Monthly Archives: February 2023

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.   

 

How to Prevent Food Allergies in Kids

Food allergies are a constant concern for parents. Almost 6 million children become affected by food allergies, and food allergy prevalence of food allergy has a 50% increase since 1997. Having a sibling or parent with allergies increases the risk of a child developing allergies. Therefore, if you or your partner is among the 9 million adults that suffer from food allergies, you could be wondering how you can prevent the same for a child.

You can go to an allergy doctor during your pregnancy to get the best advice on what to do so you can prevent allergies as much as possible. There are always treatments you can get, but it is a lot better if you do not have to at all.

Do Not Restrict the Diet of Your Child

Maternal diet while pregnant or in lactation must not be restricted because it is a way of preventing the development of food allergies.

The main point has been the topic of debate for so many years. Based on the discussion, it is the desire for parents to lessen the chance that their child is going to develop food allergies. An older piece of advice has suggested avoiding allergenic foods while pregnant and during breastfeeding as a way to decrease food allergy risks. Unfortunately, this strategy is not proven to be effective when it comes to reducing food allergies.

Breastfeed Your Baby

Breastfeeding your baby can help prevent the development of food allergies. Since breastfeeding is connected to a lot of health benefits, it is recommended that you breastfeed your baby beyond 2 years old.

Introduce Common Food Allergens When they are Ready for Solid Foods

For most babies, this is about 6 months. Your baby can have solid foods when they can already do the following:

  • Hold their head up
  • Tell you when they are already full
  • Sit and lean forward
  • Pick up food while bringing it to their mouth

You should not introduce solid foods before 4 months old. Your baby is not going to be ready. It is not going to help reduce the risk of your baby developing a food allergy.

Once you have introduced only a few other solid foods, you can offer food allergens all at one time. There is no research showing that you have to wait a certain number of days between those.

Foods You Can Take to Help Prevent Allergic Disease

When you are an expectant mother and eat foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids, you can decrease the risk of allergic diseases in your child. This appears to be true if you have asthma and you have a male child.

Foods high in omega 3 are:

  • Sardines
  • Salmon
  • Tuna
  • Oysters
  • Chia seeds
  • Mackerel
  • Flaxseeds
  • Walnuts
  • Fortified foods like certain brands of yogurt, eggs, milk, and juices

Eating foods rich in vitamin D also reduces the risk of food allergy and asthma in children.

Foods high in vitamin D are:

  • Fish
  • Dairy products
  • Mushrooms
  • Egg yolks
  • Vitamin D-enriched foods such as soy milk, cereal, and orange juice
Early Introduction can Help Prevent Peanut Allergy

Studies have shown that giving foods that contain peanuts early to high-risk infants can prevent peanut allergies from developing.

Giving foods that contain peanuts early to an infant can help prevent peanut allergy. Based on the study, a group of infants that are at risk of peanut allergies that were given 2 grams of peanut thrice a week had a lot less peanut allergy when they reached 5 years old.

You can talk to an Allergist Germantown MD if you need more advice about this.