Allergy symptoms - diagnose and treat
Thursday, March 29th, 2007 Subscribe To Our Feed
As we all know there are many people in the United States both men, women and children who suffer from allergies. In fact, allergies are the sixth leading cause of chronic illness in the United States. When someone suffers from allergies this can lead to a loss of productivity at work, and an increased amount of sixth time in school and at work. If you are of someone who suffers from allergy sometimes, the allergy attacks can get so bad that you find that they start to affect your daily life. Allergy will also cause you to miss out on things that you would normally enjoy doing. There is good news though. There are many different allergy treatment options available today. So if you suffer from allergy, what you need to do is make an appointment with your doctor so that he or she can help you start to live a better life and have allergy symptoms free days.
The Process of an Allergic Reaction
Allergies occur when the immune system malfunctions, and recognizes a normally harmless substance as a harmful one. When the body comes in contact with the substance that the immune system has deemed as harmful, the body will produce a large number of immunoglobulin antibodies. These antibodies will cause the body to release chemicals such as histamine that will result in itching, increased secretions, swelling and tightening of the airways. The symptoms that you feel as a result of this biological process include watery eyes, runny nose, hives, and coughing. In severe reactions the symptoms can go further in producing difficulty breathing and dizziness. If allergic symptoms become severe, it is called anaphylaxis, and while rare it is also life-threatening. Emergency medical care is required in these circumstances.
Types of Allergies
There are many things that a person can have an allergic reaction to. Hay fever is caused by a reaction to pollen, and can be seasonal or year-round depending on exactly what you are allergic to. Another common culprit is dust mites, which live in dust and other fibers of common household objects. Animal dander is another frequent cause of allergy symptoms, as is mold, latex and some types of foods. Most people will have a reaction to one or two allergens, while a few unlucky souls will suffer symptoms from exposure to a number of culprits. You will have a greater likelihood of developing allergies if you have a parent that suffers from them, or if you have another chronic condition like eczema or asthma. You can also develop an allergy if you are exposed to an allergen while you immune system is compromised, such as during a viral infection or while pregnant.
Many people complain about their allergies, but you have to know that there are many different treatments available for people who suffer from allergies. Some of the treatments can include the use of antihistamines, nasal sprays and decongestants. All of these are taken to relieve the symptoms. There also other options available such as immunotherapy, or these are also known as allergy shots. What the allergy shots do is essentially is “cure” the problem and allow you to have many more symptom-free like days. These also allow you the opportunity to not take as much medication. You need to talk to your doctor if you suffer from allergies. You and your doctor can discuss what the best course of action is for you.
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Allergy / Asthma Secrets
March 29th, 2007 at 2:29 pm
[…] Allergies are generally inherited, which means that if one or both of your parents suffer, you stand a good chance of having them also. The allergen can vary however, so you cannot assume that because your mother is allergic to dust, you will be also. You may instead develop allergies to pollen or mold. The genetic link is simply in whether or not you are prone to developing an allergy. Another possible reason for developing a reaction to a particular substance is exposure to that substance when your immune system has been weakened. For example, many people can develop a reaction after a viral infection or during pregnancy. […]
March 29th, 2007 at 2:39 pm
[…] The person that is being treated for allergies, it can be a real pain to have to go in for allergy shots once a week. But the nice thing is today there is an alternative to allergy shots, and that alternative is allergy drops. These allergy drops are used to help people who have serious allergies. […]