5 Types of Allergies That Become More Common With Age

2. Insect allergies

Approximately 2 million Americans suffer from insect allergies. Allergic reactions occur when the immune system overreacts to the venom from an insect sting, and they’re most often caused by yellow jackets, honeybees, paper wasps, hornets or fire ants. People don’t usually develop insect allergies as they age, but it can happen.

Symptoms: Pain, redness and swelling at the site of the sting can be part of a normal reaction. A serious allergic reaction occurs when the immune system gets involved and overreacts to the venom. When this happens, you could experience some of the following symptoms: swelling of the face, throat or tongue; difficulty breathing; coughing; shortness of breath; dizziness; stomach cramps; nausea and diarrhea; and itchiness and hives on your body. Anaphylaxis, a severe and potentially life-threatening reaction, usually occurs within 5 to 30 minutes of being stung or bitten.

Treatment: If you have a serious adverse reaction, call 911 immediately so emergency medical services can assess the situation and, if needed, administer epinephrine (also known as adrenaline), a medication that effectively manages anaphylaxis by relaxing the muscles in the airways and tightening the blood vessels. 

Patients with a history of anaphylactic reactions to insect stings should carry an epinephrine auto-injector device to use, if needed, to treat reactions.

“If you haven’t had this kind of reaction and don’t carry an epinephrine auto-injector, you need to be evaluated immediately,” says John James, M.D., an allergist and spokesperson for the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America. “And consultation with a board-certified allergy specialist is highly recommended.”

3. Skin allergies

A skin allergy (allergic contact dermatitis) occurs when the skin comes into direct contact with an allergen such as poison ivy, poison oak or poison sumac. Similar reactions can be caused by other substances, such as the nickel in jewelry or the chemicals in lotions and skin products. Namazy says it can sometimes be challenging to determine exactly what’s causing the allergic reaction. Patch testing, a diagnostic method that does not include blood or skin-prick testing, can often help determine which specific substances are causing the inflammation.

Symptoms: Itching, redness and swelling

Treatment: With most skin allergies, the more you scratch, the worse the condition becomes. You should use moisturizers and topical ointments and steroids that reduce inflammation. Antihistamines can be helpful to reduce itching. If you have a rash that’s persistent or painful, spreads quickly over most of your body, causes a fever or is oozing yellow or green fluid, see a doctor.   

4. Food allergies

As with insect allergies, reactions to certain foods can occur quickly and suddenly, and if not treated immediately, can be life-threatening. When you’re allergic to a food, your immune system overreacts to a particular protein found in that food. Often it takes only a small amount of food to trigger the reaction, which usually occurs within a few minutes to two hours of the time you ate the food. The foods most often responsible for allergic reactions include cow’s milk, eggs, fish, peanuts, shellfish, soy, tree nuts and wheat.

“While food allergies are more common in the young, as we age and introduce new foods, the potential to develop new allergies increases,” says Namazy.

Symptoms: Food allergies can cause mild to serious reactions. They include hives; red and itchy skin; itchy or stuffy nose; sneezing and itchy and tearing eyes; vomiting; stomach cramps; diarrhea; and swelling. Symptoms of anaphylaxis include wheezing; tightening in the chest; trouble breathing; tingling in the hands; vomiting; stomach cramps; diarrhea; and swelling in the feet, lips and scalp. 

Treatment: If you know you have severe allergic reactions to food, you should carry an epinephrine auto-injector with you at all times, in case of an anaphylactic reaction. If you have a reaction for the first time, see a specialist who can determine which foods you are allergic to, so you can avoid them. When you shop, read food labels to make sure you don’t eat anything that contains the food triggers to which you’ve reacted. To prevent adverse reactions, always ask about ingredients when you eat in a restaurant, or eat foods prepared by family or friends.

Because food allergies can be life-threatening, you need to always be prepared by wearing a medical alert bracelet or necklace and carrying an auto-injectable device containing epinephrine.

5. Drug allergies

Because older people take three times as many medications as younger people, according to Namazy, they tend to have more frequent allergic reactions. Chances of developing an allergy to a medication are higher when you take it frequently or when a medication is rubbed onto the skin or given by injection rather than taken by mouth.

The most common allergy-causing drugs include antiseizure drugs; insulin; substances containing iodine (X-ray contrast dyes); antibiotics like penicillin; nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs like ibuprofen; anticonvulsants; and chemotherapy drugs.

“Allergic reactions to medications are sometimes difficult to identify, as they tend to recur with repeated exposure to the same medication and symptoms can be similar to other conditions,” says Owens.

Symptoms: Vomiting and hair loss with cancer chemotherapy drugs; upset stomach from aspirin or diarrhea from antibiotics; skin rashes (especially hives); itching; respiratory problems; and facial swelling. As with insect and food allergies, anaphylactic shock symptoms can occur.

Treatment: If you have an allergic reaction to a medication, consult your doctor, but unless symptoms are life-threatening, don’t stop taking a medication without talking to a health professional. A doctor can determine whether you should temporarily or permanently cease taking your medication and should be able to offer an alternative. If you are allergic to a specific medication, that information should become part of your permanent medical record and all your doctors should be informed.