Causes and symptoms of common allergies

Type of allergy	Caused by	Symptoms
Seasonal allergies (also called hay fever)	Pollen from trees, grasses, or weeds	Stuffy nose, runny nose, or sneezing a lot Itchy or red eyes, sore throat, or itching of the throat or ears Waking up at night or trouble sleeping, which can lead to feeling tired during the day Asthma symptoms (wheezing or noisy breathing, coughing, a tight feeling in the chest, and shortness of breath)
Seasonal allergies (also called hay fever)	Mold spores that grow when the weather is humid, wet, or damp
Indoor allergies	Mold spores
	Animals, such as cats and dogs
	Insects, such as dust mites and cockroaches
Insect allergies	Stings from honeybees, yellow jackets, hornets, wasps, and fire ants	Red, hot skin, especially on your face (flushing) Red, raised patches of skin that are very itchy (hives) Swelling of the face, eyelids, mouth, tongue, hands, and feet (angioedema) Asthma symptoms (wheezing or noisy breathing, coughing, a tight feeling in the chest, and shortness of breath) Nausea and vomiting Feeling lightheaded or like you might pass out
Food allergies	Milk and foods that contain milk such as ice cream or butter (called dairy foods); eggs, wheat, soy, peanuts, and tree nuts (such as almonds or cashews); fish and shellfish (such as shrimp or oysters)
Medicine allergies	Penicillin (most common) or other medicines
Latex allergy	Gloves and other medical supplies that contain latex, condoms, and balloons

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