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Latex is a common material. It may be surprising to you, but some people suffer from latex allergy. Latex is present in a wide range of products such as rubber gloves, condoms. It is also present in other medical devices and equipment. Uncommon or not, it's usually the last thing you'd think about. Until now, doctors don't know what causes latex allergy. It develops when coming in contact with latex and rubber products. Only then you realize the causes of its development. If you have a latex allergy, you'd most likely have some reaction. This usually gets exposed after you've come into contact with the latex in materials. This can be when you inhale latex particles which become airborne. There are different symptoms of latex allergies. These range from mild to moderate to severe. The severity would depend on your sensitivity and to the degree of exposure to the allergen. Your reaction can also get worse when you expose yourself to the said allergens. Read on to learn about the different symptoms of latex allergy.

Skin Reactions

The most common reaction to this type of allergy affects your skin. You might have an immediate reaction in the form of hives which may be very itchy. A delayed reaction that takes place after days or weeks after you've been in contact with or exposed to. All these kinds of skin reactions occur on wearing latex gloves or touching balloons. It's harder to determine when the reaction happens. It might take days or weeks to react after the contact. These reactions are still symptoms indicative of a latex allergy.

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Respiratory Problems

You might not only experience skin reactions but respiratory problems as well. These symptoms are usually caused by airborne latex particles or aerosolized particles. When you inhale these allergens, it could cause a reaction. The reaction could be anything from nasal symptoms or more serious problems. These symptoms are usually more immediate, unlike the skin reactions. So, if you experience them by getting exposed to such materials, then you can seek medical advice.

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Asthma Symptoms

These symptoms are serious than simple respiratory reactions. You might encounter feeling like those who have asthma. These symptoms are very much like of asthma. It includes tightness of the chest, wheezing and difficulty of breathing. These reactions are quite serious and could lead to other kinds of illnesses if not checked. On experiencing it, you must think about what you've recently come into contact with.

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Allergic Contact Dermatitis

Another kind of allergic reaction that involves the skin is contact dermatitis. This is usually caused by the chemicals used in making rubber gloves or similar products. This dermatitis occurs when blisters or eczema would appear on the hands. It looks like a rash in appearance. It is caused by poison ivy and would usually appear a few days after you've used rubber gloves. On encountering these rashes, you must consult a dermatologist. This will help in knowing if it's caused by an allergic reaction or by something more serious.

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Irritations

Keeping the symptoms aside, you may experience different kinds of irritations on body parts. Wheezing is an irritating symptom too. It occurs when you feel itchiness on your throat or chest. You might also feel irritation on your eyes which may result in getting teary eyed. Aside from that, you may feel itchy in other parts of your body without seeing any obvious cause. When you experience this, you can go ahead and have an allergy test to determine if you have a latex allergy.

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Dizziness

There are more severe symptoms and reactions which you might experience. These may be indications for other illnesses as well. Such symptoms would be: a feeling of dizziness, loss of consciousness and disorientation or confusion Finding these symptoms, or eliminating all the causes, confirms it is an allergic reaction. You should look at all the possible causes so that you'd be able to get the right treatment for the diagnosis.

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Change in Pulse

Another possible symptom that causes an allergic reaction from a specific material affects your pulse. It could either become rapid or weaken, which lead to other symptoms such as a drop in blood pressure. When this happens, you should start looking into possible causes. These kinds of symptoms can be indicative of other illnesses also. If it progresses or it doesn't go away, you should have yourself checked.

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Throat Problems

Allergic reactions are usually coupled with throat problems. These are quite common, especially with repeated exposure. Such throat problems would include: an itchy throat with no clear cause, difficulty in breathing, wheezing or gasping breaths, dry coughs which emerge. All these symptoms might be due to a reaction to latex products or airborne latex particles. In the end, it is good to seek medical advice from a health professional.

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More Severe Symptoms

Moving on to severe symptoms, you might think that these are because of an allergy to latex. But it is a likely possibility. On experiencing such symptoms, you might think of other diseases. However, you should not discount the fact that it could be the cause. These more severe symptoms can be abdominal discomfort or pain, loose bowels or diarrhea, feelings of nausea or vomiting, a rapid or elevated heartbeat and frequent, unexplained dizziness. Experiencing any or all these symptoms can be quite scary. This happens if you don't know what the cause is behind them. So the best thing to do is consider all the possibilities by taking different tests.

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Anaphylactic Shock

The most serious and severe kind of allergic reaction to latex is the anaphylactic shock. This is an immediate reaction which can be very dangerous. It requires immediate medical attention. This kind of symptom or reaction would only happen in a medical setting. When someone with latex allergy performs a surgical procedure, the exposure to latex (in the form of rubber gloves) gets intense. Due to this, the allergens would react with the body and the person would go into anaphylactic shock. The good news is, there is also an immediate treatment for this kind of reaction. Also, if the person is already in a medical institution, he/she is most likely to get the required treatment.

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This site offers information designed for educational purposes only. You should not rely on any information on this site as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, treatment, or as a substitute for, professional counseling care, advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you have any concerns or questions about your health, you should always consult with a physician or other healthcare professional.