I AM allergic to consultations about allergies. That’s because patients tend to blame allergies for just about everything.

That said, they do seem to be on the rise – hence recent headlines about severe allergic reactions in England rising by a third in the past five years.

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Here are five common allergies and what to do about them – plus five problems you might think are allergies but probably aren’t.

• PEANUTS: This affects about one in 100 people and is becoming increasingly common. A mild attack causes a tingly mouth, swollen face and itchy spots — treat it with antihistamines.
  A more severe reaction will also lead to flushing, swollen lips and tongue, difficulty breathing — and eventually collapse.
  It comes on within an hour of contact with peanuts, often within minutes. Sure, pop some antihistamines if they’re handy but you need an ambulance, pronto — this is life-threatening.
  In future, steer clear of those nuts and carry adrenalin with you, which your doc can prescribe.
• COW’S MILK: This is quite a common allergy in infants, causing anything from itchy rashes through tummy aches to repeated vomiting.
  Allergy tests sometimes help but it’s usually more practical for baby to have a trial with a special milk. If this cures the problem, only for it to return when cow’s milk is tried again, the diagnosis is ­confirmed. Most children grow out of it eventually.
• POLLEN: Hay fever — in other words, causing the familiar misery of itchy eyes, runny nose and sneezing. Fortunately, you don’t need to worry about it until next spring — then you’ll need antihistamine tablets, nose sprays and eye drops.

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• NICKEL: A lot of jewellery contains this metal, which can cause “allergic dermatitis” — an itchy rash where the bling is in contact with your skin. Treat by applying one-per-cent hydrocortisone cream and putting the offending item back in its box.
• PETS: Wheeze, sneeze and weep whenever you’re anywhere near your beloved moggy or pooch? You don’t need an allergy test to confirm the obvious — it’s time to swap it for a goldfish, I’m afraid. So what about five “allergies” that might not be? See if any of these ring a bell.
  
• MEDICATION: So you had some antibiotics as a child, then came up with a rash. And ever since, you’ve assumed you are allergic to them.
  In fact, it’s more likely the spots were caused by the virus you were given unnecessary antibiotics for — apparently, only about ten per cent of people who think they are allergic to a certain antibiotic really are.
• ECZEMA: We don’t know the exact cause — it’s probably the result of many factors, including your genetics and your environment.
  The role of allergy isn’t clear either, but it’s probably much less important than you’d think. The exception is really severe eczema in infants — in which case, discuss with your GP the possibility of allergy.

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• SKIN RASH: As mentioned above, many attacks of spotty skin are caused by viruses, even those like “hives”, which are often put down to allergies.
• DIARRHOEA: A food allergy, right? Nope, probably not. True, you might have a food intolerance — to lactose, or gluten, say. But that’s not really an allergy. Nor is allergy a typical trigger for irritable bowel syndrome, one of the commonest causes of recurrent diarrhoea.
• MONDAY MORNINGS: It’s no good insisting that you’re allergic to Mondays. So, no, you can’t have a doctor’s note. That’s the thing about allergies — thankfully, not everyone gets them. Whereas we do all get that Monday morning feeling.

Coughing fits are embarrassing

Q - I CAN’T stop coughing.

I’ve had it for more than a month.

It comes in spasms and is embarrassing.

Antibiotics haven’t helped. What can I do?

Anthony, by email

A - Most coughs of this sort are caused by viruses. They can go on for longer than you would think – often around three weeks – and antibiotics don’t help at all.

Eventually, they will just fizzle out.

Another possibility, though, is whooping cough. You might think this would only affect children but adults can catch it too, as immunity from the whooping cough jab wanes as you get older.

It causes coughing spasms so bad that they can make you retch and your eyes water. It goes on for months and by the time the diagnosis is made, any treatment doesn’t really make much difference.

If your cough does persist – especially if you are a smoker – then speak to your GP. Your doc might want to arrange a chest X-ray for you to rule out any ­serious lung problems.

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Q - SOMETIMES I get a pain in my rectum.

It has been going on for ages.

It wakes me at night but then goes after a few minutes.

My bowels are fine and I don’t get it any other time of the day.

Any ideas what might be ­causing it?

Seddon, by email

A - Yes. This sounds like something called “proctalgia fugax” – that translates as “fleeting pain in the rectum”.

The good news? It is completely harmless.

The bad news is that we don’t know for sure what causes it, so there is no specific treatment available.

It is probably the result of some spasm in the muscles of your rectum – effectively a cramp of the back passage.

So there is not much you can do about it.

But at least it doesn’t last too long – and attacks aren’t usually all that frequent.

Q - I AM 63 and for the past six weeks I have developed clusters of blistering spots in various places.

I feel OK but they itch.

Have I got chicken pox?

Richard, by email

A - No. It has gone on far too long for that. Besides, chicken pox would be very unusual at your age.

That is the easy bit.

Far trickier is working out exactly what it is.

There are various possibilities, including eczema, a reaction to medication and some other skin conditions.

Your GP really needs to take a look, so I would suggest you book an appointment.

If the spots wax and wane, take a photo with you to show him what they are like at their worst.

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• Dr Hopcroft cannot be held liable for advice given here, as answers to queries can only be given in general terms. If you are seriously worried about your health, please book an appointment with your own GP.

Got a question for Dr Keith? Email me@the-sun.co.uk or write to him at The Sun, 1 London Bridge Street, London SE1 9GF.