Common allergic reaction triggers and treatment options
For food, insect, and other allergens
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Allergic reactions to certain food, insects, or other allergens can affect anyone, at any age, and can develop at any time. Be prepared to respond immediately if an allergic reaction occurs to yourself or your loved ones.
What causes allergic reactions?
Food-related allergies occur when the immune system mistakenly identifies a normally harmless food protein as a threat. The result can be a range of symptoms, from mild itching to anaphylaxis.
Similarly, insect-related allergies can happen when the immune system overreacts to venom from stinging insects like bees, wasps, hornets, or fire ants, or to proteins in the saliva of biting insects such as mosquitoes or kissing bugs.
Food and insects aren't the only things that could cause allergic reactions. Other things, like allergy injections, medicines, exercise, or other unknown causes can also cause allergic reactions.
Millions of people experience allergic reactions, and the numbers are rising.
Even the smallest exposure to a particular food, insect, or other allergen can trigger a reaction, so awareness and preparation are key.
What are common food allergens?
Allergic reactions can be unpredictable and while any food has the potential to cause an allergic reaction, a few are responsible for most of them.
The most common food allergens include:
- Shellfish
- Milk
- Peanut
- Tree nuts
- Egg
- Fish
- Wheat
- Soy
- Sesame
Even when the allergen isn’t listed, cross-contact, where food comes into contact with allergens during preparation or packaging, can still lead to an allergic reaction.
That’s why speaking up, asking questions, and staying vigilant matter. If you or someone you care about has a food allergy, reading labels and informing others is essential.
What are common insect allergens?
Stinging insects are the most common cause of allergic reactions to insects.
The most common stinging insect triggers for allergic reactions include:
- Honeybees
- Yellow jackets
- Wasps
- Hornets
- Paper wasps
- Fire ants (especially common in the southern U.S.)
Biting insects can also cause allergic reactions. These reactions are typically localized (eg, swelling, redness), but in rare cases, they may cause more widespread (systemic) symptoms.
Common biting insect triggers for allergic reactions include:
- Mosquitoes
- Horseflies
- Deer flies
- Bedbugs (rarely associated with systemic allergic reactions)
What are some other common allergens?
While food and insect stings are common triggers for allergic reactions, there are other causes that can still lead to allergic reactions.
Other common triggers for allergic reactions can include:
- Allergy injections
- Medicines
- Exercise
- Unknown causes
How can you recognize an allergic reaction?
Allergic reactions to certain foods, insects, or other allergens don't always look the same, and they can escalate quickly. Knowing what to watch for and knowing when a reaction is becoming serious can help save lives.
Dont wait. Dont hesitate. Use epinephrine immediately.
Epinephrine is the only treatment for allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis.
Hives or flushed skin
Wheezing or trouble breathing
Swelling of the face, lips, tongue, or throat
Dizziness, lightheadedness, or fainting
Stomach pain, cramps, or discomfort
Feeling tired or confused
Nausea or vomiting
How are allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis, managed and treated?
Avoiding your triggers is the best way to prevent a reaction; but in real life, that’s not always so easy. That’s why being prepared and always carrying epinephrine matters.
What is epinephrine?
Epinephrine, also known as adrenaline, is a hormone your body naturally produces.
As a medication, it:
- Works fast to reverse the symptoms of allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis.
- Epinephrine should be administered at the first signs of an allergic reaction; it can be life-saving when used right away.
What should you do after using epinephrine?
- Monitor closely. Reactions can return (called biphasic reactions) or require more treatment.
- It is recommended to seek follow-up medical care, if needed, especially after epinephrine needle-injector use.
- Talk to your doctor about what’s best for your situation.
Why is it important to be ready?
Allergic reactions don’t just affect the person who has them. Parents, friends, teachers, coaches, and caregivers can play an essential role in critical moments.
When more people know what to look for and how to respond, outcomes improve. Having access to epinephrine—and knowing how and when to use it—can make all the difference.
What should you know about needle-free epinephrine?
For some people, fear of needles, uncertainty about how to use a needle-injector, or stigma about carrying a visible device can delay or prevent timely treatment.
That's where neffy comes in.
neffy is the only needle-free epinephrine nasal spray and is designed to be fast and easy to use during an allergic reaction, including anaphylaxis.
If you or someone you care for experiences allergic reactions to certain food, insects or other allergens, ask your healthcare provider whether neffy could be the right fit. Starting that conversation could make a real difference.
Learn more about neffy
How can you help?
Share this page. Start the conversation with a doctor.
Ask questions and learn about the options for treatment, including needle-free epinephrine.
Because preparation ends limitations.
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WHAT IS neffy?
neffy is a nasal spray used for emergency treatment of allergic reactions including anaphylaxis, in adults and children aged 4 years and older who weigh 33 lbs or greater.
IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION
What is the most important information that I should know about neffy?
neffy contains epinephrine, a medicine used to treat allergic emergencies (anaphylaxis). Anaphylaxis can be life-threatening, can happen in minutes, and can be caused by stinging and biting insects, allergy injections, foods, medicines, exercise, or other unknown causes.
Always carry two neffy nasal sprays with you because you may not know when anaphylaxis may happen and because you may need a second dose of neffy if symptoms continue or come back. Each neffy contains a single dose of epinephrine. neffy is for use in the nose only.
Use neffy right away, as soon as you notice symptoms of an allergic reaction. If symptoms continue or get worse after the first dose of neffy, a second dose is needed. If needed, administer a second dose using a new neffy in the same nostril starting 5 minutes after the first dose. Get emergency medical help for further treatment of the allergic emergency (anaphylaxis), if needed after using neffy.
Tell your healthcare provider if you have underlying structural or anatomical nasal conditions, about all the medicines you take, and about all your medical conditions, especially if you have heart problems, kidney problems, low potassium in your blood, Parkinson's disease, thyroid problems, high blood pressure, diabetes, are pregnant or plan to become pregnant, or plan to breastfeed.
Tell your healthcare provider if you take or use other nasal sprays or water pills (diuretics) or if you take medicines to treat depression, abnormal heart beats, Parkinson's disease, heart disease, thyroid disease, medicines used in labor, and medicines to treat allergies. neffy and other medications may affect each other, causing side effects. neffy may affect the way other medicines work, and other medicines may affect how neffy works.
What are the side effects of neffy?
neffy may cause serious side effects. If you have certain medical conditions or take certain medicines, your condition may get worse, or you may have more or longer lasting side effects when you use neffy.
Common side effects of neffy include: nasal discomfort, headache, throat irritation, chest and nasal congestion, feeling overly excited, nervous or anxious, nose bleed, nose pain, sneezing, runny nose, dry nose or throat, tingling sensation, including in the nose, feeling tired, dizziness, nausea, and vomiting.
Tell your healthcare provider if you have any side effects that bother you or that do not go away after using neffy.
These are not all of the possible side effects of neffy. Call your healthcare provider for medical advice about side effects. To report side effects, contact ARS Pharmaceuticals Operations, Inc. at 1-877-MY-NEFFY (877-696-3339) or the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or www.fda.gov/medwatch.
Please see the full Prescribing Information and Patient Information for neffy.