Tag Archives: allergic reaction

How to Manage Pet Allergies

For a lot of people, their dogs, cats, and other animals are members of the family. From cuddling to watching pets offer companionship to people who care for them. However, when you have a furry friend, asthma and allergies can be a less-than-perfect partnership. Three out of ten people with allergies are reactive to cats and dogs.

An allergy specialist sees this a lot in their patients, which is why they should know their triggers and how to manage symptoms when they happen. A lot of people think that fur causes allergies. The reality is that proteins in dander or dead skin cells collect animal hair. If you want to learn more, read on.

Understand Pet Allergies

You need to see a doctor and get tested to determine what allergies you have. You could find out that you are allergic to something else and not really your pet. For instance, you might assume that you are allergic to your dog, only to discover that you are allergic to tree pollen that goes on his fur while walking outside.

If the test shows that you are allergic to your pet, you should understand what causes your allergic reaction. There are proteins that trigger allergies known as allergens in skin glands and saliva that cling to the dry skin of animals and fur. The fur and dander will then stick to carpets, clothing, and walls.

Clean Your Rugs Once a Week

If you want to reduce how much dander is in your home, you should focus on spots that are magnets for it, such as carpets and rugs. You should make sure to vacuum carpets once weekly with a device that uses HEPA filter. They suck up small bits of matter, like pet dander, that other vacuums could miss. Your rugs should be washed once a week.

Pet dander can stick to hard surfaces like floors and walls, so make sure to clean them regularly based on proper care instructions for any materials.

Use an Allergy-capturing Filter

When you regularly change it every 3 months, they are going to capture the invisible and visible dander and other allergens, which effectively vacuum air that flows through your filter. You will get the benefits of allergen defense, and the best dust-holding power of any filter. Improve indoor quality by capturing allergens and holding 2X more dust because a cleaner, fresher home is happy.

Do Not Allow Pets in Your Bedroom

People spend half of their time in the bedroom, which is why you should never allow your pet to sleep in bed with you. Make sure to limit the access of your pets to the bedroom by keeping your bedroom door closed all the time. Regularly wash your bedding and consider an allergen-free mattress cover that fits on your box spring and mattress.

Bathe Your Pet Every Week

When you do this, you are reducing the allergy-causing dander you have. Cats can become used to bathing, but it is important to only use products that are for cats; kittens might need kitten shampoo. Ask your veterinary staff or a good book on pet care for directions when it comes to safe bathing. It would be good to use a shampoo that is recommended by your veterinarian or animal care specialist.

Consider Your Environment

If you are already allergic to dust mites, mold, pollen, or cigarette smoke, your allergies have most likely kicked in. This will make you extra sensitive when you add a pet.

You can try an allergist specialist Germantown MD anytime you need to address pet allergies.

Food Allergies that are More Common than Others

A lot of foods cause allergies, but others are more common. About 90% of serious food allergies are linked to proteins in certain foods, like eggs, milk, soy, peanuts, wheat, fish, tree nuts, sesame, and shellfish.

Most of the time, these foods are ingredients in other foods, which means avoiding them calls for diligence, including precise labeling and other measures. There might be times when exposures unknowingly happen.

You might have to call an allergy doctor if you notice that you have an allergic reaction to some of these. In case you are unaware of what the most common food allergies are, you should do research and start by reading this article until the end. Read more now.

Cow’s Milk

Allergy to cow’s milk is one of the most common hypersensitivities in young children, most likely because it is the first foreign protein that a lot of infants ingest in huge quantities. If there is an allergy to cow’s milk, even infants who are breastfed may have eczema or colic until dairy foods and milk have been eliminated from their mother’s diet.

A lot of children outgrow milk allergy while their immune systems mature.

Eggs

People who have egg allergies are triggered by egg proteins. You might be allergic to egg white, egg yolk, or even both. Experts recommend staying away from eggs when you are allergic.

About 2.5% of children are allergic to eggs, which makes it the second most common food allergy in young children. Diagnosis normally happens before reaching the age of 2. Half of the children are going to outgrow their allergy when they are 5, and most people will outgrow it when they reach adolescence.

Eggs should be listed on food labels in simple language, like “contains eggs.” It is important to always read the label before consumption.

Peanut

Peanut allergy is one of the most common allergy food allergies. Peanuts are different from cashews, tree nuts, almonds, walnuts, and more. peanuts grow underground and they are from a different plant family, which is legumes. Other legume examples include peas, beans, soybeans, and lentils. Having a peanut allergy does not mean you have a bigger chance of being allergic to a different legume.

Wheat and Gluten

Rice and oats are normally the first cereals that are introduced into your diet because they are less likely compared to other grains to cause allergic reactions. If there are no issues with oats, wheat is next. Wheat grain is usually linked with allergies, but it is still uncommon. This is unfortunate because wheat can be found in a lot of prepared foods.

There are 2 kinds of negative immune reactions to consuming wheat. The first classic reaction is hives and the second one is wheezing which happens right away after the child consumes wheat.

Soy

People who have soy allergies react to the proteins in soy. Normally, allergic reactions are mild, but with all food allergies, it might lead to a severe and life-threatening reaction.

Soy is a common allergy in food for children but it is less for teens and adults. Approximately 0.4% of children have an allergy to soy. It is estimated that 50% of the kids outgrow a soy allergy after one year, and most of them will outgrow it when they are 10.

Fish

Finned fish is among the most common food allergy. This is normally lifelong. About 40% of people who are allergic to fish get their first reaction when they are adults. The most common types of fish that people are allergic to are tuna, halibut, and salmon.

You can go to an allergist Germantown MD anytime.

Signs of Dust Mite Allergy

Dust mite allergy is caused by an allergic reaction to small bugs that live in the dust. The signs of dust mite allergy can include the ones that are common to hay fever, like runny nose and sneezing. A lot of people with dust mite allergy can also experience symptoms of asthma like sneezing, and difficulty in breathing.

When you take steps to lessen the dust mites in your home, you can have better control of dust mite allergy. Medications and other treatments can sometimes be necessary to relieve symptoms and control asthma.

It would be good to know the signs of dust mites before going to an allergy clinic because you can easily tell the doctor what you experienced.

What Causes Dust Mite Allergies

An allergy is the response of the immune system to an unknown substance that is not normally harmful to the body. These substances are known as allergens. They can include specific foods, dust mites, and pollens. People who have dust mite allergies have a bad reaction to the bug remnants. These remnants can include small amounts of decaying bodies and feces.

Your household might be clean, but it will not take a lot to create an environment that is perfect for dust mites.

Symptoms

Symptoms of dust mites caused by nasal passages inflammation include:

Running nose
Sneezing
Watery eyes
Itchy nose and/or throat
Postnasal drip
Nasal congestion
Cough
Pain and facial pressure
Blue-colored skin under the eyes
Frequent rubbing of the nose in a child

If the allergy adds to your asthma, you can also experience the following:

Chest pain or tightness
Breathing difficulty
Wheezing or whistling sound while exhaling
Trouble sleeping because of shortness of breath, wheezing or coughing
Coughing or wheezing gets worse because of respiratory illnesses or viruses like the flu or cold

Dust mite allergy could range from mild to severe. A mild dust mite allergy could cause a runny nose from time to time, watery eyes, and even sneezing. In most cases, the condition might be ongoing, which causes persistent coughing, sneezing, congestion, eczema, facial pressure, or asthma attack.

Diagnosing Allergies of Dust Mites

You should talk to an allergist if you feel that your symptoms are worse at home, especially when you clean or when you lie down in bed. The allergist can diagnose and treat allergies.

The allergist is going to use diagnostic tests in order to determine if you are allergic to dust mites. The most common kind of test is a skin-prick test. In this test, the allergist is going to choose an area of the skin with a small allergen extract. The allergist will wait 15 minutes to check if the skin has a negative reaction. In case you have a reaction, you are going to develop a big bump around the skin’s pricked area. The area can also become itchy and red.

Treatment

Antihistamines help relieve runny nose, itching, and sneezing
Nasal corticosteroids reduce inflammation with some side effects compared to their oral counterparts
Decongestants can make tissues smaller in nasal passages, so you can breathe easily
Medications that combine antihistamines and decongestant

How Long Does it Last?

When dust mite allergens no longer surround you, the symptoms you have will normally go away after a couple of hours. If your dust mite allergies are severe, you might have symptoms for a couple of days. This can be uncomfortable and can even disrupt sleep if you do not take anything for treatment.

You can go to an allergy center Manassas VA anytime if you need to seek treatment for your dust mite allergy.

Why Asthma Gets Worse in the Fall?

Yearly, asthmatics have an uphill battle in the fall. That is because the air is more polluted when the weather is dryer and colder, which causes their lungs to fight asthma attacks harder. Asthma patients have more risk of having asthma attacks during the months of September and November so you should always take note.

While it is colder outside, trees, grasses, and other plants will enter the dormant season. In this period, plants release nitric oxide to prevent freezing. Nitric oxide majorly triggers asthma. Nitric oxide is produced by humans and it is important for survival. It will help blood vessels dilate and it improves blood flow.

You can go to an allergy doctor about this, but here is what else you need to know:

There is Ragweed Pollen

Ragweed pollen is a prevalent allergen in the fall. Starting late summer, ragweed season will continue in the fall and it causes symptoms of allergic rhinitis. Ragweed is an important cause of discomfort for a lot of people with hay fever, but it is mainly challenging for anyone who has allergic asthma. After getting exposed to ragweed, most of the time your chest will feel tighter. It will make breathing harder, and your respiratory system will suffer persistent irritation.

Air is Dryer in the Fall Season

While the days are shorter in the fall, the air will become drier and cooler. Even if this is a welcome change when it comes to comfort after the humid and hot summer, it is a factor that exacerbates asthma symptoms. Dry air will irritate your respiratory system, and it worsens COPD and asthma. Despite this effect is more common in the winter, it also adds to the reason why symptoms are worse in the fall.

Mold

Mold is a common allergen which is a specific problem in the fall and summer. One way to treat allergic asthma is to avoid allergens. Unfortunately, the damp leaves that fall from the trees will give the best conditions for mold to grow, and you have a very high exposure to allergens. According to studies, it has been found that links between mold sensitization and severe asthma attacks require you to be admitted to the hospital.

Leaf Cleanup

Leaf cleanup in the fall is a chore that the majority of households should face. If you suffer from asthma, though, leaf cleanup can be an issue. Most of the time, fallen leaves have mold that grows on them if they are not cleaned up right away, and the dry ones produce leaf dust. In both events, leaf cleanup worsens asthma symptoms. It is not helpful if you are living near someone who is burning leaves, like smoke and ash from fires which also triggers asthma attacks.

Fall is the Beginning of the Flue and Cold Season

When the flu and cold season starts, you are more prone to virus exposure because you will go out more. Even if you get exposed to some viruses, your asthma makes you more prone to developing asthma.

Allergies and viral infections work hand-in-hand to increase asthma symptoms. It is not surprising to learn that this one-two punch will happen during the fall shortly after the start of school. As a parent, you will be with your child more when they go to school. You will also notice a seasonal pattern where more people experience worse asthma symptoms from September through November with a respiratory infection and wheezing because of asthma. Airborne allergens cause hospitalization even more in the fall.

You can visit an allergist Germantown MD anytime before the fall to prepare yourself.

Tips on How to Use Your Inhaler More Efficiently

Humans develop habits throughout their lives. Most of the time, the same route should be taken to your office or you put your shoes in the same spot every day when you come home. Some of those habits are ingrained that they have become a routine such as drinking a cup of coffee or brushing their teeth. They have become a natural part of your daily rhythm that you feel like something is missing if you forget to stick to it.

For those who have asthma, making the inhaler a regular part of their routine goes a long way when it comes to maintaining good health. Your asthma doctor will be happy if you use the inhaler correctly.

Here are tips for you:

Start Small but Do it Right

A bad habit is the hardest break. Therefore, it is a good idea to remember that while you make the inhaler a regular part of your daily life, you should ask your doctor to make sure you are using it correctly. Keep in mind to always follow the instructions for the medicine and the ones given by your healthcare provider. For instance, you can learn how deeply and quickly you should inhale when you take medicine and while you hold your breath, helping you make sure that you are getting the best form of asthma treatment.

Use a Spacer

A spacer is an important device to make sure that the medicine goes where it needs to go, which is deep inside your lungs. When you seal your mouth around the spacer, you need to spray one puff and slowly and deeply inhale. You should hold your breath and count to 10, then slowly exhale. For young children who use a spacer, make sure the child is taking five to six full breaths.

Doing Two Habits at the Same Time

Combining the inhaler you use with another habit is similar to brushing your teeth is a way to make sure that you can get it done. Even in the morning when you rush out the door, you do not neglect taking care of your teeth, and when you connect two habits, you are less likely to forget to use the inhaler.

Take One Puff with Every Breath

If your doctor already prescribed a dosage of one puff or more, you need to take each one separately. Do not spray multiple puffs of the medicine into your spacer. It is because multiple puffs will not work for one breath.

It Should be Stored in a Safe Place

If you do not see an object all the time, there will come a time when you will forget about it. When you store your inhaler in a place where you can see it, like on top of a makeup table or a spot you can frequently access is going to serve as a reminder that it should be regularly used. It is also worth it to make sure that you need to store your device very well.

Replace Your Inhaler Before it Runs Out

A lot of inhalers have counters with canisters. You must keep an eye on the counter and replace it before the medicine runs out. You should not put the canister in water to check if it is empty because it does not work. Take your inhaler with you when you go to clinic appointments, so your doctor can make sure that you are using the inhaler correctly.

You can go to an allergy specialist doctor Germantown MD to ask if you are using your inhaler correctly to get the most out of it.

Signs You are Allergic to Alcohol

Alcohol allergy causes a rare toxic reaction to alcohol which can be fatal in some cases. Most of the time, what people consider an alcohol allergy is actually intolerance.

People can have an allergic reaction to certain ingredients in alcoholic beverages instead of the alcohol itself.

Someone who is truly allergic to alcohol should entirely avoid it. People who are intolerant to alcohol can still consume alcohol, but they will most likely encounter side effects. The reaction can come from something in the alcoholic beverage like grains, chemicals, or preservatives.

Aside from consulting with an allergy specialist, you can read this article to know more about what causes alcohol allergies and then review the differences between intolerance and alcohol allergy.

Causes of Alcohol Allergy

People who are allergic to alcohol go through a reaction just by consuming 1 milliliter of pure alcohol or a gulp of beer or wine. It is still a mystery to researchers why some people experience it when the body naturally produces it. However, in other cases, severe alcohol reaction is sometimes mistaken for allergies when it is actually caused by Hodgkin’s Lymphoma.

Some foods that could cause alcohol allergy are:

Tomato puree
Food marinades
Cough syrup
Overripe fruit that fermented
Mouthwash

Doctors can diagnose the allergy based on how antibodies are produced. Antibodies called immunoglobin E (IgE) can cause an allergic reaction in the body with common symptoms of an allergic reaction. In addition, blood tests can measure the responses of the immune system to specific substances.

Symptoms

The signs and symptoms of intolerance to alcohol or having a reaction to the ingredients in an alcoholic beverage include:

Red and itchy bumps on the skin
Facial redness
Stuffy or runny nose
Pre-existing asthma worsens
Low blood pressure
Diarrhea
Nausea and vomiting

Treatment

Like there are no real cures for food allergies or pollen, nothing can cure alcohol allergies as well. The truth is, that alcohol allergy treatment focuses mainly on any symptoms that are present like using a topical cream to alleviate rashes. After that, an individual should totally avoid drinking so they will not suffer allergic reaction symptoms and could also die.

Alcohol Allergy vs. Alcohol Intolerance

An alcohol allergy and intolerance are different from each other.

If you have an alcohol allergy, your immune system has an overreaction to alcohol. Intolerance to alcohol is genetic and the digestive system of an individual cannot break down the substance properly.

Alcohol intolerance symptoms make a person feel uncomfortable. In contrast to this, alcohol allergy can sometimes become life-threatening.

Symptoms of Alcohol Intolerance that People Confuse with Alcohol Allergies:

High blood pressure
Low blood pressure
Heart fluttering sensation
Lips or tongue swelling
Chest pain or fainting
Coughing

Who are More Prone?

People who come of Asian descent have a higher chance of experiencing alcohol intolerance symptoms because of a genetic variant that comes from rice domestication in southern China many centuries ago. An enzyme that is called aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH2) turns ethanol into acetic acid in the liver. Those with Asian ancestry might have a less active variant of ALDH2, which makes it harder for them to digest alcohol properly. ALDH2 deficiency commonly causes alcohol intolerance.

Complications

Migraines – This is probably because of the histamines in alcoholic beverages. The immune system releases histamines when there is an allergic reaction.
Severe allergic reaction – On rare occasions, the allergic reaction can become life-threatening and might require emergency treatment. You should know all the symptoms so you will know if it is already severe or not.

You can contact allergy center Germantown MD anytime if you need to consult about your alcohol allergy.

How to Fight Summer Allergies

Summer is the season for having fun in the sun – the breezes, and cool beach water actually create humidity and warm conditions actually attract allergies.

For adults, summer allergies can become a nuisance at a minimum. For children, the summer allergy symptoms can be more disruptive and can exacerbate other medical complications. It has been discovered that allergies go hand-in-hand with other chronic illnesses like asthma, which can normally cause medical emergencies for children like asthma.

If you are curious to know how to fight allergies in the summer, you can find an allergy doctor. It would also be good if you are aware of what to do in order to prevent allergies during the summer. Read on to learn more:

Avoidance

You should keep your home allergen-free. Shut down the windows so the pollen stays out. You need to try staying indoors during the morning, and the pollen counts are high when it is windy. Remove your shoes and change clothes right away after you come indoors. Dust using a damp cloth and a vacuum cleaner with a high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter every day. You must shower before bed so you can rinse off the pollen that you collect on your skin and hair throughout the day.

Allergy Shots

Immunotherapy or allergy shots is a further option for treatment when you have seasonal allergies. They work by injecting your body with small allergen doses over a couple of years to build allergen resistance.

If avoiding allergens and using medications are not helpful to your allergy symptoms, you must see an allergist to ask about different treatment options you can choose from.

Limit Your Exposure to Allergens

If you have pollen allergies, you can lessen pollen exposure by staying indoors when you can by using air conditioning aside from changing clothes and showering after going outside.

It would also be an excellent idea to monitor humidity levels using a hygrometer and ensure that humidity stays below 45%. You should pay attention to mold buildup inside your home and reduce any dampness when possible.

To keep track of allergy symptoms, you can look at ozone levels around your area and avoid any strenuous activities when there are high ozone smog levels.

Air Conditioning

Air conditioning – regardless if it is a central or window unit filters air so that allergens are unable to circulate. Even if you do not turn on the cool setting, make sure to run the fan. The air filter should be changed every 3 months at least, and you can consider one rated while having a minimum efficiency reporting value (MERV) of at least 11, which removes allergens a lot better than filters with a lower rating.

Wash Your Eyes

You can buy high-quality air filters for your HVAC. They can be more expensive, but normally offer maximum protection of up to 3 months compared to the normal filters that you normally have to change monthly.

Exercise

Allergy sufferers have discovered that running on a treadmill have found out that doing so for 30 minutes at moderate speed can significantly relieve symptoms like sneezing and congestion. Researchers have suggested that the workouts will benefit you because they can help in controlling allergy inflammatory proteins; in addition, exercise opens up nasal passages which eases congestion. The study does not check whether outdoor workouts can help as well.

Modify Your Diet

If you are allergic to certain pollens, symptoms might get worse after you eat them. For instance, cherries and apples react with birch tree pollen, and cucumbers with ragweed.

You can also talk to an allergy specialist doctor Germantown MD.

The Importance of Accurate Pollen Count

If you have sniffles and watery eyes because of seasonal allergies, you might be thinking about the pollen count, the graphics you see on the internet, and how the information helps you. People can see the daily pollen count on the news, in reports, or in the newspaper. These reports give people how much pollen is in the air. The tree pollen level, weed pollen, and grass pollen are often reported as “low”, “medium”, or “high.” On occasions, these are reports that provide more details on the kinds of trees and weed pollens present.

You might have to go see an allergy specialist before the season starts, so you can best manage it this time. Find out more about why the pollen count matters.

What Does Pollen Count Mean?

Pollen count refers to the measure of the number of pollen grains that is present in a cubic meter. It is normally recorded that day, so the pollen count forecasts will most likely reflect the daytime figures as well.

Oftentimes, they use the rotarod technique to measure the pollen grains. This involves the greased silicone rods to collect air particles, which is usually over 24 hours. Some devices can measure pollen counts over several days.

If the pollen count is 50 or less, that is low, while if it is 1,000 or more, that is high.

How Does Pollen Count Work?

It is important to understand the way pollen counts are gathered. Most of the pollen counters are positioned on top of buildings, where air samples are collected through different methods. The pollen present in the air lands on some kind of surface, like a glass microscope slide and they use petroleum jelly to coat it. A person who is trained to identify pollen uses a microscope to examine the slide, and they count the different types of pollen. Calculations will be done, which is estimates the amount of pollen in the air, according to how much pollen is collected on the slide over a certain period. Pollen level (low, medium, or high) reports are based on the pollen averages that were collected through the years.

Seeking Treatment

Even when you are trying to stay away from the outdoors when the pollen count is high, your allergies remain uncontrolled and an antihistamine only gives you temporary relief. If you want to manage your allergies better, you should contact a professional allergist for treatment and diagnosis. Allergy shots and drops are successful ways of treating and managing patients to eliminate their symptoms.

What You Must do if the Pollen Count is High

The best thing is to just stay indoors if your allergies are severe and the pollen count outside is high. If you have to be outside, you must follow these steps:

If you have to be outside, wear an allergy mask
You should keep the windows closed inside your home and car
Run the air conditioning in your car and home
After you come from outdoors, take a shower and change your clothes right away. You should shampoo your hair and wash off all the pollen
Wipe off your pets if they came from outdoors. They might carry pollen on their fur
Wear a hat and sunglasses to make sure pollen stays out of your hair and eyes

Time of Day Matters

Normally, the pollen count in the morning is high and it peaks by early afternoon or midday. After that, the pollen count will gradually fall. That means pollen count is normally low before dawn, late afternoon, or early evening.

Contact allergy center Manassas VA if you need to consult.

What You Need to Know About Peanut Allergy

It is not common these days to find that schools are declared nut-free. That means the staple in kids’ lunchboxes – peanut butter and jelly sandwich – is no longer recommended. The reason for this is that peanuts cause a life-threatening reaction in other people. Peanuts are among the food allergens that are commonly related to anaphylaxis, which is a sudden and potentially deadly condition that needs attention and treatment right away.

When you go to an allergist, they will tell you that peanut allergy might sound simple, but it is indeed life-threatening.

If you want to know more about the treatments for a peanut allergy, you should read this article until the end. Find out more now.

What is a Peanut Allergy?

When a person is allergic to peanuts, their bodies produce IgE antibodies that are specific to peanuts. In case the individual accidentally consumes peanuts, they get a reaction when they encounter antibodies. Then, the body releases inflammatory agents like cytokines, histamines, and chemokines, which lead to allergic reactions.

Some individuals that have a peanut allergy can experience severe symptoms if they consume even just a small amount of peanuts. In addition, some people who consume peanuts can die. Therefore, someone with a peanut allergy should know how they can manage their condition and treat the symptoms.

Tree Nut and Peanut Allergy

Peanuts are legumes that belong to the same family as the lentils and peas, which grow underground. Therefore, they are falling under another category compared to other tree nuts, like walnuts and almonds that grow on trees.

Anyone who has a tree nut or peanut allergy must consult an allergy doctor to see if they are allergic to peanuts as well.

Peanut Allergy Symptoms:

Wheezing
Hives
Tongue or lips swelling
Vomiting
Breathing difficulties or shortness of breath
Blue coloring of the skin or it becomes pale
Diarrhea
Indigestion
Repetitive cough
Stomach cramps
Hoarse voice or tightness in your throat
Dizziness
Weak pulse
Confusion

Treatment and Management

In order to manage a peanut allergy, an individual has to strictly avoid peanuts and any food that has them. In addition, people who have peanut allergies must avoid products that are contaminated through the process of production.

It is advised that a lot of individuals with a peanut allergy can safely consume foods containing highly refined oil, which has removed and purified the peanut protein in them. However, a lot of people should avoid cold-pressed and unrefined peanut oil because it causes an allergic reaction.

Those who are aged 4 to 17 can take a medication called Palforzia which was approved by the FDA in 2020. If the individual is 18 or older, they can continue taking the medication.

Palforzia is taken orally and it aims to reduce an allergic reaction, which includes anaphylaxis – if the person accidentally gets exposed to peanuts. A person should empty the powder into semisolid food, which they can eat like applesauce.

Reaction Treatment

If someone experiences a severe reaction like anaphylaxis, epinephrine is fine as the first line of treatment. Therefore, someone who has a peanut allergy should carry an injectable with them all the time.

In case they experience anaphylaxis, doctors can also use antihistamines, bronchodilators, and corticosteroids to manage an allergy reaction. However, they are no treatment for anaphylaxis.

The goal is to prevent a reaction in case someone accidentally eats peanuts or to induce tolerance so they can safely eat them. However, you should not try this on your own if you have a peanut allergy.

You should go to an allergy center Germantown MD right away if you experience peanut allergy symptoms.

What is Nonallergic Rhinitis

When you have allergic rhinitis, the inside of your nose is inflamed or swollen, which causes cold-like symptoms to lie blocked nose, itchiness, sneezing, and runny nose.

There is also nonallergic rhinitis that involves chronic sneezing, or you have a congested, drippy nose and you do not know what is causing it. The symptoms of nonallergic rhinitis are similar to people with hay fever, but with no typical evidence of an allergic reaction.

Nonallergic rhinitis affects adults and children, but it is more common after they are 20 years old. The nonallergic rhinitis trigger symptoms can vary and can include irritants or odors, medications, weather changes, some foods, and health conditions.

You can consult with an asthma doctor to have your symptoms checked.

How Does Nonallergic Rhinitis Happen?

Nonallergic rhinitis is caused by the inflammation of tissues inside the nose. It is also referred to as vasomotor rhinitis.

For a lot of people, nonallergic rhinitis is caused by certain triggers like some odors or medications. Some people may develop this condition because they have an underlying health problem/s.

The condition is not caused by being exposed to allergens. Nasal inflammation caused by allergens is the one caused by allergic rhinitis.

Symptoms

Rhinitis is caused by an allergy trigger like pollen, and it is a separate condition called allergic rhinitis. Nonallergic rhinitis symptoms include:

Runny nose
Blocked nose
Sneezing
Discomfort or mild irritation around and inside your nose
Sense of smell is reduced

Very rarely, nonallergic rhinitis may also cause a crust to develop inside the nose, which could:

Produce a foul odor
Can cause bleeding if you attempt to remove it

Risk Factors

Exposure irritant – If you become exposed to irritants like smog, tobacco smoke, or exhaust fumes, you might develop nonallergic rhinitis.

Above 20 years old – Allergic rhinitis normally occurs before you reach 20, but for most people, nonallergic rhinitis happens after the age of 20

Female – Due to changes in hormones, nasal congestion normally worsens during menstruation and pregnancy

Using decongestant nasal spray for a long time – When you use over-the-counter decongestant sprays or nasal drops for a couple of days, you can suffer from severe nasal congestion after the decongestant wears off, most of the time they will go through rebound congestion

Some health problems – Some chronic health conditions can make allergic rhinitis worse, like chronic fatigue, hypothyroidism, and diabetes

Exposure to occupational fumes – Nonallergic can also be triggered by airborne irritant exposure. Some triggers can include solvents, construction materials, or chemicals and fumes that come from organic material decomposition like compost.

Treatment

Nonallergic rhinitis is normally not harmful, but it is irritating and affects your quality of life. The treatment will depend mainly on the severity of the rhinitis and what causes it.

In other cases, avoiding certain triggers and doing self-care measures such as rinsing your nasal passages, can relieve your symptoms.

When you rinse your nasal passages, you can do it by using a homemade solution or a solution made using ingredient sachets that were bought from the pharmacy.

You might need to take medicine in some cases, as a nasal spray with steroids. The steroid nasal sprays can help relieve congestion, but you might have to use them for a few weeks so they can work properly.

Complications

Nasal polyps – Caused by chronic inflammation. These are benign growths that develop in the lining of your nose
Interrupted daily activities – You might be less productive or need some time off when your symptoms flare-up
Sinusitis

You can contact the allergy center Germantown MD if you want to have yourself checked in case you are experiencing symptoms.