Latex allergy symptoms range from mild to severe, including wheezing, rash, and difficulty breathing. Those with known allergies should carry adrenaline and avoid exposure to everyday items containing latex. Medical procedures can be complicated due to the prevalence of latex in hospitals.
Latex allergy symptoms can vary depending on your sensitivity to latex. Some people may start out with mild reactions that progress to more severe ones if latex exposure recurs or continues. Others have very severe reactions when the allergy develops. Those exposed to latex may not react immediately and have delayed reactions, while others show immediate signs of latex allergy. The symptoms can be classified into three different groups: allergic contact dermatitis, irritant contact dermatitis and latex hypersensitivity.
Anyone sensitive to latex may experience some of the following symptoms after exposure: wheezing, watery eyes, nasal congestion, and rash. Sometimes latex allergy symptoms are most evident from the skin reaction, such as in cases of allergic and irritant contact dermatitis. With allergic contact dermatitis, you may notice severe itching or burning of the skin and this can be in different places on the body. A person can develop lesions, but they don’t necessarily occur within minutes of exposure to latex. Rather, those routinely exposed to latex proteins may have delayed reactions and develop this form of latex allergy symptoms.
Irritant contact dermatitis is milder. He usually has latex allergy symptoms similar to allergic contact dermatitis, but they can mostly occur on parts of the body that have come into direct contact with latex. For example, a person wearing latex gloves could develop a rash, burning or injury to their hands. Doctors aren’t actually sure if this reaction is caused by an allergy, but it can be a sign that people will develop latex allergies.
The most severe latex allergy symptoms occur when people have hypersensitivity to latex, and these symptoms can occasionally be life-threatening and occur immediately after exposure to latex. They include developing hives, extreme difficulty breathing, swelling of the throat, and having asthma or wheezing. Some people develop vomiting or diarrhea soon after exposure to latex.
Those with known latex allergies need to carry adrenaline and need to be careful because latex is so commonly used. Many everyday things have latex, such as remote controls, ATMs, and many contraceptive devices. This allergy complicates medical procedures and hospitalization because so many things in hospitals, not just gloves, are made from latex. When a person has experienced latex allergy symptoms in the past, they should definitely have a medical bracelet noting this fact and should do everything possible to avoid further exposure to latex. If you are unsure of a latex allergy, a skin scratch allergy test can be used to confirm.
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