, hands and scalp);
- rash that may appear in the mouth; suchthe condition is often confused with incipient stomatitis;
- urticaria - red blisters appear, slightly rising above the surface of the skin;
- runny nose, which appears even in warm weather and is characterized by mucous secretions, lacrimation;
- dry cough - a symptom that accompanies allergies, persists even after taking antitussive drugs;
- feeling short of breath, in some cases a serious threat to life and he alth;
- excessive sweating, palpitations and shortness of breath even with little exertion;
- shivering in the body, chills or fever, nausea - signs of pseudo-allergies that do not appear as often as other symptoms;
- blanching of the skin, especially on the limbs, face;
- discomfort, chest discomfort, solar plexus;
- digestion problems - the symptom is somewhat less common than typical skin manifestations of allergies.
The set of features that characterize this type of reaction may vary depending on individual characteristics and the degree of sensitivity of the organism. A particular danger arises with the development of edema of the respiratory organs, because in this case, suffocation is possible. Sometimes a nervous allergy (with more severe symptoms) is accompanied by fainting.
Nervous system symptoms
If the manifestations listed above can also occur with true allergies, then the nervous form of the disease is also characterizedexceptional symptoms. Nervous allergies are distinguished by some mental manifestations, among which can be listed:
- increased irritability;
- frequent mood swings;
- depressive state;
- confusion of thoughts;
- weakness, loss of strength, drowsiness;
- decrease in efficiency and concentration;
- recurrent headaches;
- reduced visual acuity, "blurring", although no physiological problems are diagnosed.
Allergic autonomic storm or panic attack
Nervous allergy (photo of physiological manifestations that can characterize the condition, below) does not make itself felt all the time. That is why scientists have introduced the concept of "allergic vegetative storm" or "panic attack", which better describes the patient's condition. Such concepts mean an attack of anxiety, panic or excitement, which is accompanied by four or more physiological symptoms.
Nervous Allergy Diagnosis
When diagnosing a nervous allergy, the doctor should pay special attention to the emotional state of the patient. As a rule, people suffering from this form of an allergic reaction are characterized by increased excitability, anxiety, and an unstable psycho-emotional state.
Tests for suspected nerve allergy
In addition, the following studies allow diagnosing a non-standard reaction of the body to stress at the physiological level:
- Skin tests. In the nervous form of the disease, tests carried out in a calm state show negative results, except for the period of a direct vegetative storm.
- Evaluation of the level of immunoglobulin E. Nervous allergy is not accompanied by an increase in the level of immunoglobulin E, as is the case with the true form of the disease.
Nervous Allergy Drug Treatment
For effective treatment of nervous allergies, you should definitely visit an allergist. The doctor will conduct the necessary studies and analyzes, and make a qualified conclusion - how the patient can get rid of such a disease as an allergy due to nerves (photo).
Treatment must be comprehensive. As a rule, medicines help to fight the manifestations of an allergic vegetative storm, but only the normalization of the nervous system will allow you to forget about the attacks forever. In some cases, however, it is enough to eliminate the stress factor: for example, change jobs or stop communicating with “difficult” relatives.
Drug therapy includes taking special antihistamine drugs, as well as sedatives and, possibly, hormonal drugs, herbal preparations. Antihistamines can alleviate the patient's condition during attacks, other drugs affect the causes of the development of pathology.
Normalization of the nervous system
Medication alone does not eliminate nervous allergies. Symptoms (photos of physiological manifestations,of course, do not reflect the depressed psycho-emotional state of the patient), manifested by the nervous system, require relief by other methods.
So, a person suffering from a nervous form of allergy, first of all, needs to establish a positive emotional background. A visit to a psychologist, neurologist or psychiatrist, art therapy and other activities that have a calming effect will help with this. Some patients cease to feel the manifestations of allergies on the nerves after a course of massage of certain points, acupuncture, hypnosis or neurolinguistic programming, reflex manual therapy.
In addition, you should, if possible, avoid stress, excessive overstrain (both emotional and physical), not worry over trifles and change your outlook on problems. It is important to try to identify the main source of stress and eliminate it. For example, changing jobs, revising life values, positive communication with loved ones, minimizing stress will help.
Nervous Allergy Prevention
The nervous form of allergy is a common problem today. This is due to the fast pace of life, constant stress, lack of physical activity, unhe althy diet, bad habits and social problems. To prevent the development of a non-standard reaction of the body to stress, you should try to avoid overexertion, learn to relax and create a positive atmosphere around yourself.
It also helps to take calming collections of medicinal herbs. Such teas are sold in any pharmacy. For periodic use, teas with thyme, mint, lemon balm are suitable. In addition, it is important to maintain an optimal work and rest regimen, allocate enough time for sleep, eat right, take vitamins if necessary, and engage in feasible sports or at least some physical activity.
You can improve your condition after a hard day's work, for example, with the help of meditation, yoga or massage sessions. It is important to avoid constant physical overwork. Swimming and dolphin therapy help to develop the physical body and at the same time improve the psychological state. Communication with animals is also useful.
