People suffer from latex allergy when their body’s immune system reacts to latex in a negative sense and releases antibodies to fight it. As a result a number of physical discomforts may occur to the person. Latex allergy symptoms usually vary from patient to patient. The symptoms can come to some individuals in the form of a few minor problems like itching or rashes in some parts of the skin. But there are some people can experience a number of strong symptoms due to latex exposure. Again in some very sensitive people latex can trigger a deadly condition called Anaphylaxis.

Latex allergy is generally of two types and the symptoms differ depending on the type. Some people experience latex allergy symptoms after using latex gloves. In this case the symptoms usually concern the skin. The symptoms may include itching, redness and swelling in that area of the skin which comes into contact with latex. After this gradually the symptoms start to spread to other parts of the body. In this type of latex allergy it takes a day or to two for the symptoms to appear.

When the latex allergy symptoms surface due to the protein present in latex, the symptoms may be varied and can be very severe also in some circumstances. In this type of allergy the symptoms may occur within minutes after coming in contact with latex protein. People with sensitivity to latex protein may experience a number of symptoms. The most common are:

• Runny and itchy nose
• Itchy and watery eyes
• Nasal congestion
• Allergic shiners
• Sneezing
• Cough
• Vomiting
• Allergic Asthma
• Diarrhea
• Nausea
• Gas

In most cases it is seen that people who are allergic to latex, experience a few of these symptoms and not all. Only in cases of very severe reactions a patient may suffer from all of these symptoms together.

Anaphylaxis
In some very rare cases latex allergy symptoms may ultimately take the form of a life threatening condition known as Anaphylaxis. It is a very serious allergic reaction and is capable of affecting a number of bodily functions together. When a person experiences Anaphylaxis he or she needs medical help immediately; otherwise the condition can become deadly also.

A person affected by Anaphylaxis may suffer from shortness of breath, swelling of lips, mouth, tongue and the other airways leading to the lungs. This results in the patient’s inability to breathe. There is also a sudden drop in the body’s blood pressure level and as a result of this the patient may feel dizziness and numbness in limbs. In cases of extreme anaphylactic reaction the patient may loose consciousness also.