You might have heard about allergic reactions and you probably know a person or two who have had it. It could also be you who did experience an allergic reaction before. While you may be familiar with the term, you might not know there is a term known as ‘allergic shiners’ that is associated with allergy. In this DoctorOnCall’s article, we will learn more on allergic shiners and ways on getting rid of it since it can be bothersome to some people who suffer from it.
Before we go further on allergic shiner, what exactly is an allergy? An allergy is a reaction exerted by a person’s body when exposed to the allergen. Allergen are substances that are typically harmless to most people. Examples of common ones are dust mites, pets’ fur, certain foods or medication. In short, an allergy is a kind of reaction caused by the body being too sensitive towards allergens. Allergic reactions often cause symptoms such as runny nose, itchy skin, stomach pain, diarrhoea and swollen eyes, mouth or throat. Allergic shiners are usually seen in patients with allergic rhinitis.
What exactly is allergic rhinitis? Allergic rhinitis is the inflammation of the inside of the nose caused by allergens. It is also known as hay fever which often causes symptoms resembling cold. It is divided into two types which are seasonal and perennial. Seasonal allergic rhinitis often occurs in specific seasons such as spring, summer and early fall. Seasonal allergic rhinitis is caused by the allergens such as from trees, grass and weeds. Perennial allergic rhinitis is the opposite of seasonal allergic rhinitis as perennial one means one can have allergic rhinitis all year-long. It is commonly caused by everyday things such as dust mites, pet hair and mould. It is rare for food allergies to cause perennial nasal symptoms.
Back to our main focus of allergic shiner, you may wonder what an allergic shiner looks like. Allergic shiner are the discolouration that can be seen under the eyes. This symptom is caused by the pooling of blood under the eyes. This pool is due to the swelling or inflammation along the tissue of the nasal cavities. The swollen nasal passages and cavities cause the pool of blood and fluid under the eyes that is in blue or purplish in colour. It is important to note that allergic shiner should not be mistaken with black eyes that are caused by injury. Black eyes should only be considered when there is a history of trauma beforehand and it is different with allergic shiner as there are no symptoms of nasal allergies. Due to the fact that allergic shiner may be confused with other causes of dark circles under the eyes besides black eyes such as dehydration, ageing and lack of sleep, it is best to get checked by doctors for further answers.
Allergic shiner are also known as allergic facies or periorbital venous congestion. It is normally not considered a serious problem.. The shiner may seem obvious after rubbing the itchy eyes. Rubbing the itchy watery eyes can further irritate the skin from the underlying allergic response. Even though it seems that allergic shiners can be developed by anyone with allergic rhinitis, allergic shiner is most commonly seen in children. It is theorised that this may be from the theory that children are not as good at clearing their noses as efficiently as adults. The constant snorting and wiping nose with improper way of blowing the nose will result in continuous congestion that results in the allergic shiners.
Treatment for allergic shiner is similar to allergy treatment in general. This means using antihistamines, nasal sprays, eye drops and saline nasal rinses. Some patients may be recommended to go for immunotherapy if other therapy is insufficient. While it is true that some people may want to use cosmetics to cover up the allergic shiner, it is important to also be wary of makeup or creams used under the eyes that might irritate this area.
The best way to get rid of allergic shiner is to take preventative measures. The first step is to identify the possible allergens triggering the allergic reactions. Those who are unsure of what kind of allergies they have might want to get checked by doctors. Doctors can provide allergy skin tests to help patients identify the specific allergens causing the symptoms. This will help patients to know what ways to avoid the allergic reactions and reduce the likelihood of having one. Apart from identifying the cause for allergic shiner, patients need to ensure the cleanliness of their living space such as vacuuming, dusting and using dehumidifiers as it can help reduce allergens counts.
Also read – Dengue Prevention
In essence, allergic shiner are symptoms of nasal allergies but usually not a serious condition. Treatment can help resolve this condition within weeks but the symptoms can come back when exposed to allergens.
