Allergy - Glossary

Medical Word - Allergy

Answer: A hypersensitivity of the body's immune system in response to exposure to specific substances (antigens), such as pollen, beestings, poison ivy, drugs, or foods. Anaphylactic shock is a severe form of allergy response which is a medical emergency. Symptoms of anaphylactic shock include dizziness, loss of consiousness, labored breathing, swelling of the tongue and breathing tubes, blueness of the skin, low blood pressure, and death.