Monthly Archives: August 2016

Hives And Skin Allergy: Everything You Need To Know About Hives

Hives or urticaria as its known along the medical corridors is a non-contagious medical condition characterized by swollen, pale red patches. According to hives and skin allergy experts, the condition comes about due to allergy but other conditions such as stress can also bring it up.

Types of hives

There are many types of hives. The most common being:

Acute urticaria: Also known as angioedema, these are hives or swelling that last for less than 6 weeks. They are caused by medicines, latex, infections, insect bites, diseases, and foods. The most common foods that cause the condition are: eggs, tomatoes, soy, fresh berries, milk, and soy. When it comes to medicines, aspirin, ibuprofen, and high blood pressure medications have been shown to bring about the condition.

Dermographism: It’s also known as physical urticaria and it affects up to 5% of the population. According to allergy doctors, the condition is triggered by simple things such as objects stroking your skin. While the resulting condition can last for years, it normally goes away on its own without requiring any medications.

Cold hives: There are two types of cold hives where one condition is rarer than the other. People suffering from the rare condition start experiencing hives over their entire body about 9 hours after exposure to cold. Those suffering from the more common condition start experiencing the symptoms almost immediately after exposure to cold.

Diagnosis and treatment of hives

When you have the symptoms of hives it’s wise that you visit an allergy doctor. Some of the signs you should look out for are: swelling of the face, lips, tongue, wheezing, trouble breathing, dizziness, and tightness in the chest. The doctor will take your history in order to determine what might have caused your condition. It’s also common for the professionals to undertake skin and blood tests to determine the things that you might be allergic to.

When it comes to treatment, most allergists treat the condition using antihistamines in order to ease the symptoms. If you have been suffering from chronic hives, you may be prescribed a combination of steroids and biologic drugs. For severe conditions, an injection of epinephrine is usually recommended.

Conclusion

Allergies are common and can be fatal in severe cases. To protect yourself, visit an allergy clinic regardless of how minor the symptoms are: It’s always said that prevention is better than cure. To avoid the condition, stay away from the triggering factors.

Tips On How To Reduce Seasonal Allergies Symptoms

If you suffer from seasonal allergies you should take measures to reduce the allergy symptoms. Here are some of the tricks that you can use:

Seasonal allergy trick no 1: Watch what you eat

Studies done by the island of Crete found that the food that you eat greatly determines your ability to keep off the allergy symptoms. According to the studies, eating fish, fruits, vegetables and olive oil greatly contributes to the easing of the symptoms. To be on the safe side avoid mucous and congestion-causing foods such as milk, processed sugars, wheat, and dairy products.

When taking fruits such as apples, peaches and bananas be cautious as they have been shown to have proteins that tend to cause symptoms similar to those caused by pollen and grass. Allergy doctors recommend that you microwave the fruits for at least 10 seconds before taking them. This is to deactivate the proteins.

Seasonal allergies trick no 2: Invest in non-toxic products

Regular products have been shown to worsen the allergy symptoms. According to experts, one of the most effective ways of avoiding the symptoms is investing in non-toxic products. The experts recommend that you invest in non-toxic mattress covers, pillows, and box springs. You should also invest in non-toxic cleaning products that are known to have safe l chemicals thus don’t cause allergic reactions.

Seasonal allergies trick no 3: Clear the air in your room

It’s recommended that you remain indoors during the allergy season. While indoors, you should invest in a purifying device that will remove allergens and other indoor pollutants thus reducing the symptoms of the allergy. The purifying device also makes it easy for you to breathe. You should place the device in your bedroom and living area.

Seasonal allergies trick no 4: Watch out for indoor mold

Mold is a huge trigger for allergies and asthma and according to allergy specialists, it’s more prevalent that you may think. It’s common in the wet areas of the house such as in the dishwasher, refrigerator pan, wood, cotton, air conditioner and papers. You should inspect these areas and if there is any mold, remove it as soon as possible.

Conclusion

These are some of the tricks that you can use to reduce the allergy symptoms. If the tricks don’t work you should try taking medications. All you need to do is visit the nearest allergy clinic and you will get advice on the best allergy and asthma treatments that you should go for.

Things To Do When Suffering From Food Allergy

If you are suffering from a food allergy you need to be careful of how you do your things. To help you out, here are some of the things that you should do:

Focus on the foods that you aren’t allergic to

When you are allergic to certain foods it’s common to focus on them and always think of them. Doing this will make you feel weak and frustrated. The best way of going about it is focusing on the foods that you can eat. You should learn the ingredients that you can add to the foods and the combinations that you can go with to make the food better tasting and more nutritious.

Be defensive when dining out

People suffering from food allergies are often advised to make their own food. If you are an outgoing person and regularly eat out, you should go ahead and do but you should be defensive when doing it. You should have a chef card with you. This is a printed note that specifies the foods and ingredients that you allergic to. When you have the card the chef will let you know whether there are foods that you can take in the restaurant. If there isn’t any, you should try your luck somewhere else. You shouldn’t take any food that you are allergic to in order to dine at a given eatery.

Read the food labels

Most of the current food labels contain plenty of information that can help you know whether the food is right for you or not. From the labels, you will know if there are wheat byproducts in the foods. To ensure that you are buying the right food take your time to carefully go through the labels and ensure that there is no ingredient that you are allergic to.

Carry allergy medications with you

Even with the best care, it’s common to make mistakes. For example, you can mistakenly eat food that you are allergic to in the restaurant. You can also develop allergic reactions from eating an ingredient that you didn’t know you were allergic to. To counter the allergic symptoms before they get worse, it’s always wise that you have the allergy medications with you all the time. All you have to do is ask your allergy doctor to prescribe the most effective for you. You can also purchase a few tablets from your local drug store.

Allergy Doctor: Mistakes To Avoid Making When Dealing With Allergy

According to allergy professionals, plenty of people suffering from seasonal allergies and other allergy types make mistakes on how they deal with the conditions. Here are some of the common mistakes:

Taking medications for an allergy you don’t understand

Studies show that when people develop allergy symptoms the first thing that they do is to dash to the pharmacies to take medications. Most of the people take the medications even when they don’t know the type of allergies that they have. You should avoid doing this. Before you take any medication first visit your allergist who will undertake some tests in order to identify the cause of your allergy. The professional will also recommend the best treatment for your condition.

Spending a lot of unnecessary money on allergy medications

There are many types of allergy medications in the market that you can go for. Some are high-end while others are cheap. Many people go for the high-end medications with the notion that they will get better results which isn’t always the case. This results in them spending a lot of unnecessary money. You should consult your doctor and he/she will recommend the best affordable medications for you. You should note that the high-end medications aren’t always the best.

Taking too long before taking the allergy medications

It’s common for the allergy symptoms to go away on their own without you taking medications. Due to this, many people avoid taking the medications with the hope of the symptoms going away. While in some cases the symptoms go away, in others they fail thus resulting in complications. To avoid the complications, you should take the medications that have worked for you in the past. For ideal results take the medications early before the season begins.

Failing to avoid the allergy triggers

It’s often said that prevention is better than cure. Due to the presence of spring allergy treatment options in the market, many people fail to avoid the triggers as they think that all they need to do is take the medications once the symptoms start showing. This is not only stupid, it’s also a sign that you aren’t serious about your health. To be on the safe side you should always avoid the allergy triggers. If you are allergic to pollen, avoid going out during the day or when the pollen count is high. Also, keep the windows and doors closed to prevent the pollen from getting in.