The most common allergic responses are breathing problems like congestion, sneezing and wheezing, along with itchy eyes and skin irritation, redness, hives or itch. If you suffer from allergies, you may have only one of these symptoms or several.

The symptoms of allergies to airborne substances include:

• sneezing

• runny or clogged nose and post-nasal drip

• coughing

• itching eyes, nose and throat

• dark circles under the eyes caused by increased blood flow near the sinuses

• children often get a crease mark on their noses from rubbing it in an upward direction

• watering eyes

• conjunctivitis, or an inflammation of the membrane that lines the eyelids, causing red-rimmed, swollen eyes and crusting of the eyelids

• wheezing, shortness of breath, chest tightness from allergic asthma

The symptoms of allergies to food or ingested products may include the respiratory problems above and:

• itching in the mouth

• trouble breathing or swallowing

• a drop in blood pressure

• abdominal pain

• diarrhea or vomiting

• hives, skin itching or eczema

The main symptom of a contact allergy is an itchy rash, a type of contact dermatitis.

Some women develop allergic-type reactions in response to environmental agents, such as cigarette smoke, paint fumes, plastics and perfumes; temperature and humidity changes; and strong smells. These are not true allergic reactions involving antibodies and the release of histamine or other chemicals. Similarly, food intolerances, such as an inability to digest milk products or gluten, or sensitivity to monosodium glutamate (MSG), are not true food allergies. Also, there are several diseases that share symptoms with food allergies, including ulcers and cancers of the gastrointestinal tract.

It's not uncommon for women with allergies to develop asthma. The symptoms of asthma include coughing, wheezing and shortness of breath due to a narrowing of the bronchial passages or airways in the lungs and to excess mucus production and inflammation. Similarly, extended bouts of rhinitis can lead to the more painful and dangerous sinusitis.

If you suspect you have an allergy and it bothers you to the point you'd like to seek treatment, you can see a general practitioner or an allergist. If you have cold-like symptoms that last for more than two weeks, you should seek treatment. These symptoms can lead to sinusitis, which may require more aggressive treatment. Your health care professional will discuss with you your medical history, your symptoms, and when they occur. You should be prepared to answer questions such as:

• Do allergies run in your family? If so, which relatives have them, and what are they allergic to?

• Do you develop recurring symptoms at certain times of the year?

• Does being around pets or eating certain types of foods cause symptoms to flare?

• How long do your symptoms last?

• What seems to make symptoms worse? What makes them better?

• Have you tried any medications to alleviate your symptoms? Which, if any, medications have helped?

• Are you currently taking any medications? If so, which ones specifically? (It's often helpful to bring any medications you're taking to the appointment with you.)

• Are you allergic to any medications?

Your health care professional will examine your nasal mucous membranes, which often appear swollen and pale or bluish in women with allergies. If you have a suspected food allergy, he or she may ask you to keep a food/diet diary.

Health care professionals often use skin tests to determine the exact nature of the allergy. He or she will inject diluted extracts from allergens—particular foods, pollens, dust mites, etc.—under your skin or to a tiny scratch or puncture on your arm or back. With a positive reaction, a small, raised, reddened area with a surrounding flush will appear at the test site, indicating antibodies to that specific allergen are present in the skin.

Your health care professional might also do a blood test, which is not as sensitive as a skin test. Using a sample of your blood, the test looks for levels of antibodies to particular allergens.

If your health care professional suspects a food allergy, he or she may try an elimination diet, but only if your reactions are not severe. This technique involves not eating any of the suspected trigger foods for a week or two to see if your symptoms go away. Then, you eat the food to see if the symptoms come back. The final method used to objectively diagnose food allergy is the double-blind food challenge. You ingest a dried (or otherwise modified) form of suspect food—usually in a capsule form—under clinical supervision to see if a reaction occurs. Neither you nor the health care professional knows which capsule contains the allergen. This test can't be used if your reactions are severe. It's rarely performed because of its high cost and is used more often to rule out a food allergy in cases in which your health care professional suspects the reactions are due to something else.