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Allergies 101

Understanding the different allergy types

Your immune system is there to protect your body from harmful substances. But what happens when it gets it wrong?

Allergies are very common. According to the World Allergy Organisation, up to 40% of the population in some countries suffer from allergies. But what does having an allergy actually mean? From what they are to how to manage the different types of allergies, learn everything you need to know to keep this common condition under control.  

What are allergies?

Allergies occur when your immune system overreacts to a usually harmless foreign substance referred to as an allergen. You usually encounter allergens by touching, inhaling, or eating them. When these particles enter your body, your immune system sees them as a threat, releasing antibodies that wrongly mark the allergens as harmful. This causes an array of symptoms ranging from minor to life-threatening.

 

Different allergy types and their symptoms

You can be allergic to just about anything, but in general the symptoms you experience will depend on the allergen.

Inhaled allergies

Inhaled allergies are often called allergic rhinitis or hay fever. The allergens that cause this kind of allergy are usually airborne and commonly include dust, pollen, pet dander, and dust mites. This is the most common kind of allergy and is frequently seasonal.
Symptoms include:

  •       Sneezing
  •       Itchy skin, nose, eyes, or mouth
  •       A runny or stuffy nose
  •       Fatigue
  •       Itchy, watery, or swollen eyes
A man in a pink shirt stands in front of blooming white flowers, rubbing his eyes while his glasses rest on his forehead, likely wishing for allergy relief products or an effective allergy nasal spray.

Ingested Allergies

These allergens include foods and medication. They are also among the types of allergies that can result in a serious reaction called anaphylaxis. Other symptoms of allergies where you ingest the allergy include:

  •       Tingling in the mouth
  •       Swelling of the lips, tongue, face, or throat
  •       Itchy rash or hives
  •       Stuffy nose, sneezing, and watery eyes
  •       Stomach cramps, vomiting, and diarrhoea
  •       Wheezing or shortness of breath

 

Contact allergies

Contact allergies occur when an allergen comes into contact with a person’s skin. Unlike inhaled or ingested allergies, contact reactions usually appear in the same area that the allergen came into contact with the skin. Common allergens include soaps, dyes, jewellery, and some plants. Contact allergies are rarely dangerous, and symptoms include:

  •  Redness
  • Itching
  • Swelling
  • Scaling
  • Blisters

How to manage your allergies

The best way to manage your allergies is to avoid what is triggering them. This is simpler in some cases than in others. For example, avoiding a medication allergy is often possible by informing your healthcare provider about the allergy. However, a pollen allergy can be difficult to avoid entirely, especially during spring seasons.

Other than avoiding triggers, there are several medications that can help you manage your symptoms. Severe allergies that can cause anaphylaxis may require you to visit the emergency room for urgent medical attention.

Less serious allergies can be treated with antihistamine medications and cortisone creams depending on the symptoms. When it comes to inhaled allergens and hay fever, allergy relief nasal sprays like Rutarn can be a good option.  Rutarn nasal spray works directly on the lining of the nose, creating an allergen-proof micro-gel barrier. In doing so, Rutarn blocks allergens before they cause a reaction. Rutarn gets to work within three minutes, providing fast relief from symptoms. The micro-gel technology not only prevents new allergens coming into contact with the lining on the nose, but it is also clinically proven to defuse allergens already in the nose, helping to clear them.

While our immune system aims to protect us, it can sometimes get things wrong, overreacting to a harmless particle and causing an allergic reaction. Understanding your allergies is the first step to managing them effectively. Allergies can range from minor to severe and can be caused by inhaling, ingesting, or coming into contact with allergens. How you treat these allergies depends on their source and severity. Treatments like Rutarn nasal spray offer a practical solution to allergy management, offering fast relief from the symptoms of hay fever and helping them to get back to feeling great. 

Three delicate dandelion seeds, each with thin, radiating filaments, float against a black background—evoking the lightness and freedom often sought in allergy relief products as they drift gently through the air.

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Don’t let allergies get you down.

Logo with the word CLICKS in white letters, a stylized feather on the left, and a green circle with a white plus sign inside on the right—perfect for an allergy relief products brand. Background is black.
Dis-Chem logo featuring the brand name in bold white letters with a bright yellow medical cross symbol to the right, all on a black background—perfect for those seeking allergy relief products or an effective nasal congestion spray.
Three delicate dandelion seeds, each with thin, radiating filaments, float against a black background—evoking the lightness and freedom often sought in allergy relief products as they drift gently through the air.

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You can purchase it in–store or from a variety of online stockists:

Logo with the word CLICKS in white letters, a stylized feather on the left, and a green circle with a white plus sign inside on the right—perfect for an allergy relief products brand. Background is black.
Dis-Chem logo featuring the brand name in bold white letters with a bright yellow medical cross symbol to the right, all on a black background—perfect for those seeking allergy relief products or an effective nasal congestion spray.

References:

  1. Cleveland Clinic. Allergies. Available from: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/8610-allergies. Last accessed July 2025.
  2. Mayo Clinic. Allergies. Available from: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/allergies/symptoms-causes/syc-20351497. Last Accessed July 2025.
  3. Allergy UK. Allergy Prevalence: Useful facts and figures. Available from: https://www.allergyuk.org/about-allergy/statistics-and-figures/. Last accessed July 2025.
  4. Healthline. Ingested vs. Contact vs. Inhaled Allergies. Available from: https://www.healthline.com/health/allergies/ingested-contact-inhaled. Last accessed July 2025.
  5. Penn Medicine. Allergies. Available from: https://www.pennmedicine.org/conditions/allergies. Last accessed July 2025.
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