If your body reacts to certain proteins found in natural rubber latex it is called Latex Allergy. Latex is a product manufactured from a milky fluid that is derived from the rubber tree or Hevea brasiliensis. Rubber trees are found mainly in Africa and Southeast Asia. Latex allergy causes allergies ranging from sneezing or a runny nose to almost a life-threatening condition called anaphylaxis. Doctors can determine if you have a latex allergy or if you're at risk of developing it.
What are the signs and symptoms of latex allergy?
People who suffer from latex allergy often have reaction after coming in contact of the latex.
Three types of reactions usually develop on those who are sensitive to latex.
1. The most common reaction from latex is irritant contact dermatitis. This kind of allergy is mainly due to rubbing or sweating under the gloves or from detergents left on your hands before wearing the gloves. Rashes occur on the hands of those who wear gloves like the dental and health workers. It causes the skin to become red, dry and cracked and rashes appear.
2. Allergic contact dermatitis is another very common reaction to latex. It can also result from chemical additives used during manufacturing process. The chemicals added to latex cause skin irritation within 24 to 48 hours. Rashes occur on the parts which have come in contact with the latex and chemicals and slowly spread to other parts of the body causing blisters.
3, Hypersensitivity immune system response is a latex allergy that occurs when your immune system comes in contact with the proteins in latex rubber. It causes itching, sneezing, breathlessness, swelling, and redness.
4. Sometimes too much contact to airborne latex particles causes stuffy nose, rashes, itching, watery eyes, breathlessness, and cough. The most serious of latex allergy is anaphylactic shock symptoms which develop immediately after coming in contact with latex. This is a very deadly kind of allergy causing breathlessness dropping your blood pressure making you feel dizzy and sometimes you may become unconscious.
Causes of Latex Allergy
Latex allergy can occur to latex sensitive people when they come in direct contact with latex or latex containing products like gloves like gloves; it can also occur by inhaling latex particles which become airborne. Cornstarch is a common substance used on the inside of the gloves to wear and take them out contains latex. When you open the gloves the particles fly into the air and you tend to inhale them. Some of the products don’t contain natural latex. It is unlike that synthetic latex will cause latex allergy. The common natural latex containing products are balloons, baby bottle nipples, condoms, racket handles, gloves, rubber toys, swim goggles, erasers, and carpeting.
Treatment and Prevention
Health care workers like doctors and nurse attendants, people with food allergy, people having family history of allergies and children with spina bifida are more prone to latex allergy. Latex allergy is sometimes associated with foods like bananas, cashew nuts, avocadoes, kiwis and passion fruits. A person having food allergies have greater chance of latex allergy.
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