Tag Archives: food allergy

Foods to Take and Those to Avoid When Suffering from Hay Fever

As the weather warms, the dreaded hay fever season approaches. If you have been suffering from the condition, you know there are many ways to deal with seasonal allergies. Besides visiting an allergy doctor for medication, you must wash before bed, rub Vaseline under your nose, and use an air purifier.

It may surprise you, but what you eat can significantly impact your hay fever symptoms. Certain meals can help reduce inflammation and boost your immune system, while others can aggravate itching and sneezing.

To help you fight the condition, here is food to eat to relieve hay fever symptoms and those to avoid.

Pineapple

Pineapple significantly helps with hay fever symptoms. The reason for this is that pineapple is high in vitamins and has the enzyme bromelain.

Bromelain, found in pineapple stems and juice, causes the body to produce molecules that relieve discomfort and swelling in the nose and gums.

If you have a runny nose, itchy eyes, or a cough, eating pineapple or drinking pineapple juice will help relieve the symptoms.

Berries

You should consume vitamin C-rich meals during hay fever season. Vitamin C functions as a natural antihistamine, reducing the amount of histamine your body produces in response to allergens.

When you take berries, you will notice fewer symptoms, such as sneezing and watery eyes.

Some of the best berries to take include strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, and cranberries, high in vitamin C and antioxidants that aid with inflammation.

So, the next time you feel congested, consider eating a bowl of berries.

Carrots

Carrots are high in vitamins and minerals, which assist in reducing hay fever symptoms. This root vegetable, like sweet potatoes, beets, and pumpkins, includes carotenoid, a plant pigment that boosts the immune system and lowers lung inflammation.

Those who suffer from chest tightness during allergy season may benefit from including carrots and other root vegetables in their diet.

Kale

Carrots contain quercetin and carotenoids. Both of these pigments are antihistamines and anti-inflammatory.

If you have itchy eyes and a runny nose, consider swapping lettuce for kale in your salads.

Onions

Quercetin, a pigment that works as a natural antihistamine, is abundant in white, red, and green onions. In addition to being rich in antioxidants, the quercetin found in onions soothes cells that react to allergens, reducing inflammation and enhancing immunity and gastrointestinal health.

Many sources recommend eating onions raw for the maximum benefit because frying them reduces the quercetin concentration.

Pepper

Peppers will be your closest buddy during hay fever season if you suffer from allergies. Red, yellow, and green peppers are all high in vitamin C and carotenoids, which aid in the relief of hay fever symptoms such as itching around the eyes, nose, and throat.

You can also take chili peppers as they are anti-inflammatory as well.

Garlic

Garlic, like ginger, relieves symptoms by soothing inflammation and calming the cells that create histamine.

Garlic is also high in antioxidants, and each clove contains vitamins and minerals such as magnesium, iron, C, E, and K.

Cooking with garlic during allergy season is strongly advised because vitamin E is considered one of the finest vitamins for easing symptoms.

Salmon

Fatty and oily fish, such as salmon, are high in omega-3 acids, which improve allergy tolerance and reduce inflammation and edema.

Eating salmon can help with itching and respiratory problems like asthma. Salmon is also abundant in vitamin D, increasing serotonin production when paired with omega-3 fatty acids.

This rise in serotonin can help you sleep better, which is beneficial if you have hay fever at night.

Food to avoid

As mentioned, certain foods can worsen your condition, so you should avoid it. This includes:

Dairy

Dairy, mainly matured chees like parmesan and gouda, is not ideal for allergy patients. Cheese includes histamines, which aggravate and make your allergies worse.

This is because dairy promotes mucus production in the body, which can clog the nose and throat and aggravate runny noses and itchy tongues.

Due to the dangers of milk, you should stay away from it.

Alcohol

Everyone likes a nice pint in a pub garden during the summer, however, some types of alcohol contain histamines and might aggravate your symptoms.

Stay away from Beer, cider, and wine are the worst for allergies because they contain more histamines than spirits like vodka and gin.

To prevent your allergies from getting worse, you should avoid these types of alcohol. You can also try alcohol-free drinks to prevent the condition from coming about at all.

Apples

You must have heard the adage that an apple a day keeps the doctor away, but that’s not the case regarding hay fever.

With hay fever, when you take apples, you are bound to seek the services of a doctor because the condition will worsen.

Many research studies have been conducted to investigate how apples affect hay fever, with some claiming that red apples assist in alleviating symptoms.

This is because apples can produce pollen-food or oral allergy syndrome, a condition in which your body responds to foods in trees and grass.

You have an allergy syndrome if your lips, tongue, and inside of the mouth are itching. If you don’t have this, apples should be fine to eat during allergy season; however, if you have, apples may aggravate your symptoms, and you should stay away from them.

Melon

Melon, like apples, is linked to oral allergy syndrome and can cause allergic reactions in people allergic to grass and ragweed.

Although melons are great to take in hot weather, honeydew, and cantaloupe melons can cause inflammation in the mouth and inner ears, and you should stay away from them.

Parting shot

These are some foods you should take and those you should avoid to prevent your condition from worsening. If you take any of the foods and the situation worsens, don’t sit back and think you will get better.

Instead, you should contact an experienced allergy specialist Manassas, and have them look at you.

What is of Aspirin Desensitization

Aspirin is an important drug used by people all over the world to help with medical conditions. However, with a lot of people that suffer from a sensitivity to aspirin, using aspirin as allergy treatment is very important for positive health outcomes. You can check an allergy clinic if you want to have an effective aspirin desensitization treatment so you can offer relief for individuals.

There are about 1.2 million and 1.6 million people in the US who have aspirin-exacerbated respiratory disease, which causes a lot of frustration for a lot of patients. Due to aspirin desensitization, you can overcome the worst symptoms caused by this condition. If you want to know more about this, you can read on.

What is Aspirin-Exacerbated Respiratory Disease (AERD)?

Aspirin-exacerbated respiratory disease (AERD) includes chronic asthma, sinusitis that has nasal polyps, and aspirin sensitivity, and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Patients who have this condition experience mild to severe symptoms of any respiratory conditions for aspirin-related medications. Other medications can have ibuprofen and naproxen. Approximately 1 in 10 patients who have asthma or 1 in 3 patients with asthma and sinusitis with nasal polyps could be sensitive to aspirin and other NSAIDs that leads to having AERD.

Symptoms of Aspirin Sensitivity

People with aspirin sensitivity can have symptoms like:

Hives, itching, swelling, or
Shortness of breath, worsening and wheezing of nasal/sinus symptoms

In some cases, the aspirin adverse reaction could be serious or life-threatening.

How is AERD Diagnosed

The AERD diagnosis is clinical, which means that there is no certain test or blood result that can be used to diagnose the disease. The triad asthma plus symptoms and nasal polyps and respiratory reactions to NSAIDs are everything that is needed for diagnosis. For patients with a history of possible reaction to an NSAID is unclear, and normally it is helpful to do an aspiring challenge to confirm your diagnosis. You can do this either as an oral challenge, or a combination of oral or intranasal challenges. The procedure is in a hospital or clinic with a medical team and an experienced doctor.

In addition, people who have AERD have huge numbers of eosinophils in the nasal polyps and elevated levels of eosinophils in their bloodstream. Eosinophils are a kind of immune cell that has inflammation. Even if the presence of an elevated eosinophil level is not needed in the diagnosis, it can be good additional insight for patients.

Benefits of Aspirin Desensitization

Aspirin desensitization will allow a patient to gain these benefits:

Improved asthma control
Decreased doses of corticosteroid
Delayed regrowth of nasal polyps that causes surgeries that are less related to sinus (polyps surgeries)
Less need for medication for respiratory symptoms treatment
Aspirin tolerance (ASA) and NSAIDs
Better sense of smell and taste

Success Rate of Aspirin Desensitization

There is a recent study reported that AERD patients who can continue aspirin desensitization treatment for over a year, were the ones to experience the most benefits.

Risks of Aspirin Desensitization

The aspirin dose that is given during desensitization of aspirin is a lot smaller compared to what is taken in a lot of cases. The reactions because of a lower dose are normally less severe, in most cases compared to the reaction of what a patient would have gone through if they took a full dose. Here are the risks of aspirin desensitization:

Runny nose
Nasal congestion
Tightness in your throat
Stomach pain
Heartburn
Nausea
Hives
Blood pressure rarely drops

The physician will monitor you closely, including your vital signs, lung function, and oxygen intake.

You can check an allergy center Manassas VA anytime.

How to Relieve Itchy Hives

Hives are itchy, sometimes it has a lumpy rash that will appear on the surface of the person’s skin. Home remedies and medication can normally treat hives quickly.

Hives are intensely itchy and discolored raised areas of the skin. They can be anywhere on your body. Normally, hives have a trigger, which is both non-allergic and allergic.

While hive symptoms can be irritating, there are many ways of treating, soothing and removing them. When you go to an allergy specialist, they will talk to you about it in detail, especially the symptoms, and potential complications you can encounter.

If you have been suffering from hives, you should know that there are ways to relieve them. Read on now.

Lukewarm Bath

Hot water can be very irritating to your skin, but you can add different products to a bath so you can relieve the itching sensation. You should sprinkle in baking soda and colloidal oatmeal to achieve a soothing effect.

Colloidal oatmeal has anti-inflammatory properties and forms a protective barrier on the skin, which holds in moisture and eases inflammation. It can be found in a lot of moisturizers, cleaners, and shampoos that will benefit people who have sensitive skin.

Avoid Products that can Cause Skin Irritation

Certain soaps can dry your skin and causes more itching when you suffer from hives. Make sure to use soap that has been marketed for sensitive skin. Look for a great selection that will suit you. Choose the ones that omit fragrance and other irritants.

You must also avoid using irritating moisturizers or lotions. When you doubt it, choose a formula that will target sensitive skin. Applying it immediately after bathing can also help soothe the itch.

Follow the Treatment Plan

If you want the treatment to take effect, you should follow the treatment plan the allergy doctor recommended and created for you.

The treatment plan might not work when you take allergy medications less often than what was prescribed. For instance, if the doctor has prescribed a daily antihistamine and you only take it during a flare-up, you might still get hives.

Use Over-the-Counter Medication

Hives are treated best using over-the-counter antihistamines or topical creams such as calamine lotion or hydrocortisone. Antihistamine medications suppress the histamine that the body releases, which causes your itchy reaction. Topical treatments work on the skin cells to stop histamine from getting released. You should not apply topical creams to hives if they are on your face or if the skin is infected or broken.

Use Aloe Vera

Aloe vera is known for the healing properties it provides you.

Even if it is a natural anti-inflammatory, it can cause contact dermatitis so you should do a skin patch test before applying it.

In order to do a skin patch test, you can simply add a small amount to an unaffected area. If you can do that, apply it to the side of your forearm. If you do not encounter skin irritation within 24 hours, you can apply it to your hives.

The topical aloe vera can be applied to your hives as you need to, which is likely a couple of times a day. Make sure to follow the instructions.

When Should You See a Doctor?

The severity of hives varies. Even if most people can manage the symptoms at home, you might have to seek medical attention if:

The symptoms last for days
The symptoms worsen
The rash is too painful and leave bruises
The symptoms interfere with your daily life
You experience dizziness

You can go to an allergy center Germantown MD anytime if you need to consult a doctor.

How to Prevent Skin Allergies

Itchy skin can be frustrating, no matter what the cause is. Even if it might feel better for the time being when you scratch, it will only worsen when you scratch continuously. In order to manage itchy skin, you have to understand the cause and look for the right remedy.

Keep in mind that there is pollen in spring, dry dust in winter, and dust in the summer. These changes in the season bring you sets of irritants and reactors for millions of people that can make skin allergies worse. When you go to an allergy clinic, the doctor will explain to you what treatment is needed and how to prevent it from happening. Find out more about it now.

What Skin Allergies are There?

Skin allergies happen when you have an immune system that reacts to a perceived threat, which will normally be harmless to your body. The common symptoms of skin allergy include:

Redness
Itching
Raised bumps
Swelling
Skin flaking
Skin cracking

The best way to avoid skin allergies is to avoid or limit your contact with an allergen. However, if you encounter an allergen, you can choose home remedies to address the symptoms.

How to Manage Skin Allergies

The scratches should be kept clean – You will be tempted to scratch itchy skin. However, if you are not careful, you could end up with a blister or create a wound because of your nails. Either way, the open-wound scratches can get infected if it does not receive proper care. You should try washing your hands before touching the scratches and keeping fingernails short to lower the risk of irritation and infection.
Take a cold shower – A cold bath can help reduce allergies and skin irritation. A cold shower will help blood vessels to shrink and will not allow histamine to come out. It will also reduce skin irritation and the severity of allergic reactions.
Oatmeal – Oatmeal has different biological active properties, which include antioxidant and anti-inflammatory components. All of these can help soothe allergic skin reaction itchiness.

Among the popular ways to treat skin allergic reactions include a poultice or an oatmeal bath. Both need powdered oatmeal. You will be able to make a powdered meal when you grind store-bought oatmeal into a fine powder with a blender, coffee grinder, or food processor.

Wear the right clothes – Some kinds of materials like polyester or wool cause irritation and swelling, which leads to an itch. Clothes made from bamboo, cotton, or silk are easier on your skin by becoming more breathable and softer while it is eczema-friendly.
Olive oil – Extra virgin olive oil will go wonders as a moisturizer. Olive oil is rich in vitamin E, which is helpful in repairing skin after any allergic issues and it reduces itching as well. This type of remedy is best when you compare it to chemical moisturizers.
Air conditioner and/or humidifier – When your skin is feeling hot and/or dry, maybe you will find that the itchiness of your skin gets worse. You should use a humidifier and/or air conditioner so your skin will be in a better environment.
Medical herbs and plants (Neem, Aloe Vera, Basil, Coriander, Calendula) – Aloe Vera is an excellent choice to manage your allergies because it has strong antibacterial, anti-irritant, and anti-fungal properties. Aloe Vera has a fleshy gel that can soothe allergies.
Avoid scratching the itch – It could seem like the hardest thing to do, but you should try not to scratch your skin because the irritation will only get worse.

You can go to an allergy center Manassas VA anytime if you need more tips on how to manage skin allergies.

What are the Causes of an Itchy Throat

An itchy throat occurs for a lot of reasons, like allergies, getting exposed to irritating substances, infection, and situations that are easy to treat.

Most of the time, coughing happens if you have an itchy throat because it is the body’s defense mechanism against irritating stimulants. Other symptoms such as throat inflammation, and runny nose can also happen.

An itchy throat is irritating, but it can be worrying as well. However, it is common to have an itchy throat when you have a cold or when you are coughing. Over the years people have discovered why it is important to see an allergy specialist. You can find out more about this when you read until the end.

Dehydration

Dehydration is caused by insufficient water quantity in your body because of several factors like diarrhea, decreased fluid intake, vomiting, prolonged sun exposure, or excess sweating. Dehydration can also cause symptoms such as thirst, itchy throat, decreased output of urine, dry mouth, or low blood pressure. You can also have dry skin or eyes because of dehydration. You can also have an increased heart rate and dizziness.

Allergic Rhinitis and/or Allergies

This one is also known as hay fever, and it may be among the most common causes of an itchy throat. It occurs when the body will overreact to a harmless substance, which releases a chemical known as histamine causing overreactions. Some of the common triggers are skin flakes from animal hair, pollen, irritants, and dust like cigarette smoke or even exhaust fumes. Food allergies like eggs, shellfish, milk, peanuts, and wheat can cause itching in your mouth and throat as well. A lot of people suffer from allergies to some medications, like penicillin and also other antibiotics. Itchiness in your throat starts shortly after you take a new medication is a drug allergy.

Acid Reflux

This is also known as heartburn, and if your stomach acid enters your trachea, throat irritation is one of the known symptoms. If you are suffering from this condition, it can happen more often when you are lying down.

Viral and Bacterial Infections

Viruses that are caused by the common cold or flu virus can trigger an itchy throat. When you are suffering from the flu, you can get a dry cough, fever, sore throat, nasal congestion, runny nose, and headache as well. Regardless if it is because of the flu or worsening colds, these headaches can be caused by a build-up of fluid in your sinuses, and nasal passages. It makes them swollen, which causes pain-inducing pressure.

Food Allergy

A food allergy is caused by an exaggerated inflammatory response to a certain substance that you find in food. Inflammation affects different parts of the body, like your eyelids, mouth, and tongue, which makes breathing harder.

Medication allergies are similar to food allergies, but the allergic substance is normally easily identified while the allergy response is normally a lot quicker.

Medication

A side effect of a specific medication can be a scratchy throat or dry cough. An allergy to a certain medication can be the cause as well.

Tonsil or Cold Infection

Some respiratory infections, such as tonsil infection, cold, or pharyngitis, leave your throat itchy before it develops into serious symptoms like local inflammation and pain. Other symptoms can include coughing, runny nose, ear itching, fever, discomfort, and chills that can be very uncomfortable. Sometimes, your sleep will be ruined and you will have trouble getting back to sleep.

You can talk to an allergist specialist Germantown MD anytime you need to consult someone about your itchy throat.

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.

What to do if Someone has Allergies

Allergies are a common indication of illness and can happen at any time in someone’s life. Different things can cause allergies from medication to pollen, which means it can be challenging to know the best home remedies or treatments.

When your body encounters allergens, it causes mild symptoms such as watery eyes, skin irritation, or sneezing. In other people, allergies could lead to anaphylaxis. When this happens, the person will experience a life-threatening condition. It will result in shock, blood pressure suddenly drops, and breathing difficulty. This can cause respiratory failure and also cardiac arrest.

If there is an allergy clinic nearby, you can take them there right away or contact an ambulance. Find out more about how you can help someone with an allergic reaction because you might be able to save someone’s life.

Allergic Reaction Symptoms

Rash
Itching
Hives
Watery eyes and sneezing
Mouth or throat swelling
Nausea
Fast and weak pulse
Rapid or difficulty in breathing

When you touch, eat, or breathe something you are allergic to, your immune system will produce histamines to handle a bothersome substance.

However, while your body has good intentions, the natural response triggers the symptoms that were mentioned.

Call Emergency

You need to call medical assistance since the allergic reaction can affect the person quickly, and it is potentially dangerous. The reaction could cause their airway to swell, and make them stop breathing eventually.

Calling the emergency hotline is better compared to driving there yourself. Emergency technicians in the ambulance follow certain protocols and access treatments mainly for severe allergic reactions.

Aside from that, a lot of people with severe and life-threatening allergies always have an injector that delivers epinephrine. It helps reverse allergic reactions while waiting for medical care.

Treatment

If the allergic reaction is mild to moderate, it can be treated at home or they can drink OTC medications. The treatments can be commonly used to reduce allergic reaction symptoms.

Antihistamines are taken to prevent symptoms like hives as it blocks your body’s histamine receptors so your body will not react to allergens. Decongestants help clear your nose and are effective for treating seasonal allergies. However, you should not take them for more than three days.

These medications can be bought in tablets, nasal sprays, and eye drops. A lot of OTC drugs cause drowsiness as well, so you should not take them before doing anything.

Stay Away from the Allergen

The best way you can treat and prevent any allergic reaction is to be aware of your triggers and stay away, especially from food allergens.

When this is not realistic or possible, using decongestants or antihistamines when you encounter allergens are helpful in treating symptoms.

How to Treat Severe Allergies

People must talk to a professional If they suspect that they are suffering from chronic or severe allergies.

An allergy or doctor specialist is able to prescribe medications that contain many stronger doses of compounds available in OTC products.

The treatment options for severe or chronic allergies are:

Allergy shots or immunotherapy. The immunotherapy can be between 90 to 98% effective when it comes to reducing allergic reactions to insect bites or stings.
Asthma medications are prescribed, like inhaled corticosteroids and bronchodilators.
You can take oral cromolyn if you suffer from food allergies.
Drug desensitization therapy can be used for certain allergens.

Natural Remedies

Dietary changes – Low-fat diet with complex carbohydrates
Bioflavonoids – Plant-based chemicals found in citrus fruits
Supplements – Zinc, flaxseed oil, and vitamins A, C, and E
Acupuncture – – These treatments can help some people find relief symptoms

You can go to an allergy center Manassas VA for treatment.

Types of Skin Allergies

Skin conditions can be difficult to identify. Is it hives or dermatitis? A breakout or infection? Since rashes should be treated in a specific way, if you are unaware of what you have, you could be making it worse. Regardless if it is minor nuisance or an epidermis nightmare, there are ways that you can soothe your skin when you know what you are dealing with.

With the majority of skin conditions, you might have a genetic predisposition which is why you have them. Allergies cannot be exacerbated by stress because they can be emotional, like meeting your future in-laws, or they can also be environmental like an allergen.

Before going to an allergy center, it helps if you know the types of skin allergies.

Eczema

This is medically known as atopic dermatitis and its characteristics are red, dry, splotchy, crusty, cracked, or flaky skin, and it can emit fluid if you scratch it. Normally, it is clustered around your elbows and knees, but it can appear on your skin anywhere. That is why you will also find eczema on your neck, arms, and legs.

It affects one in fifty adults, but it is most common in children.

Hives

Hives are skin inflammations that are triggered when your immune system releases histamine. This will cause the small blood vessels to leak, and it causes your skin to swell. The swollen deep layers of the skin are known as angioedema. There are two kinds of urticaria, chronic and acute. Acute urticaria happens after you eat a particular food or you encounter a certain trigger.

Contact Dermatitis

Contact dermatitis has the same symptoms as eczema, and it can be a scaly or blistered red rash, depending on the cause and its severity. Normally, the rash has a distinct border.

Contact dermatitis can appear after you get exposed to an allergen or irritant, and it is a common rash because of external factors. Normally, allergens cause a blistered, shiny, and itchy rash while the irritants can be scaly, dry, or less itchy. It will appear hours to days after you get exposed.

Seborrheic Dermatitis

Similar to dandruff, seborrheic dermatitis is a fungus that normally crops up in oily areas like the face, scalp, back and upper chest.

Based on a study, it is very common and affects about 12% of the general population and 70% of infants during the first three months of their life. It seems to be caused by yeasts that belong to the genus Malassezia.

Angioedema

Angioedema is swelling in the skin’s deep layers. Most of the time, it is seen together with urticaria. Angioedema can occur in soft tissues like the eyelid, genitals, or mouth. Angioedema is known as “acute” in case the condition will last only a short time like minutes to hours. Acute angioedema is commonly caused by allergic reactions to medications or foods. Chronic recurrent angioedema happens when the condition keeps on returning over and over. It normally does not have any cause.

Rosacea

Rosacea will cause redness and thickness on your face, normally clustered in the center. Flushing, stinging sensation and small pus-filled pimples are common signs of the condition, which is normally confused with an acne breakout.

Psoriasis

Psoriasis will cause patches of thickened skin, most of the time, scaly flakes on your skin. It is normally found around your feet, elbows, palms, and knees, and you can also have psoriasis on your scalp.

Other symptoms are scales, aside from rashes. About 20% of people with psoriasis also experience psoriatic arthritis.

You can contact an asthma doctor Germantown MD if you are experiencing skin allergy to get the best treatment.

How to Fight Fatigue from Allergies

If you are suffering from allergy fatigue, you are aware that it can be frustrating because you have to deal with sneezing, itchy eyes, and a runny nose.

There is another common symptom you might not think is associated with allergies: fatigue.

An allergy specialist will tell you that allergies can make you feel tired for different reasons, which include allergic reactions. Other indirect factors like difficulty sleeping, which might also make you feel fatigued.

Either way, it would be important to identify the reason behind your allergies so you can stay away from triggers. The doctor will help you identify what can cause symptoms, together with a recommended treatment to alleviate them. Read more about it now:

Know What You Are Allergic to

If you want to treat allergies, you should know what you are up against.

An allergy test helps identify substances that can trigger allergic reactions. These substances, which are called allergens, can be the things you are breathing in, touching, or eating.

A skin allergy test involves exposing the skin on your back or arm to small amounts of allergens to find out what you react to. These tests are normally done in one sitting, and you will get results immediately.

Blood allergy tests can check for allergens and it is useful if you are taking medication that interferes with the results. It is also effective in case your doctor thinks you have a severe reaction to a small amount of allergen.

Allergy Shots

If over-the-counter allergy medications do not help you enough, the doctor might recommend allergy shots or injections that help reduce allergic reactions.

This is also called immunotherapy, and the shots work by introducing your body to small amounts of the substance that triggers your allergies.

Over time, your time is going to get used to the allergen, which helps you control symptoms.

Low-histamine Diet

Since histamine is broken down by your liver, supporting the liver using bitter cooling herbs like Andrographis, dandelion, and artichoke leaf is a crucial consideration. A diet that is low in histamine helps you during allergy season. The main elements of this diet are excluding foods with high histamine and promoting histamine release, and the addition of nutrients that act as natural histamines.

Take Allergy Medication at Night

Antihistamines are an effective and common way to control allergies, and modern allergy medicines are less likely to cause drowsiness compared to older ones. However, some people might still feel tired after they take an allergy pill, especially if they have not taken one recently.

If you need help reducing drowsiness and becoming more alert during the daytime, you must take your antihistamine in the evening instead of in the morning.

Consistency is key to reducing drowsiness caused by antihistamines – the longer you take a daily medication, the easier your body can tolerate side effects.

Not all antihistamines are for daily use, so you should talk to the doctor before you start or change allergy medications to make sure it is good for you.

Neti Pots

A neti pot or container you use to rinse nasal passages helps relieve allergy symptoms.

You should fill the device with distilled water and salt in order to create a saline solution, then you need to use it to clear out allergens and mucus in mucus membranes.

Neti pots help relieve runny nose, congestion, and other symptoms, but if you are feeling tired, it can help you take allergy medication at the same time.

You can find allergy doctor Manassas VA anytime if you are suffering from fatigue because of your allergies to get proper treatment.