Tag Archives: allergy specialist

How Allergies Affect Children

Parents do not want to see their kids suffer. Any child can develop allergies, which is going to improve the life of your child and lessen the school days they missed. It also helps to keep you from having to use sick days or vacation days to take care of your child.

One of the most common allergies that children experience is on the skin. Another common allergy in children is food. Respiratory allergies are most common in older children.

Cases of skin and food allergies among children have increased over a long period, and skin allergies are prevalent in younger children compared to older ones.

You can look for an allergy doctor for your child so you can concentrate on other things more.

Nasal Congestion

Allergies are one of the most common causes of nasal congestion that happens chronically. There are times when the nose of a child is congested when he or she breathes through the mouth, even more so while sleeping. This might also cause a child to not get some rest at night and then feel tired the next day. In case the congestion and mouth-breathing are always untreated. They can affect teeth and bone growth. The early allergy treatment that causes nasal congestion might prevent these problems.

Heat Rash

Heat rash is most often seen in young children and babies when their sweat gland pores get blocked, not allowing perspiration to escape. The rash will look like small pink patches or red bumps, or blisters under spots or clothing where the skin has the tendency to fold on your elbows, neck, thighs, or armpits. However, heat rash can also happen in covered areas.

Eczema

Eczema is one of the most common skin allergy conditions, especially when it comes to children. It affects 1 out of 5 infants, but only about 50 adults. This is because of leakiness in the skin barrier, which dries it out and becomes prone to inflammation and irritation by a lot of environmental factors. Also, there are young children with eczema who are also sensitive to food which make eczema symptoms worse. Half of the patients who have severe atopic dermatitis are caused by a faulty gene called filaggrin. The itch caused by eczema is not only because of histamine so anti-histamines might not be able to manage the symptoms. Most of the time, eczema is normally linked with allergic rhinitis, asthma, or food allergy. This progression is known as the atopic march.

Hives

Hives show as red bumps or welts soon after they come in contact with an allergen and severe allergic reaction. Unlike skin allergies, hives are not dry or scaly and it can appear anywhere on the body.

Some symptoms include difficulty in breathing or a swollen face and mouth. You should look for medical attention right away if these symptoms occur with hives.

Ear Infection

Allergies cause inflammation in the ear and it can cause fluid accumulation that promotes ear infections and decreased hearing. A baby who is hard of hearing for any reason while you are learning to talk will cause poor speech. Allergies cause earaches and itching, fullness, and popping. Anyone who has these symptoms should see an allergy specialist for possible treatment and testing.

Stings and Insect Bites

Insects like wasps, bees, fire ants, mosquitos, and ticks cause itching minor and minor discomfort because they prick the skin. In some children, insect bites and stings cause severe allergic reactions known as anaphylaxis which includes rashes and life-threatening symptoms known as airway swelling.

You can find allergy doctor Manassas VA if your child is experiencing any of these symptoms.

How to Manage Allergies While Travelling

Millions of people are suffering from allergic rhinitis, which is a sensitive reaction to environmental things, like dust mites, pollen, or even pet dander. If you have experienced a runny or stuffy nose or itchy eyes, you most likely have allergic rhinitis.

Seasonal allergies might be a nuisance to a lot of people, especially while you travel. This year could pose even more challenges, while allergy sufferers should prepare for high pollen count in the air. Trees started to release pollen later that year because of colder weather. If you are traveling, you can ask your allergy specialist about anything you might have to worry about while being abroad. If you want to have more knowledge on how to prevent allergies while traveling, read on.

Things to Consider Before You Go

Prevention and preparation give you a way to travel successfully even if you have allergies. Here are the tips you can consider before going:

Consider a destination that is allergy-free – Mountains and beaches are great destinations to visit all year round for those who suffer from allergies. Ocean breezes are normally allergen-free, dust mites are fewer at elevations that are above 2,500 feet, and mold spores cannot survive in the snow.
You have to check pollen and weather forecasts so you can plan. For instance, if you are allergic to ragweed, you should visit New York in early August compared to other months.

Pack Wisely

Pack everything you require in order to fight off allergies in your carry-on or bag if you are going to fly. Planes have a lot of allergens and germs. Other flight crew or passengers that travel from high-pollen areas might have them on their personal belongings or clothes. Dust mites and mold spores also travel through the air inside an airport or airplane. Allergens stick their seats, tray tables, and seats, which makes it more likely that you will have contact with them.

Food Allergies

It can be hard to travel with food allergies, especially if you experience severe allergic reactions. You should do some research when it comes to food labeling in the countries, you will visit. It is also crucial to consider which airline will be able to accommodate your dietary restrictions.

Find out what the contact details are in the country you are traveling to. Take note of the switchboard number in your hotel because this might vary. Consider getting a foreign language travel card in regards to your allergy to show which restaurants can cater to your needs in your destination.

It Might be Wise to Bring Your Own Pillow

Dust mites are common when you are in a motel. You can, partially, fight them by taking your own pillow with you and putting a hypoallergenic cover on it.

Ask Your Allergist

Check-in with your allergist before your departure because it is important if you will be traveling abroad and might require immunizations or vaccinations. Discuss with them where you are going to go and what activities you are allowed to do. For instance, locations that are elevated above 5,000 feet might make breathing hard for you and cold weather can trigger asthma patients. People who have asthma should consult with their allergist before doing activities like scuba diving.

Be Picky About Hotel Rooms

Regardless if you are staying in a 3-star or 5-star hotel, you need to be picky. Before traveling, ask the hotel if their rooms are allergy-free. In case they do not, ask for a room that was pet-free or one that is facing the sunlight.

Visit an allergy clinic Germantown MD before traveling.

Surprising Things that Make Allergies Worse

If you have seasonal allergies, you most likely avoid triggers that cause itchiness, sneezing, and sniffling. However, even if you stay inside even on high-pollen days, there are some everyday habits that you might not think could be allergy triggers. They can wreak havoc on your allergies without being aware of them.

An allergist will tell you that you are not the only one who suffers from this because some of the everyday habits you do cause allergy reactions. There are seasonal allergies like they only come out during summer, spring, winter, or allergy to peanuts or cats is all-year-round. You need to limit exposure to allergens, and the symptoms can be treated by taking medication.

Here are some of the weird or surprising things that make allergies worse.

Clothes

Pollen can easily get stuck to the fabric, and after you spend a day outside, you are bringing those irritants at home. You will spread them to your bed, couch, and other parts of your home. If you want to keep the pollen from proliferating, you must change your clothes right away once you get home. You can also shower before bed to remove pollen from your skin and hair.

Your Shoes

If you have a rash or poison ivy after you wear leather shoes, there is a possibility that you are allergic to chemicals that are used in leather tanning. This kind of allergy is known as “contact dermatitis”, and a patch test can diagnose it. Contact dermatitis is a general term for the usual skin conditions that are caused by contact with allergens or irritants.

Red Wine

A glass of red wine might be good for unwinding, but it will not help with your allergies. Alcohol causes your blood vessels to widen, which causes a runny and/or stuffy nose. That is because alcohol is a vasodilator. Alcohol aggravates allergy and wine has an extra punch because of the sulfites it contains that cause some people to have a reaction. Red wine is high in sulfites, and fermented red grape skins have protein allergens.

Exercise Allergy

This kind of allergy was only reported 1,000 times since it was discovered in the 1970s. Exercise allergy causes urticaria, hives, but it can cause anaphylaxis in more severe cases. Anaphylaxis is a dangerous condition when your blood pressure suddenly drops and you will have a hard time breathing. There are 2 kinds of exercise allergies. One that occurs after you eat food within 2 hours after exercising, and the other one happens if you do not eat food. If you experience either one, you should stop your exercise, but you can prevent the food-related type by not eating anything before exercising.

Not Going to the Gym

It is difficult to find motivation when you feel like your face is about to explode, but working out brings some allergy relief. That is because of the stress hormones you release during exercise, and the blood vessels calm down so you can breathe better. This effect is only temporary, but you will get a break from congestion – together with the other benefits of exercise.

Swimming Pools

Chlorine dries out skin and irritates the airways of people with allergies like coughing, congestion, and itchy skin. Luckily, your allergy doctor can help you manage these symptoms so you can still go swimming whenever you like. Avoiding the pool because of your allergy is not the only solution, so make sure to ask your doctor what you can do.

You should go to an allergy specialist doctor Germantown MD if you want to manage your symptoms that are interfering with your everyday life.

Benefits of Allergy Shots

A lot of allergy sufferers feel they are different according to the time of year. The symptoms can be sometimes mild and more severe in other times because pollen counts change. The way you feel depends on which season, your allergen triggers, and the time you spend outdoors.

It should not be that way even if there are available effective treatments. If you are wondering whether you should go to an allergy specialist or not, this article is going to help you decide. The benefits are discussed here. Read now to know more.

Allergy Shots Reduces Your Sensitivity

When there are allergies, your immune system is overreacting, which treats the harmless substance and prevents it from becoming a threat. Elements can trigger reactions and they include:

Dust mites
Mold
Pollen
Pet dander
Insect venom

The allergy shots desensitize triggers when they introduce safe and small amounts to the body. Through time, you will become immune to them, and the effect is similar to a vaccine and your symptoms will decrease.

They Are Normally Very Safe

People are normally tolerant to allergy shots, and the side effects are very mild. Your doctor is going to talk about possible side effects that you should look out for. The shots are best for people who are over the age of 5. The common side effects are itching, swelling, or redness at the injection site.

If you have trouble breathing, experience dizziness, or throat swelling after getting the shot, you should let your allergy doctor know right away. They can be a sign of anaphylaxis, which is rare and serious. The doctor will ask you to wait a while after getting your injection for monitoring.

They Work for Different Allergies

Allergy shots are safe in children who are 5 years old and older, and for those who experience extreme symptoms all the time. It is recommended that you get allergy shots for different allergic conditions like:

Seasonal allergies, which includes hay fever and asthma
The indoor allergies include dust mites, cockroaches, and pet dander
Yellowjackets, insect stings, bees, or wasps

This is an effective therapy, and it also improves asthma symptoms, as well as asthma symptoms and inflammatory conditions such as eczema. However, it is not recommended that you should go for immunotherapy if you have food allergies. When you are pregnant, or if you have uncontrolled heart disease or asthma.

Most Insurances Will Cover You

Health insurances normally cover allergy shots, but this varies depending on the specific plan. Even if your insurance covers the shots, you might still be asked to copay each time you visit. For some, this cost might be cheaper compared to the total price of over-the-counter medications, other visits related to symptoms of hay fever.

If you are wondering about your coverage, you should ask your insurer. Otherwise, costs can be discussed with the allergy clinic.

Reduces Your Need for Long-term Medication

Unlike the allergy medications that work because they mask the symptoms, allergy shots are for reducing your trigger sensitivity. However, it takes a bit of time before this immunity is developed

Allergy shots happen in 2 phases: buildup and then maintenance.

The buildup phase means getting allergy shots on schedule until your body develops immunity.

After that, you will switch to the maintenance phase.

You can visit allergist specialist Manassas to get your allergy shots.

Why You Need to See an Allergy Doctor

Maybe you experience seasonal allergies and you go for over-the-counter medicine to soothe your symptoms like itchy and red eyes. You might want to have an allergy doctor whom you talk to about your symptoms because sometimes these symptoms can get worst. They can affect your ability to function in your daily life.

When should you visit an allergist who diagnoses and treats allergies caused by dysfunctions in the immune system? You will see from this article the reasons why you need an allergist. They are helpful in providing care for a lot of conditions involving the immune system.

Find out more here:

Your Cold is Not Going Away

A cold or virus cough must clear up in a few weeks. If you have persistent coughs or it consistently shows up in a pattern, like only in the spring or when you are in bed, then it might be an allergy.

This is the same for headaches because they can be linked to sinusitis caused by allergies. The dull headaches and repeated fatigue symptoms help you determine if the allergies are involved in helping you get relief.

Your Sinus Infection is Chronic

Sinuses are the hollow openings behind the nose and around the eyes. They have mucus that helps warm and filter breathing. This mucus needs to be drained out. If the mucus gets blocked and the sinuses are congested, you might have a sinus infection. In case you have asthma, allergies, or a weakened immune system, you are more prone to getting sinus infections.

An allergist and immunologist can give you prescription medications that help ease pain and congestion of sinus infections. You will learn the ways of preventing a sinus infection that happens in the first place. For instance, most of the time, washing hands and using a humidifier or nasal spray to add moisture to your nasal passage is helpful.

You Get Diarrhea After a Meal

An allergy doctor can test if you have food allergies and help you separate what is intolerance or food allergy when you eat something. If it is a food allergy, your body will cause an immune response to what you are and it is normally within 2 hours. Swelling, rash, trouble breathing, and hives are all symptoms of food allergy.

Intolerance is harder to detect because the symptoms only start after 3 hours of eating and range from mild nausea, bloating, and diarrhea. If you know which foods to avoid that cause your allergy, you will no longer suffer from the symptoms. Your immune system also improves when you eat certain kinds of foods.

If you are Asthmatic

Asthma can cause the muscles in your airways to spasm or tighten, and it can inflame the lining of the lungs. This is going to block airflow, which makes it hard to breathe. Asthma ranges from mild to severe, which can be life-threatening. You might feel chest tightness and you will struggle to breathe.

When you work with an allergist, your asthma can be controlled and you will have fewer asthma flares. The allergist can give you a prescription for medication so your specific symptoms can be treated. You will learn about different asthma triggers so that you can avoid them.

You will be able to avoid allergy triggers if you see an allergy specialist doctor Germantown MD because you will no longer suffer from the symptoms.

What Are The Symptoms Of Tree Pollen Allergies?

According to an allergist specialist, tree pollen allergies are one of the most popular allergies in spring. Like grass and weed pollen, tree pollens travel on the wind, so the allergies might be due to trees miles away.

Hundreds of trees release pollen that can trigger allergic reactions. These trees include: Cedar, oak, elm, olive, maple, cottonwood, hickory, box elder, walnut, cypress, pecan, mulberry, etc.

What are the symptoms of tree pollen allergies?

When you are exposed to tree pollen, you can show a wide range of symptoms that include:

Watery eyes
Watery, runny nose
Sneezing
Nasal congestion
Headaches
Itchy eyes
Reduced sense of smell
Tiredness
Disrupted sleep
Irritability
Earache

Tree pollen allergies and asthma

Exposure to pollen has also been shown to increase the risk of an asthmatic attack. For those who have asthma, the release of histamine when exposed to pollen increases the asthma symptoms.

If you have asthma, always ensure that you have the asthma medication at all times during the high pollen seasons.

Besides taking the asthma medications, ensure that you take hay fever medication, including anti-inflammatory eye drops, nasal steroids, and antihistamines to ease the symptoms.

What can worsen the tree allergy symptoms?

Although tree pollen allergies are dangerous if you suffer from allergies, some factors worsen the allergies. These factors include:

Wind

Wind worsens the allergy symptoms as it picks up the dry pollen and sends it into the air. When it’s cold, damp, or rainy, the pollen counts are usually lower, but the pollen count goes up when it gets windy, which significantly worsens your situation.

Having trigger trees in your yard

Although the wind can carry the tree pollen from miles away, having the trigger trees close to your home can significantly worsen your situation. When you have oak, maple, cypress, and other allergy trigger trees in your yard, you are 10 times more likely to suffer from tree pollen allergies than if you had no trees close to your home.

If you have noticed a trend of suffering from allergies every time you are close to spring, consider replacing the allergy-causing trees with those less likely to cause allergies. These include: pine, dogwood, apple, fir, and cherry.

Certain fruits and vegetables

Studies show that if you are allergic to certain trees, you have a high risk of developing allergic reactions from cross-reactive foods. For example, if you are allergic to birch trees, you can develop some swelling or itchiness in your mouth or around your face when eating carrots, cherries, almonds, kiwi, plums, hazelnuts, coriander, and fennel.

If you have noticed that you develop allergies when eating certain fruits, talk to your allergy doctor and have them test you for tree pollen allergies.

How do you manage tree pollen allergy?

The best way to manage the allergies is to stay away from the triggers. This calls for you to stay away from the triggering trees. Some of the excellent tricks to avoid allergies include:

Staying indoors on dry, windy days

Instead of doing the gardening work on your own, hire someone to do it for you. If you don’t have money to hire someone, avoid gardening during the peak pollen season.

When you are in the house, keep the windows and doors closed at all times. This is to ensure that no pollen gets into the house, even if it’s windy.

If you have tried the preventative measures and still develop the symptoms, find an allergy doctor Germantown MD to give you some medication to ease the symptoms. The doctor will undertake a series of tests and recommend the best prescription for your condition.

Who Should See An Allergist?

If you are wondering who should see an allergist, anyone suffering from allergies should see one. An allergist is a professional that specializes in treating allergic conditions, and when you visit him, they will tell you what you are allergic to and how to avoid the triggers.

Some of the telltale signs that it’s time to see an allergist include:

You have obvious allergy symptoms such as a stuffy nose, watery eyes, and cough that have been around for more than 3 months and are making it hard for you to work or sleep.
You have tried a couple of over-the-counter medications, and none seems to work.
You frequently get plenty of headaches, sinus infections, ear infections, and a stuffy nose.
You snore or have trouble staying asleep.
You have other underlying health problems such as thyroid disease, heart disease, glaucoma, diabetes, enlarged prostate, kidney disease, liver disease, high blood pressure, etc.

What will the allergist do when you see them?

There are plenty of things the allergist will do. The common ones being:

Confirm that you are suffering from allergies

Even if you show all the allergy symptoms, only a doctor will confirm that you are truly suffering from allergies. The doctor will undertake a battery of tests and zero in on the actual allergy that you have.

You should note that sometimes you show allergy signs, yet you are having an infection. The allergy doctor will help clarify this after doing the tests.

Identify the triggers and advice you on what to do

After doing the allergy tests, the doctor will know the exact allergy you are suffering from and the things triggering the reaction. For example, if you are suffering from food allergies, the allergies might be triggered by nuts, milk, and other products. The doctor will help you determine the triggers.

Help come up with a treatment plan.

Knowing the allergy and triggers isn’t enough if you can’t treat it. The allergy doctor will help come up with a treatment plan to help you know what you need to do. The plan includes the kind of medicine to take and when to take it, ways to avoid the allergy triggers, and how to prepare for any serious reaction that might come about.

Different areas have different medications. The doctor will find out the available medications and advise you on the right ones to take.

What should you look for in an allergist?

While there are many allergists you can go to, not all are qualified to test and help you come with a treatment plan—you need to be cautious and ensure that you hire the right one.

One of the things to consider is the qualifications of the doctor. Has the doctor gone to school and got the relevant qualifications? You need to know about this.

You also need to consider whether the doctor is authorized by the relevant regulatory bodies to practice medicine in your local area. Finally, confirm the doctor’s experience. How long has the doctor been practicing? You need a professional that has been around for a long time.

When you find an ideal allergy specialist Manassas VA, ask as many questions as possible while in their office. The purpose of doing this is to gauge the doctor’s knowledge and understand your condition better. Some of the questions to ask include:

What are the reasons for my allergies?
Should I stop being outdoors?
Do I need to change my diet plan?
Will I need allergy shots?
How often should I take the medications?
How often should I come to the clinic for follow-up appointments?

Can Allergies Cause Headaches?

If you are wondering, can allergies cause headaches? Yes, they can. The headache symptoms include throbbing pain, nausea, and localized pain in areas such as the sinus and the face. In some cases, you have a throbbing or stabbing on one side of the head. In rare cases, you will have nausea.

The symptoms are usually worse when exposed to bright light.

Which allergies cause headaches?

According to an allergy specialist doctor, the headaches can be brought about by plenty of allergies, with the common ones being:

Allergic rhinitis: Also known as hay fever, allergic rhinitis is one of the leading causes of seasonal and indoor nasal allergies. The headache often comes about as a result of a blockage in the sinuses.

Food allergies: There is a direct relationship between food and headaches. When you take certain foods such as chocolate, artificial sweeteners, and aged cheese, they will mess with your stomach, which will, in turn, trigger a migraine in some people.

Experts believe that the headache is often due to the chemical in the food that triggers the pain and messes up the stomach.

Histamine: The body produces histamines in response to an allergic reaction. As they are fighting the allergens, the histamines decrease the blood pressure, which has been shown to lead to headaches.

What is the treatment for the headache?

Prevention is always better than cure, so before we even get to know the treatment of the condition, you must prevent it from coming about in the first place. If you know your allergy triggers, you should stay away from them. For example, if you are allergic to a certain food, stay away from it.

The same thing applies if you are allergic to pollen or any other material. Besides staying indoors when the pollen count is high, other things you can do to avoid headaches due to seasonal allergies include:

Install a dehumidifier
Keep the furnace filter clean
Vacuum and dust the house regularly
Remove the carpet from the living space
Wash as soon as you are back from the outside

Take allergy medications

If it’s too late to prevent coming into contact with the allergen, you should try controlling the condition. How do you do it?

Use antihistamines: From their name, antihistamines stop histamine production, a chemical produced by the body upon contact with an allergen. The antihistamines lessen the allergy symptoms.

Use decongestants: There are plenty of decongestants you can use to open up your stuffy nasal passages and ease the sinus pressure. When taking the decongestants, avoid steroid nasal sprays as they have been shown to worsen headaches.

Try allergy shots: Here, you will need to visit an allergy clinic and have allergy shots administered to you. The shots have been shown to cut back the headaches, and they become less severe.

What else should you do?

Besides the above, drink plenty of fluids that will keep the mucus thin. Water is the best fruit to take, but you can also take green tea that not only thins out the mucus but also contains natural antihistamines, which comes in handy at fighting allergy symptoms.

You also should rinse out the nasal passages to remove the allergens from the nose while cleaning the nasal lining.

When should you see a doctor?

Although most allergy headaches go away, sometimes they are too severe, and you have to see an allergy doctor Manassas VA. You should see a doctor if the headache is preventing you from going on with your regular life. Is the headache so severe that you can’t go to work or do any other thing? It’s time to see a specialist.

What To Avoid Before Allergy Testing

Allergies are caused by certain things which trigger the immune system and they are known as allergens. These allergens can be spotted in certain tests done by allergist specialists. These tests are performed to diagnose what type of allergy you are suffering from. Here are some things you should avoid when you are going for an allergy test.

Avoid Going On An Empty Stomach

It’s never a good idea to go on an allergy test on an empty stomach. You never know how long you have to wait for your turn and some people can get queasy when they are having their blood drawn out. So, it’s important that you eat a good meal before going to the allergy clinic.

Also, drinking a lot of water before the test will ensure that your blood is not too thick and the platelets are not too high, or else, this can cause an alteration in the results. So, eating a healthy meal and keeping yourself hydrated will get you through the test with much ease and comfort.

Which Medicines To Avoid Before Your Test?

Here are some medications you should avoid before the allergy test. You would want to take a professional opinion from your doctor about this as well. In any case, you will be required to cease the use of any type of medication, which are mentioned below, two weeks before the test. This will ensure better results and you can clearly see which allergen is causing you problems and severe allergic reactions.

Antihistamines

Antihistamines are the biggest culprit which can alter your allergy test results. You need to stop taking any antihistamines, because you don’t want the allergen to be suppressed when it’s time for the test. You want the allergen to show all of its effects so that the test can detect it and therefore, come up with a solid diagnosis.

Antidepressants

Antidepressants are also not good to take before an allergy test. Although they don’t mess around with your body as much as antihistamines do, there are certain relaxants in the antidepressants that can alter your allergy blood test.

Reflux Medicine

Any medicine which is used to jump start your system again after having problems are reflux medications. These include gastric medicine, heartburn medications and blood pressure medication. These can alter with the texture and composition of the blood and they can alter the allergens in your body too. So, they are not recommended to be consumed before an allergy test.

Steroids

Steroids are never good for you to take, especially if you are going for a skin allergy test. It will completely diminish the effect of the allergen on the body and you will be left at square one again, trying to figure out what your allergy is. Try not to take steroids at least 2 to 3 weeks before you plan to go for an allergy test.

Fever Medicine

Cough and fever medicine also contain antihistamines and these shouldn’t be taken before an allergy test. When going for a test, you want to make sure that your symptoms are elevated, so that there can be ease in diagnosis of your allergies.

Sleep Medicine

Sleep medicine can also alter the test results, so it’s best if you stop taking these a few days before your test, so that all of the sleep medications can be flushed out from your system.

Overexposure Of The Sun

If you are going to be tested for skin allergies, then make sure that you are avoiding too much exposure from the sun. If your skin is already sensitive, then it will be hard for the doctor to come up with a diagnosis. So, keep the sun at bay.

Applying Topical Creams

Your skin should be free of any topical creams or lotions before you go for an allergy test. There shouldn’t be a speck of anything external on your skin or it will alter the test results.

There you have it! If you avoid these things, the test results will not be altered and your allergist Manassas VA will have a clearer diagnosis of things which are causing these severe allergic reactions. This will help in prescribing the right medication to treat and prevent allergies.

What People With Allergies Should Know About Covid-19 Vaccination

COVID-19 is a reality. With time passing, there have been preventative measures taken from health organizations and COVID-19 vaccination has been introduced. It’s recommended to talk with your allergy specialist about COVID vaccination, however, we have also listed everything you need to know about COVID-19 vaccination if you are suffering from allergies.

PEG Causes Allergies?

One of the many ingredients in the vaccination against COVID-19 is PEG, also known as Polyethylene glycol. This is an active ingredient in many vaccines and it is present in some COVID-19 vaccinations too. This can cause allergic reactions to some people who have a hard time adjusting to PEG.

There is usually a test done which shows your body’s sensitivity to PEG and it can be shown to your doctor before getting your COVID-19 vaccination. While the factors still aren’t clearly known why PEG causes severe allergic reactions to people, it is best to avoid vaccinations which contain this ingredient.

Moderna is the vaccination which contains PEG as an active ingredient and it can cause redness on the skin and formation of bumps if you are triggered by it.

What Are The Ingredients In The Vaccine?

It’s very important to know what ingredients are there in the COVID-19 vaccination, because you never know which ingredient you might be allergic to. Most vaccines don’t have a live virus in them, rather they have a similar mRNA in their composition which helps to protect your body against the novel coronavirus.

Along with that, some lipids and fatty acids are present, which help the protein to thrive in the body for longer. Sucrose is also another key ingredient which is also used to increase the shelf life of the protein and it gives the protein necessary energy to form antibodies in your immune system against COVID-19.

Aside from these, there are some acids and polyethylene glycol present in certain brands of the corona vaccination, but not all vaccinations contain polyethylene glycol. So, you can check the ingredients of the vaccination and make your decision then.

Is Vaccination Safe For People With Allergies?

If you take care that the Covid vaccine you are going for doesn’t contain any ingredients which you might be allergic to, then you can safely go for the vaccination. The time period between the 1st and 2nd dose is usually a month or 40 days. In this time frame, if you experience any sort of allergic reaction, then you shouldn’t go for the second shot and consult with a doctor immediately. But if there is no apparent allergic reaction between the time of your 1st and 2nd dose then it’s safe to say that you are not allergic to the vaccine and can get the second shot done too.

What To Expect At The First Shot?

Usually, no vaccine hurts when it’s being injected, but after the first shot, you can experience some soreness and tenderness in your arm, which is completely normal and it goes away on the same day or the day after the shot. You can also experience slight fever, sluggishness and a slight feeling of fatigue.

The thing to remember here is that these symptoms are very variable. Some people can experience them and some won’t feel anything at all. It is very difficult to say who will and will not suffer from these aftereffects.

What To Do When You Have Food Allergies?

If you don’t have any chemical allergies and you only suffer from food allergies like gluten and lactose intolerance, then the COVID-19 vaccination is safe for you. You don’t need to feel scared that the vaccine will mess with your body, because these injections don’t contain any ingredients which will trigger your food allergies.

It’s safe to say that you will hopefully not feel any sort of allergic reaction after your first shot. However, if you have certain chemical allergies, then it’s best to check the ingredients and talk to your doctor.

Conclusion

There you have it! These things are important to know before you go and get your COVID-19 shot. It’s good to know these things so that you can be prepared for any sort of medical emergency. For more details, go to a hospital or allergy clinic Manassas VA.