Types of Seasonal Allergies that Lead to Personal Injury Claims
The birds are singing, the flowers are blooming, and you’re miserable. If you have seasonal allergies, you may dread the change in seasons. No matter when your allergies flare up, managing the symptoms can be challenging. Although you’ll find plenty of over-the-counter or prescription remedies for your seasonal allergies, some of these medications can have side effects that may damage your health. Personal injury claims can help you get the money you need to pay your medical bills.
How Can Allergy Medications Lead to Personal Injury Claims?
You rely on medication manufacturers to produce drugs that are safe and effective. When these medications cause serious injury, it’s only natural to seek compensation for your injuries, particularly if there are defects in the manufacturing process or the product’s design, or if the packaging did not include detailed instructions or warnings.
Depending on the type, allergy medications can cause serious side effects. For example, seizures, night blindness and jaundice are rare side effects of Xyzal, a prescription antihistamine, while difficulty breathing and anaphylaxis, a dangerous and potentially life-threatening allergic reaction, can occur in small numbers of people who take Clarinex. Severe reactions to some medications can even result in death.
What Triggers Seasonal Allergies?
So what causes seasonal allergies, and what can you expect? If you’re allergic to pollen, you may suffer more on windy days. Hot, humid days provide the perfect conditions for the growth of mold. Your symptoms develop when your body releases histamine and other natural chemicals in response to exposure to an allergen. Histamine helps your white blood cells get rid of allergens, but it also triggers the allergy symptoms that make your life so unpleasant.
Types of Seasonal Allergies
When you suffer from allergy symptoms, you may have a spring, summer or fall seasonal allergy. Some unlucky people suffer from allergies from spring through fall. Pollen from oak, juniper, maple, elm and other types of trees can trigger symptoms of a spring seasonal allergy. A variety of flowers, including daisies, chrysanthemums, dahlias and wisteria, also produce pollen that can cause allergic reactions. Bermuda, timothy, orchard and other grasses can cause a flare-up of summer seasonal allergies. In the fall, ragweed allergies trigger a range of unpleasant symptoms. Mold spores can be a problem from spring through fall.
Common Symptoms of Allergies
Seasonal allergies cause itching in your throat, eyes, and nose, and even the roof of your mouth. Your eyes may look red or swollen when your allergies are at their worst. After exposure to pollen, mold or grasses, you may notice that you sneeze more often and that your nose tends to run. Nasal congestion can lead to a variety of other painful problems, including headaches, ear infections and sinus infections. Frequent coughing can keep you up at night, depriving you of the sleep you need to manage your allergy symptoms.
How Allergies Are Treated
Drugstores offer a variety of allergy medications, including antihistamines that help neutralize the histamine your body produces. Over-the-counter antihistamine/decongestant medicines not only combat the effects of histamine but also relieve congestion. If drugstore products don’t help, your doctor may recommend prescription-strength medications that are more effective in controlling seasonal allergy symptoms.
If you think that you’ve been injured by a seasonal allergy medication, call a personal injury lawyer. Your lawyer will review the details of the incident and let you know if he or she believes that you can successfully pursue personal injury claims. The attorneys at Wilson, Reives & Silverman will evaluate your case for free. Call us at (919) 439-8872, or fill out our contact form to begin the process.
Sources:
http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hay-fever/in-depth/seasonal-allergies/art-20048343
http://www.drugs.com/sfx/xyzal-side-effects.html
http://www.drugs.com/sfx/clarinex-side-effects.html