Monthly Archives: May 2016

Allergy Doctor: Taking A Look At The Common Types Of Allergy

You are said to have an allergy when your body’s immune systems responds to an allergen and as a result you develop symptoms that include: wheezing, itchiness of the eyes, breathing problems skin rashes and hives, and many others. There are many types of allergies that you can have. The most common being:

Hives and Skin allergy

Hives and skin allergy come about when your skin gets into contact with a product that you are sensitive to. The product can be latex, jewelry, or any other item. There are some people that have developed allergy when they are bitten by an insect or when they get into contact with an animal such as a cow or cat. The most common symptoms of skin allergy are hives that appear on the top layer of the skin.

Hives can appear on any part of the body including face, neck arms and in rare cases appear in all parts of the body. In addition to hives you may also experience rashes, swelling and cracking of the skin. Prevention is always the best cure where you should avoid the products that you are allergic to. If you already have the condition the best way of treating it is using aloe very gel, calendular cream or any other anti-itch lotion.

Food allergy

You develop food allergy when you ingest foods that your immune system is sensitive to. Different people are allergic to different types of foods, but the most common foods that cause allergies are: oats, eggs, meat and milk. Symptoms of this condition include: Faint in the head, intestinal problems such as diarrhea, abdominal distress and queasiness. It’s also common to have respiratory problems such as wheezing and breathlessness. The only guaranteed solution to this problem is avoidance of the allergy causing food.

Respiratory allergies

From their name, these are conditions that result from inhaling allergens which include pollen from trees, weeds and grass. There are other people that develop the condition when they inhale pet dander, mold spores and dust mites. In most cases when you are allergic to air borne allergens, the inhalants clog your sinuses creating facial pressure that makes your eyes water and itch. You are also bound to sneeze and have a runny or stuffy nose. In some cases you may have an itchy feeling in your mouth.

Conclusion

These are the three main types of allergies that you can have. To know more about your condition and the best medications to take consult your allergy doctor.

Simple Ways Of Dealing With Seasonal Allergies

Seasonal allergies or spring allergies as they are also known as affect over 20% Americans. They are characterized by congestion, running nose, sneezing and other symptoms. If you are one of the many people with the condition, you need to know how to deal with it. Some of the ways of dealing with the allergies include:

Visiting an allergy doctor

This is the first thing that you should do before even the season begins. The allergy doctor will conduct tests in order to establish the triggers and recommend the best medication for your condition. There are many types of medications that you can take to relief the condition. The most common are:

Antihistamines: They aid in relieving itching, sneezing, runny nose and watery eyes. Some of the best that you can go for are Claritin and Alavert.

Decongestants: From their name these are medications that provide relief from nasal stuffiness. You can take them orally or as nasal sprays. The best include: Afrin, and phenylephrine. If you have tried taking the above medications before and didn’t work, the doctor may recommend allergy shots.

Protecting yourself from the allergens

Your biggest enemies during spring are pollen. To protect yourself from them you should stay indoors during the dry, windy days when there is plenty of pollen in the air. The best time to go outside is after a good rain. The rain will remove plenty of the pollen from the air. If you live in the farm you should avoid activities that require you to stay outdoors. Instead of doing it yourself you should hire someone to do weed pulling and other gardening chores for you. If you have to be outside, protect yourself by wearing a pollen mask.

Avoiding allergy by keeping your indoor air clean

There are many things that you can do to keep indoor air clean. One of the most effective ways is using an air conditioner both in your house and car. If you are allergic to moist air, keep the moist air dry by using a dehumidifier. You should also regularly replace air filters after even month. To improve the quality of air in the house, consider installing HEPA air filters in your air conditioner.

Conclusion

These are some of the simply ways of coping with spring allergies. Before you start taking any medications, visit an allergy clinic for diagnosis and testing. This will help you know the specific allergens that trigger your condition. You will also know the right medications to take.

Unraveling Hives and skin allergy

Hives or skin allergy refers to small bumps that appear on the skin as a result of the body’s reaction to an allergen or other unknown cause. Hives cause itching on the surface of the skin thus making you uncomfortable. If you are having the condition, you should consult an allergist as soon as possible in order to have your normal life back.

Causes of skin allergy

According to allergy specialists, hives form due to the release of histamine. This is a chemical that is released when the body interacts with an allergen such as pollen and dust. When histamine is released, small blood vessels pop out of the surface of the skin resulting to the condition.

Diagnosis of hives

It’s good to note that there aren’t specific tests for hives. When you visit the doctor’s office, he/she relies on the information that you provide to try and figure out the cause of the condition. To give your doctor an easy time, give accurate information.

Treatment of hives

The medication given to you depends on the nature of your condition. If the condition is minor, the doctor may prescribe antihistamines to aid in bringing down the level of histamine in the bloodstream. If you have severe allergy, the doctor may inject you with epinephrine. In addition to the medications, the doctor will also require you to take good care of the affected area for it to heal properly. Some of the things that you should do to take good care of the areas include:

Conduct daily activities in a cool environment. This calls for you to avoid high-temperature environments.
Place a wet cloth or towel on the affected regions.
Avoid covering the affected area. If covering the affected area is inevitable, cover it with a light material.

Conclusion

Studies show that many people don’t visit allergy doctors when they have skin allergy and hives. The main reason for this is because the hives tend to disappear after sometime. While failing to visit an allergy doctor may save you some money, you might be incubating a ticking time bomb. To avoid the condition from getting worse, it’s wise that you visit a doctor so that he/she can find the root cause of your condition. The professional will also give you medications and advice that will prevent the condition from occurring again.

Allergy Doctor: Taking A Look At The Best Allergy Treatments For Children

It’s common for children to develop allergies. They can be food, respiratory or seasonal allergies. The cool thing is that regardless of the type of allergy that your child is suffering from there are many good treatments in the market. Some of these treatments include:

Antihistamines as allergy treatments

They have been used for centuries where they work by dampening the allergic reactions where they suppress the effects of histamine in the body tissues. Antihistamines come in different forms: There are those that come in tablet form, others in syrup form and others as nasal sprays.

Allergists recommend that you give the medications before the symptoms start showing. The best time to give the medications is before the child goes to bed. This is to keep off symptoms that tend to worsen between 4 am and 6 am. Also consider giving the medications before the beginning of the allergy season. Some of the best antihistamines that you should give include: Desloratadine, hydroxyzine, azelastine, olopatadine, cetirizine, fexofenadine, diphenhydramine and loratadine.

Corticosteroids as allergy treatments

Also known as steroids or cortisones, these treatments are heavily used in stopping allergy symptoms. Just like antihistamines, they come in different forms including: Creams, nasal sprays, pills, liquids, and asthma inhalers. Creams and ointments are used in treating skin allergy where you can apply them once or twice a day. Nasal sprays on the other hand are used in the treatment of respiratory allergy. Doctors recommend them in reducing mucus, itching and congestion. When using them, ensure that you spray them away from the child’s septum. If the nose has plenty of mucus, first clear it.

Allergy shots

Allergy shots or immunotherapy as they are known as in the medical corridors are recommended when the child is too sensitive to airborne allergens such as pollen. They are just like the regular vaccines where the child is given the allergen that he/she is allergic to so that he/she can develop immunity against it. Unlike other allergy treatments that work almost immediately, allergy shots take time to work thus you need to be patient and committed. You should visit an allergy clinic where the allergy specialist will let you know how the shots will be administered.

Conclusion

These are a few of the best allergy treatments that you can go for. While most of the over-the-counter medications work, it’s recommended that you get advice of your allergy doctor before you start giving your child any type of medication.