Sunday, March 14, 2010

Allergy Relief.

Allergy relief is something all allergy sufferers look for. Some find it while others find their search to be in vain. Finding the right allergy relief for you can be difficult because there are so many factors you have to take into consideration. It is very important that you see a doctor to help you identify your allergens as well as help you find the right allergy relief. Tests will have to be done and a complete medical history given to determine the cause of your allergies. It is important that you let the doctor know about any family members with allergies.

Keep a dairy of the allergy symptoms you experience. The more details you include the more it will help your doctor. Write down the severity of the allergy symptoms, what you ate, where you were, and who was around. Make sure you document any pets or animals in the area because they may be the cause of your allergies as well. If you take any over the counter medications for your allergy symptoms long that information to. Include what you take, when you take it, if it helps relieve your symptoms, and any side effects you experienced.

Allergy relief may require you to make some changes to your lifestyle. It depends on the diagnosis you get from your doctor. Making lifestyle changes isn’t easy but it can be done. If you have a food allergy then you should work with your doctor and a dietician to create healthy meals that you can eat. If you have a pet allergy then you will have to make some changes to your home. A seasonal allergy can mean avoiding certain activities during a given time of the year. Such changes will become easier as you get accustomed to them and as you get allergy relief.

Medications are very common for allergy relief. They can be purchased over the counter at retailers and drug stores. If you have severe allergies, your doctor will likely give you a prescription for allergy relief. It is very important to follow the directions for each type of medication. Some are to be taken daily and others are to be taken only as needed. Some medications are to be taken with food and others are to be taken on an empty stomach. An efficient alternative is a shot or injection for particular types of allergies such as hay fever.

While allergy relief can be found in medications, there are often side effects many people experience. These side effects can be mild or serious. They may stop after a few weeks. If you are taking a medication for allergy relief and the side effects don’t subside, stop taking the medication and talk to your doctor. Herbal remedies are said to provide allergy relief, but most of them have not been tested and they are not approved by the FDA. However, many people claim to get allergy relief from herbal remedies that they couldn’t get from other medications. They also don’t have the side effects to contend with either.

Allergy relief is possible if you are willing to try a variety of methods to find out what is the right method for you and your allergies. It is very important to follow the advice of your doctor. It can be frustrating trying to find the right allergy relief for you, but experimenting will help you get the solution you have been searching for. Make sure you report any side effects of medications and let he or she know if a particular medication is working well for you.

Allergy Medication.

Allergy medication can help relieve the symptoms of your allergies. There are many different types of allergy medications available because there are so many types of allergies to take care of. There are also different medications that work for different degrees of severity. It can take some trial and error to find an allergy medication that works well for you without side effects that affect your daily routine. It is very important to properly identify what you are allergic to before you can expect to be using the right allergy medication. A doctor or specialist can help you identify the exact causes of your allergy symptoms.

Allergy medication can be purchased over the counter, a prescription, or a herbal remedy. All three come in a variety of forms including pills, tablets, gel tabs, liquids, and injections. Antihistamines are the most common type of allergy medication. They work by blocking the allergen and relieving the inflammation. A decongestant is used to reduce the swelling of the membranes and relieve pressure. Many products offer a combination of an antihistamine and decongestant together. You can also get some products that have both and also come with a pain reliever. All three types can be either an over the counter product or prescription medication. Over the counter allergy medication often works well on mild to moderate allergies while a prescription may be required for more severe allergies. Eye drops and nasal sprays are also helpful for some types of allergies.

Some allergy medication has to be taken daily while others are taken only when needed. For those affected by seasonal allergies known as hay fever, an injection can be all the allergy medication they need for the entire season. It is quick, convenient, and effective.

Some people don’t like to take allergy medication and choose to use herbal remedies instead. They also don’t like the common side affects associated with allergy medication. Chamomille Tea is great for hay fever, Ephedra or Eucolyptus relieve congestion, Ginger can reduce inflammation, and St. John’s Wort works to relieve sinus headaches. Herbal allergy medication can be purchased at a health food store or online. While these products are all labeled as natural you should still be cautious when using them and only do so under the direction of a doctor.

There are many noted side effects with some of the types of allergy medication available, both over the counter and prescription. It can take time to find the right allergy medication that offers you relieve with the fewest side effects. It is important to work with your doctor in finding a solution for you. Common side effects of allergy medication include dizziness, nausea, irritability, sleeplessness, lack of appetite, headache, and fatigue. The side effects of allergy medication will depend on the dosage, how often you take it, your body, and the type of medication. For best results, only take the medication as prescribed. Allergy medication can make it easier for you to cope with your allergy symptoms and enjoy your daily activities.

Mold Allergy.

A mold allergy is an adverse reaction to various types of mold and mildew that can be found in your home or office. They can also grow outdoors. Mold and mildew often grow in areas that are humid or damp. It is common for it to grow in areas you wouldn’t think to look like behind your refrigerator, in the walls, and under baseboards. The kitchen, basement, and bathrooms are the most likely places to find mold and mildew in your home. Outdoors mold and mildew grow on logs, in piles of leaves, and under the porch area. They are a type of fungi that reproduce and multiple.

The spores are what is in the air and results in your mold allergy. The mold allergy may be mild or it can make a person very ill depending on the type of mold and the severity of it. A mold allergy can be overlooked because it has several similar symptoms to other types of allergies. A key indicator of a mold allergy is that it never seems to go away where a seasonal allergy will come and go.

Pay attention to where your symptoms are worse. Do you feel terrible in your home but better when you go outside? Do you feel good when you take a few days off work but feel the effects of a mold allergy when you return to work? There are home testing kits available to find out if you have a mold allergy. You can also hire someone to come in and take a look for you. If you believe your mold allergy is the result of something at work, talk it over with your supervisor. Chances are other employees may be experiencing the same thing. If your employer refuses to investigate consider reporting the issue to the local health department or your state Occupational Health and Safety Administration.

There are many degrees of a mold allergy that you may develop. Most people who are allergic to mold also suffer from other types of allergies. This can make the mold allergy harder to identify. Some people are fine except for their mold allergy. The severity of it depends on the type of mold, how much of it there is, and how long you are exposed to it. Another reason it is hard to differentiate between a mold allergy and other allergies is because the symptoms of both include sneezing, itchy eyes, a runny nose, congestion, and coughing. A mold allergy is commonly mistaken for hay fever.

It is recommended that you see a doctor to diagnose the types of allergies you have. If a mold allergy is suspected tests can be done on you as well as your home and work environment. To get rid of mold, use rubber gloves and a face mask. Try to stay as far away from mold spores as possible. If mold is found in your home or office avoid going into the environment if possible. You can prevent mold and mildew from breeding in your home and office by placing a fan in the bathroom, taking care of water leaks, avoid having carpet in your bathroom, and wash your toilets, sinks and bath tubs often to prevent fungus from building.

Wheat Allergy

A wheat allergy is uncommon but affects mostly females. Occupational asthma from wheat affects up to 30% of bakers. It is a food allergy that causes the body to react to the proteins found in wheat. Since so many food products out there contain wheat it is very important to read the packaging labels. It is also important to educate yourself about the types of food that contain wheat for when you eat somewhere else. You will need to educate a child with a wheat allergy about the foods to avoid as well. It may be a good idea to send a lunch from home until your child is old enough to do this. The list of foods that contain wheat is unbelievable. Instant hot chocolate mix is a common one that doesn’t get taken into consideration.

Other common foods and drinks that contain wheat include beer, ale, cereals, coffee creamer powders, bread, graham crackers, muffins, donuts, cornbread, instant potatoes, floured meats, and soups. As you can seek, that eliminates a great deal of the food selections out there. To make it easier to eat balanced meals that are nutritious you can cook and bake with a wheat substitutes. This will help keep your wheat allergy under control. Infants and children with a wheat allergy often outgrow it as they get older. Older children and adults who develop a wheat allergy are likely to have it the rest of their lives.

A wheat allergy generally will affect the individual within minutes of consuming the product. Infants can have a wheat allergy as well, and that is another reason why you should only introduce one new food at a time. This way it is very simple to identify the allergic reaction as a wheat allergy. Common symptoms of a wheat allergy include nausea, swelling of the face and lips, cramping, diarrhea, and vomiting. Often someone who is developing a wheat allergy will think they have been exposed to food poisoning and seek medical treatment.

It can be difficult to diagnose a wheat allergy because wheat is in so many products. The doctor will often look for other medical issues and other types of conditions first. Sometimes it takes going to a specialist who is trained to look for such food allergies to make a proper diagnosis. I clinical evaluation and blood tests are often conducted to confirm a wheat allergy diagnosis.

Unlike other types of allergies, a wheat allergy can’t be treated with medication. While it isn’t life threatening, the effects and symptoms of a wheat allergy are enough to put any one through the wringer. It really depends on the severity of your wheat allergy. Some people are fine as long as they only consume low quantities of wheat. Those who have a wheat allergy have to avoid most products that contain wheat in order to life a normal and healthy lifestyle. A dietician can help you plan healthy meals with a variety of foods while helping you control your wheat allergy.

Skin Allergies.

Skin allergies are one of the most common causes of conditions of the skin. They are typically caused by a problematic immune system which becomes hypersensitive after being exposed to a certain substance which it views as "harmful" even though it isn’t. As a result, the next time these substances enter the body, the immune system releases vast amounts of antibodies, supposedly to combat these "harmful" substances, but in the process cause adverse reaction in other cells of the body.
The substances are called allergens and they can be anything from pollen breathed through the air, dust mites that thrive in carpets and furniture surfaces. They are also encountered in pets, especially dogs and cats. With respect to skin allergies, they usually occur when skin comes into contact with skincare products containing allergens, cosmetics, perfumes, etc. A latex allergy, for example, is often developed by medical professionals like doctors, nurses, dentists or aides.
How do skin allergies work?When the immune system encounters a substance that can potentially cause disease, it produces antibodies called IgG or immunoglobulin G and IgM or immunoglobulin M. With the production of these antibodies, the immune system now becomes sensitized and able to neutralize the substance, helping you to recover from the disease after a few days.
As time goes, your now sensitized immune system is ready to produce large amounts of antibodies rapidly the next time it encounters the same substance. This rapid production of antibodies makes you able to recover from the disease quickly, so that it’s possible you won’t even suffer any symptoms.
With skin allergies, on the other hand, the situation is a little different. When an allergen – for instance, a cosmetic ingredient – comes into contact with your skin for the first time, your immune system will also produce antibodies, only this time, instead of IgG and IgM, it produces IgE or immunoglobulin E.
The IgE will also bind itself with the cosmetic allergen and does the same thing it did with any normally harmful substance, prompting the sensitization process. Without this sensitization, no skin allergies occur.
Because the immune system has already been sensitized to the cosmetic allergen, the next time you get exposed to it, your body mass produces IgE, which then attach themselves to the allergens, and eventually the mast cells. The mast cells are a type of cell containing many chemicals that can cause inflammation, foremost among them is histamine. The IgE causes the mast cells to release these chemicals to surrounding tissue, causing inflammation, redness (erythema), and itching (pruritis) in the surface of the skin. The reaction that is seen on the skin surface is called a wheal or a hive and is considered as one of the common symptoms of skin allergies.
There are three main types of skin allergies: food allergy, contact dermatitis, and atopy or allegic inhaled dermatitis. Skin allergies can be caused by an allergic reaction to ingredients or preservatives in food, such as horse meat, beef, pork, eggs, fish, chicken, corn, soy, preservatives and dyes, dairy products, poultry products, etc.
Contact dermatitis is a type of skin allergies caused by allergens coming into direct contact with the skin. Common among these allergen types are poison ivy and ragweed. Ragweed can also be a cause of inhaled skin allergies, as well as, pollen, house dust, dust mites, mold, animal dander, feathers, grasses, trees, and shrubs.

Food Allergy.

When you have an allergic reaction after eating certain types of food, it means your immune system is responding to the substance perceived by the body as a harmful allergen. Massive amounts of antibodies are produced, binding with both the allergens and mast cells (a certain type of cell containing chemicals). When the antibodies come into contact with these mast cells, they alter the structure of its membranes, causing the various chemicals inside to leak out. One of the chemicals is histamine, which is a major player in inflammation of surrounding tissue.
The symptoms of food allergy could range from mildly inconvenient to uncomfortable to complete collapse of the body, a condition known as anaphylaxis. Many people have died or have been brought to emergency rooms as a result of anaphylaxis brought about by violent allergic reactions to certain types of food.


Common signs of food allergy include the following:
Tingling sensation in the mouth
Swelling of the tongue and the throatDifficulty breathingHives
VomitingAbdominal cramps

Diarrhea
Drop in blood pressureLoss of consciousnessDeath (extreme cases)

Typically, these symptoms appear within minutes or two hours after the person has eaten the food he or she is allergic to.
How to handle food allergies depends on the type of food, the vigor of the reaction among other factors. Some doctors recommend the best method is to avoid eating the food. If you’re allergic to certain types of food, then you ought to practice strict avoidance of these foods. Having a series of practical tips to manage a food allergy is helpful for when you are away from home and must eat food that you did not prepare.

Food allergy is largely symptomatic, which means that whatever medications or treatment methods are available, they are usually to prevent the onset or for treatment of the symptoms.


Epinephrine, also called "adrenaline," is the medication of choice for controlling severe reactions.


While any food can cause allergies, 90% of all food allergic reactions are caused by:PeanutEggMilkShellfishWheatTreenutsSoyFish
In the case of a wheat allergy, it is important to have a professional analysis done to confirm the allergy. Sometimes, what may appear to be a wheat allergy is a case of food intolerance, so to be accurate, testing is in order.

Likewise, it is important to distinguish a gluten allergy, which includes wheat, barley and oats and other gluten-protein foods, from gluten intolerance. Gluten intolerance often causes painful symptoms, like migraines, rashes and bloating is rarely life-threatening. A gluten allergy can be much more severe.

A peanut allergy is one of the most common, serious, and potentially fatal food allergies. In a survey conducted by the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network, the prevalence of peanut allergy in both adults and children alike has doubled up over a period of five years. Peanuts are actually legumes but it is probably unnecessary to eliminate other legumes unless there is good reason to suspect that they cause problems or your doctor tells you to avoid them.
Egg-related food allergy is often mild. However, there are rare cases where egg can trigger anaphylaxis. Food labels must be thoroughly scrutinized for products containing egg or albumen. It should also be noted that well-cooked eggs (as in cakes) are generally harmless. But raw and lightly cooked eggs can cause allergic reactions.

Altenative to seasonal allergies.

Spring, summer and fall offer beautiful, scenic landscapes that help millions of people to relax and rest. That is, if you don't have seasonal allergies.

For those who have allergic reactions to pollen, grasses and weeds, learning how to survive means having an altenative to seasonal allergies. Many physicians and health practices advise those with seasonal allergies to remain indoors when pollen release occurs. The trick is knowing that different plants release pollens at different times.

One of the most common allergens is grass. According to the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, grass pollen is both regional and seasonal. If you want to how to manage grass allergies, it is important to understand how grass pollen levels can be affected by temperature, time of day and rain.


An allergy to grasses and weeds may also vary by the state and the vegetation. For example, in California, the large amount of ragweed and castor bean cause a lot of difficulty for those who have seasonal allergies.

Unlike grasses, weeds and pollen, mold allergies can occur at night and year-round, with or without other allergens. It is important to be aware of the causes, since air conditioning systems (especially in hot climates) can aggravate existing symptoms.

Seventy-five percent of the people who suffer from hayfever are allergic to ragweed. Not only is ragweed an irritant, but the pollens from birch, alder, hazel, hornbeam and horse chestnut trees, cause distress. Grasses, such as rye and timothy also release allergenic pollens into the air, along with nettles, members of the sorrel family and the dock family. While this may not be true for everyone, people who are allergic to ragweed pollen may also be allergic to chamomile tea, sunflower seeds, and bananas.

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