If you have been struggling with asthma, you should know that you have the condition because your airways are more sensitive to the triggers which can be anything from dust to exercises. While there are no known asthma treatments, there are a number of things you can do to manage the condition.

How to manage asthma

The first thing you need to do to manage the disease is to know the symptoms associated with it. When you are suffering from the condition, you tend to suffer from breathlessness, wheezing, continuing cough, and a tight feeling in the chest. To manage the condition, you need to know when the condition comes about. This will help you know the triggering factors.

If you aren’t sure of the factors that cause it, visit an asthma expert to help you. Once you have known the triggers, you should avoid them as much as possible. For example, if the symptoms are heightened when the plants are pollinating, you need to avoid the pollens as much as you can. On the other hand, if you are sensitive to pet dander, you may have to get rid of the pets.

Asthma doctors have been able to show that exercise, breathing classes, and meditation classes are highly valuable in managing the condition. According to the doctors, the exercises come in handy in keeping the lungs in top shape thus reducing the highly sensitive nature.

Another way of managing the condition is making lifestyle changes in your life. You need to avoid exposing yourself to a lot of stress, deep emotional feelings, and lack of sleep. Whenever you are in stressful situations such as due to family or work, find ways of distressing.

If you have tried preventing the condition from coming about without success, you should try treating it. All you need to do is visit your allergy doctors, and the professionals will recommend the best medication. There are plenty of drugs that the doctor can give you.

The most common are reliever medications. These are short-acting bronchodilators that bring fast relief during an acute attack. The medications relax the airway muscles causing them to open; as a result the symptoms go away. You can take the medications as syrup, aerosol spray, or tablet.

Conclusion

The asthma doctors can also give you preventer medications. These are anti-inflammatory medications that prevent acute attacks. An allergist will give you the medication on its own or in combination with other long-acting bronchodilators.

Food allergies can be very daunting when dealing with them and the effects range from mild to deadly effects. Allergies don’t have any cure so anyone with a food allergy must be very careful and avoid certain foods that may trigger a reaction. Below are tips to consider when dealing with a food allergy:

Tips to consider when suffering from food allergy

Always remember to carry your medication: If the doctor, for example, prescribed an emergency medication, always remember to take it with you everywhere you go so that you can be prepared when it decides to strike. You should note that different people require different types of medications. To ensure that you take the right ones, speak to your doctor.

Read labels: Many food labels nowadays contain important allergy information like whether a certain type of food was produced in a place where they process nuts or whether the additives contain any by-products of wheat or milk. Read each label every time and even if you may have purchased an item and it normally doesn’t give you any reaction, this doesn’t mean that they will always be allergy free since manufacturers tend to change their ingredients after some time thus an allergen might be part of a new creation.

Be careful when cooking: When every member of the family isn’t on an allergen free diet, you may need to be extra careful so as to avoid cross contamination, therefore it might be a good idea to always have two sets of utensils and also two sets of cooking; one for the allergic members and another for the allergy-free members. Also, remember to wash the utensils using hot water and wash thoroughly.

Know the signs and symptoms to watch out for: It is very important to know how bad a reaction might be, so watch out for any signs like itching, wheezing, swelling, vomiting, nausea, anxiety, dizziness, shock etc. This will help you be able to manage the reaction before it gets worse.

Conclusion

These are some of the tips you should consider when you are allergic to certain foods. While the allergy symptoms might seem minor at the start, they can be lethal especially when you allow them to last for a long time. Regardless of how minor the symptoms are, visit an allergy doctor who will recommend the best medications. As rule of thumb ensure that the professional is highly experienced in handling the issues.

You are said to have asthma when the airways are always a little bit swollen. When you exercise or inhale any products that irritate the lungs, the lung muscles start tightening resulting in a plethora of symptoms that include: wheezing, coughing, and a choking sensation.

If you don’t take asthma treatments at the right time, the condition can get worse and have a difficulty breathing. There are two main types of the condition: allergic and endogenous asthma. Allergic asthma is common in children while endogenous asthma occurs in adults. In addition to the mentioned details, other things you need to know about asthma include:

Many factors trigger it

The condition comes about due to many things. Some of these things include: polluted air, dust mite, pollen, hair, pet excretions, and car fumes. The condition also comes about when you are suffering from respiratory tract infections or unhealthy lifestyles such as strenuous physical activities, depression, or emotional anxiety.

You can prevent it

Even if you are prone to the condition, you can prevent it from occurring. Some of the things you can do to keep it from coming about include:

Keep the house clean: This calls for you to do plenty of things. Some of the things you can do is to avoid carpets, pillows, and other things that can harbor dust. You also should regularly clean your clothes and place them in the wardrobe. Blinds can’t hold dust thus you should go for them instead of curtains.

Avoid polluted air: As mentioned above, the quality of the air you breathe has a great impact on whether you will develop the symptoms or not. To avoid the symptoms, be cautious of the air you take in. To ensure that you always have clean air, keep your house well ventilated. You also shouldn’t allow people to smoke in the house. Finally, avoid places with plenty of dust. These include construction sites and crowded areas.

How to keep your asthma in check

Even with the best preventative measures in place, it’s common for asthma to develop at any time. To have an easy time managing it you should always have the allergy medications with you all the time. Before you travel or change medications, visit your allergy doctor to have the condition analyzed and be given the best medication.

Conclusion

This is what you need to know about asthma. You should note that the condition is dangerous and it can lead to grave consequences if you don’t manage it at the right time.

Millions of people suffer from nasal allergies. The allergies affect not only the nose but the whole of your life while trying to cope up with the difficult symptoms. Luckily, there are some ways for dealing with the allergies that can improve your well-being, but also your whole quality of life. Since there is no cure for allergies, learning how to address nasal allergy can be almost as good.

Types of Nasal Allergies

The two known types of nasal allergies include seasonal and perennial. They all occur year-round and also causes the same symptoms.

• Seasonal Allergies are also called hay fever. They are mostly caused by grass or weed pollens and occur at specific times during the year.
•  Perennial Allergies occur all year round. They are caused by pet dander, mold spores, and cockroaches. Or, if you are allergic to dust mites that are found in your house. This type is easy to control through limiting your exposure to these triggers.

Dealing With Nasal Allergies

In addition to treatment, the best way to avoid allergies is learning how to handle them. Here are simple tips that you can follow and get help.

Remove Pollen-Producing Indoor Plants: Insects pollinate most indoor houseplants. Hence they are likely to cause hay fever through the pollen disperse. Minimize Indoor plants like trees, grasses, and shrubs in your living room.

Use hot wash to kill dust mites: The dust mite is one of the biggest causes of indoor allergies. They are tiny insects living in your bedding or stuffed animals. Consider washing all your bedding using hot water and dry them in a hot dryer to kill dust mites. Also, keep of stuffed animals near your bed and at least wash your blankets and sheets once a week.

Clean hidden sports for indoor allergy: Most preferred hiding places for dust and mold are in curtains, windows, and blinds. Poorly ventilated laundry rooms, refrigerator drain pans, basements, and old books also is a good hiding for indoor allergy culprits. Wipe down your bathroom and vacuum your floors more often. Make sure you wear a mask when cleaning.

How to Relief Your Nose Immediately

• Flush irritants, allergens and mucus using net pot.
• Clean your breathing passages using heat therapy.
• Use therapeutic warming pillow to relieve pressure and sinus pain. The heat helps in loosening up the mucus.

Conclusion

Dealing with nasal allergies can be a bit tricky. The above tips will make things easier for yourself. To keep the condition in check, you should regularly visit your allergy doctor.

These days, food allergies are continuing to increase. This is partly because many people are consuming a lot of processed foods. These foods often contain additives and preservatives. As a result of this, the body will react to foreign ingredients that have been added to the food. Since this is the case, it is worth educating ourselves on the facts about food allergy. Please read on to find out what these facts are.

Fact #1: The Symptoms Of Food Allergy will Vary

These days there are many different types of food allergies. This means that the symptoms of each allergy will vary in severity. One person may have to be rushed to the hospital to receive treatment. Another may only have a small rash around their mouth, or feel a little sick in the stomach.
Be aware that the symptoms of such allergies will change with age. If you have a child with food allergies, know that the allergies will have disappeared by the time they turn three years old. Sensitivity to certain foods will also go away as they get older.

Fact #2: Reactions Will Occur At Different Times

Reactions to the allergies will all occur at different times. Some might appear only a few minutes after you have ingested the food. Others may take a couple of hours. And there will be some reactions which may take several days to appear. A person may have consumed a chocolate bar on Wednesday, but their rash may not appear until Thursday. “Eat now, and pay later” is a well-known phenomenon when it comes to food allergies.

Fact #3: Food Allergies Are Usually Related To Doses

One mouthful of peanut may be OK for one person to consume, but any more than that, or if it is spread onto a piece of toast, then this is sure to result in a reaction. Wheezing is one common response to peanut allergies. Most people will not have any response to a cup of milk every day. However, others may start to feel sick after they have consumed two or three cups of it. You can be sure that if you consume shellfish on a daily basis, a rash will begin to spread to others areas on your body. It might be perfectly fine if you consumed some crap over several hours on a daily basis.

Conclusion

These are just a few facts that are worth being aware of. The best way to avoid getting the allergies, is eating healthy and cook your food. Sometimes the allergy symptoms can be fatal; therefore, you shouldn’t ignore them. To be on the safe side, visit your allergy doctor whenever you see even the most minor symptoms.

Warm sunny days are here again, and most welcome them with open arms after a long, cold winter. The drawback for allergy sufferers is that allergens are everywhere and seem to be especially bad this year. Allergies not only affect the nasal passages, but can affect the eyes as well.

Ocular allergies

Ocular allergies, or allergic conjunctivitis can cause itching, redness, lid swelling, tearing, light sensitivity, and swollen eyes. The severity of symptoms can vary from mild irritation to severe itching and burning. Allergy experts estimate that 20% of Americans suffer from ocular allergies. Eyes are especially vulnerable to allergens and irritants. Allergens cause cells in the eye to release histamine, which causes blood vessels to dilate and mucous membranes to become itchy, causing the eyes and lids to become inflamed. When the blood vessels expand, more allergen molecules can flow from the bloodstream to the eye, causing redness and swelling.

Allergens are more prevalent outdoors, but common indoor allergens include pet dander, dust mites, and molds. These indoor allergens are present year-round and cause perennial allergic conjunctivitis for some. For contact lens wearers, the irritation caused by ocular allergies, can be particularly severe. Allergens can bind to the contact lens surface and prolong exposure to the eye. Ocular allergies can drive some contact lens wearers to stop wearing contacts. Increasing the frequency of lens replacement can be helpful. Talk to your doctor about daily disposables.

Treatment options for the condition

The response of symptoms to anti-histamine medication can indicate whether allergies are causing the symptoms. Allergy testing and review of patient’s life and environment help to identify sources.

If you suffer from an ocular allergy:

See an allergist to identify allergens causing symptoms.

Some people find comfort in cold compresses on the eyes. The compression reduces the inflammation in the blood vessels. Artificial tear drops cooled in a refrigerator can provide similar relief.

Topical medications are commonly used and tend to be an effective ocular allergy treatment. Delivering medication directly to the eye reduces the risk of side effects to other areas of the body. Dual action anti-allergic drugs are applied twice daily and combine the antihistamine with medication that stabilizes the eye’s mast cells. These drugs can be implemented before inserting lenses in the morning and after they have been removed at night, maintaining contact lens wear and minimizing discomfort associated with allergies. Before you start using any of the medications, you should ask your allergy doctor if this treatment option will work.

When you have asthma, you not only need to be cautious of the quality of the air you breathe, you also need to be wary of the foods that you take. To be on the safe side, here are some of the foods you should avoid taking as recommended by asthma treatments experts:

Nuts

Millions of people around the world are allergic to nuts. According to allergy professionals, the allergy is brought about by the oils from the nuts. When you are allergic to the oil, your airways swell thus worsening your condition. To be on the safe side, you should avoid all types of nuts. This calls for you to be extra cautious when making food purchases. When buying, carefully examine the food labels and ensure that there are no nuts in the food.

Seafood

Seafood contains proteins that cause allergic reactions and anaphylactic shock that can trigger asthmatic attacks. This calls for you to avoid fish, shellfish, and other foods. According to experts, the shock brought about by the foods is usually severe; therefore, you should be cautious that you don’t ingest the food. To avoid surprises or complications, experts recommend that you always carry an epinephrine pen to ease the symptoms in the event of accidental ingestion.

Food preservatives

Most of the canned foods contain preservatives such as sulfites that have often been associated with asthmatic attacks. Food additives such as aspartame and monosodium glutamate have also been shown to affect those with asthma significantly. To be on the safe side, you should avoid foods with additives. Also, avoid taking canned foods such as dried vegetables, fruits, pickles, and shrimp.

Salty foods

Food without salt is tasteless, but you should avoid taking a diet that has a lot of salt. Experts report that a diet rich in salt has adverse effects on the lungs where it has been shown to cause an edematous response that triggers more fluids into the lung tissues. Salt has also been shown to increase mucus products that worsen the allergy attacks. To be safe, and have an easy time managing your condition you should avoid foods with a lot of salts such as pickles and others.

Conclusion

These are some of the foods that you should avoid when you have asthma. In the event you take the foods accidentally, you should rush to an allergy clinic where you will be tested, and the right medication recommended.

Also referred to as allergic conjunctivitis, ocular allergies are among the most common allergy types. They occur when an allergic substance irritates the conjunctiva, a delicate membrane that covers the eye from the inside. The eye is susceptible to such irritants due to its open exposure. Some of the irritants or triggers of ocular allergy are classified as follows:

• Outdoor allergens. They include pollens from weeds, grass, and trees.
• Irritants such as cigarette smoke, diesel exhaust, and perfume.
• Indoor allergens including pet dander, mold, and dust mites.

Pathophysiology of the condition

When you get into contact with the irritant, the eye reacts immunologically. The immune system is activated releasing antibodies, also known as immunoglobulins. These are chemical mediators of the human cells. Antibodies travel to the cells where they prime the release of chemicals causing an allergic reaction. Allergic reactions result to serious sequel and a variety of signs and symptoms.

Signs and symptoms of ocular conjunctivitis

• Severe itching
• Redness
• Burning sensation at the conjunctiva
• Clear, watery eye discharge
• Temporary eye blurredness
• Puffy eyes

Diagnosis of eye allergy

Diagnosis of eye allergy is relatively old fashioned and has no frills. Unlike other serious conditions, no expensive accouterments, no high powered kits, biomarkers or tear samplings are required for confirmation. Clear observation of the signs and symptoms can be used to confirm the condition. However, slit lamp examination may be requested by your allergy doctor to rule out other causes and differential diagnosis such as corneal injury.

Treatment and management

There are many ways in which you can treat the condition. Some of these ways include:

Avoiding ocular allergens is the mainstay management option for this condition. You can avoid this by keeping windows closed during high pollen periods, wearing glasses when outdoors, using mite-proof bedding covers and washing of hands after petting any animal.

You can control the signs and symptoms of the condition using over-the-counter or nonprescription medications. Artificial tears, decongestant ocular drops, and oral antihistamines are some of the products you can use. For serious reactions, consider consulting an allergist for prescription medications. Treatment regimens prescribed by the professional may include allergy shots or immunotherapy, non-sedating oral antihistamines, and eye drops.

Identifying the allergy season is of immense importance. Before panicking about what is happening to your eyes, peruse the guide above which may come in handy for home management of ocular allergy.