Most Common Allergy Types

Your immune system has one of the most important jobs in your body — protecting you from bacteria and viruses. But what if your immune system works too hard? Ironically enough, that’s not a good thing. If your body mistakes everyday things like pollen, grass, or peanuts as foreign objects attacking your body, it responds by attacking back. When this happens, it’s called an allergic reaction.

What is an Allergy?

An allergy is an abnormal or damaging response by your immune system to a foreign substance. Essentially, it’s an unusual reaction to what we’d consider a normal thing.

Common Allergy Types

Though it’s technically possible to be allergic to anything, most people’s allergies fall into these four categories.

Food Allergy

Food allergies are very popular, affecting roughly 5 percent of the world population. What makes food allergies unique is that the severity of an attack varies wildly from person to person. Some people can have a reaction if they just smell something they’re allergic to, while others have to actually eat the food. Symptoms also range from mild (like a numb tongue) to severe (throat closure).

Drug Allergy 

People with a drug allergy experience symptoms regardless of if the medication comes in pill, liquid, or injection form. The most common reactions are skin irritations, like a rash, hives, itching, and swelling.

Seasonal Allergies

Seasonal allergies are typically the ones you hear about the most often. The most common seasonal allergens are:

• Mold 
• Trees
• Grass
• Weeds 
• Pollen

Contact Dermatitis

Contact dermatitis is a red, itchy rash that’s caused by direct contact with something you’re allergic to. Unlike something like poison ivy (which affects everyone it touches) contact dermatitis is not contagious.

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