Results: Bizarre things you didn't know you could be "Allergic" to
Published on 04/29/2017
Millions of children and adults are diagnosed with hay fever and food allergies each year. But there are plenty of more surprising everyday things you can be allergic to. By: Dr. Lavi & Dr. Levi via Readers Digest
QUESTIONS
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1.
1.
Have you ever been (or you are) allergic to these everyday things (section one)?
Cellphones: No, this isn't a trick to get you to spend less time on your phone. Electronics that contain metals like nickel or cobalt can cause rashes at the point of contact, like your ear, hand, or cheek.
5%
84 votes
Pancakes: Unless you're allergic to one of the ingredients in the batter, pancakes themselves aren't the cause of what allergists call "Pancake Syndrome;" dust mites are. Pancake mixes and other powdery ingredients that sit in boxes in the pantry can get contaminated by dust mites. Then you essentially eat a whole meal of dust mites and breakfast in bed becomes breakfast in the ER.
5%
88 votes
Sweat: If you break out in hives on a hot, humid day, you could have an allergic reaction to your own sweat. It's called cholinergic urticaria and pops up out of the blue. You get little bumps that itch like sin and when you cool down they go away real fast.
7%
132 votes
Jewelry: Cheap jewelry often contains nickel, one of the most common skin allergies. If you notice the skin around your ring or earrings turning a dark green, that's a sign they contain nickel; but it's not an allergic reaction. A true allergic reaction produces a red itchy rash and will happen every time you wear the offending piece.
29%
531 votes
Alcohol: The sulfites in wine can trigger asthma symptoms in asthma sufferers and some people get a stuffy nose, sneeze, cough, or wheeze immediately after sipping other alcoholic beverages.
9%
161 votes
Grasshoppers: The University of Veterinary Medicine in Vienna found that an eight-year-old boy's nightly asthma attacks were actually an allergic reaction to his brand new bearded dragon's grasshopper dinners. Researchers suggest keeping reptile food outside, just in case.
2%
35 votes
none
60%
1106 votes
2.
2.
Have you ever been (or you are) allergic to these everyday things (section two)?
Water: Aquagenic urticaria is a rare condition that causes the skin to break out in hives (that may or may not itch) as soon as it comes in contact with water. Scientists still aren't sure exactly what causes the reaction but they think a substance dissolved in the water triggers an immune response in the body.
4%
68 votes
Pollinated Fruit: If your lips and mouth itch whenever you bite into an apple, your pollen allergy could be to blame instead of the fruit itself. People with allergies to tree pollen often will have similar reactions to fruits that grow on them. That particular food allergy tends to be confined to the mouth, throat, and an itchy tongue without more serious symptoms.
6%
113 votes
Lice Treatments: Topical treatments used to treat lice outbreaks may contain pyrethrins, a substance derived from chrysanthemum flowers that kills live lice and can trigger an allergic reaction in people with a chrysanthemum or ragweed allergy.
3%
58 votes
Pine Trees: Trees that secrete sap can trigger an allergic reaction similar to poison ivy symptoms thanks to an oily allergen called urushiol that the two share. It's usually a contact allergy, so you have to touch it to be affected, but it could be airborne if you burned a lot of pine needles, though that's unusual.
7%
123 votes
Sunlight: Though extremely rare, some people can be allergic to the sun and break out in hives, blisters, or a rash that may be painful or itchy.
6%
116 votes
Makeup: Cosmetics with a fragrance sometimes contain components of Balsam of Peru, a Central American tree that can be an allergen. Balsam is extracted to use in some cosmetics and people can get rashes due to their makeup.
14%
249 votes
none
73%
1338 votes
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3.
Is there any other everyday things that you are allergic to? If yes, list them in the comments.
Yes
21%
382 votes
No
54%
991 votes
Not Applicable
25%
468 votes
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