7 Easy Ways to Ease and Prevent Allergies
May 29th, 2009 | by admin |Tim Ryan asked:
When the body comes into contact with a new chemical, be it through the mouth, nose or skin the chemical or allergen as it’s known causes the body to release antibodies. These are called histamines that combat the allergen and are the bodies natural defence. The histamine may then however go on to cause one or more of the following annoying symptoms to varying degrees of severity:
Sneezing and possibly a blocked nose, an itchy feeling in the eyes, nose or throat, watery eyes, dry coughing, a skin rash and even conjunctivitis.
Of course finding the cause of the symptoms is of paramount importance in order to discover what the allergen is and to prevent contact with it in the future. This is generally done in one of three different ways:
Firstly, an intradermal test may be performed, This is when a potential allergen is injected into the top layer of the skin. If the subject is allergic then normally a tiny bubble will appear or some other irritation directly over the area.
Secondly, what is commonly known as a patch test may be performed. Very simply the substance thought to be the allergen is placed under a plaster and stuck tightly to the skin. Normally 48 hours is allowed to pass by before the plaster is removed to see if their has been any inflammation or reaction.
Thirdly, a tiny drop of the potential allergen is simply dropped on to the skin to see if a reaction occurs. Normally it would occur within 20 minutes if it is going to do so.
If someone is found to suffer from allergies then there are fortunately several straight forward things you may do to ease the allergic reaction. Try any or all of the following simple methods to see which helps ease your symptoms:
Make your-self aware of the content of the food that you are eating. Look out for commonalities between the foods you are eating and the good and bad days that you have. Chocolate and wheat are well known to cause allergic reactions in some people.
Try to make use of an air filter, this can significantly reduce the impact of air pollutants, particularly in industrial and down-town areas.
It may even be worth simply spending sometime when you simply keep all windows and doors closed to see if this simple measures eases the symptoms.
Dehumidifiers can reduce the moisture in the air and therefore help reduce the spread of dust mites and other allergens. Nowadays there are specifically designed home dehumidifiers and even portable dehumidifiers that can quickly and easily reduce humidity levels where you feel the need to do so, this will also reduce the risk of mold growth which is well known to produce allergic reactions in some people.
Of course, frequently wash and dry your bed sheets and clothes, you may wish to try a new powder to ensure this is not the problem as well.
garlic and onion are commonly suggested by herbalists as an effective treatment as they contain an ingredient called Quercitin which stifles the production of histamine.
Green tea extract whilst being a highly recommended drink which includes antioxidants also contain plentiful phytonutrients that prevent against cellular level attacks and bacteria.
Ensuring you are getting enough calcium may also help some people as this helps equalise the alkaline to acid ratio which may reduce some peoples allergies and furthermore may decrease the production of the histamine.
All of the above methods are simple but could possible save you a good deal of suffering. It also might be wise to keep a note of the days when things are good and bad and the possible reasons for this including the above factors.
If you still encounter problems then of course your doctor will be able to aid you in the prescription of appropriate medication if deemed necessary. Indeed always consult your doctor for medical advice. Prescribed medicine may come in the form of nasal sprays which attempt to reduce the inflammation. They may also suggest antihistamines as they can dramatically combat the symptoms for some people aswell.
In conclusion it is definitely worth pursuing some of the simpler methods first and recording your reactions before progressing on to the use of medications. Clean air through the use of air filters and dehumidifiers should also be looked into as a serious option.
Annette
When the body comes into contact with a new chemical, be it through the mouth, nose or skin the chemical or allergen as it’s known causes the body to release antibodies. These are called histamines that combat the allergen and are the bodies natural defence. The histamine may then however go on to cause one or more of the following annoying symptoms to varying degrees of severity:
Sneezing and possibly a blocked nose, an itchy feeling in the eyes, nose or throat, watery eyes, dry coughing, a skin rash and even conjunctivitis.
Of course finding the cause of the symptoms is of paramount importance in order to discover what the allergen is and to prevent contact with it in the future. This is generally done in one of three different ways:
Firstly, an intradermal test may be performed, This is when a potential allergen is injected into the top layer of the skin. If the subject is allergic then normally a tiny bubble will appear or some other irritation directly over the area.
Secondly, what is commonly known as a patch test may be performed. Very simply the substance thought to be the allergen is placed under a plaster and stuck tightly to the skin. Normally 48 hours is allowed to pass by before the plaster is removed to see if their has been any inflammation or reaction.
Thirdly, a tiny drop of the potential allergen is simply dropped on to the skin to see if a reaction occurs. Normally it would occur within 20 minutes if it is going to do so.
If someone is found to suffer from allergies then there are fortunately several straight forward things you may do to ease the allergic reaction. Try any or all of the following simple methods to see which helps ease your symptoms:
Make your-self aware of the content of the food that you are eating. Look out for commonalities between the foods you are eating and the good and bad days that you have. Chocolate and wheat are well known to cause allergic reactions in some people.
Try to make use of an air filter, this can significantly reduce the impact of air pollutants, particularly in industrial and down-town areas.
It may even be worth simply spending sometime when you simply keep all windows and doors closed to see if this simple measures eases the symptoms.
Dehumidifiers can reduce the moisture in the air and therefore help reduce the spread of dust mites and other allergens. Nowadays there are specifically designed home dehumidifiers and even portable dehumidifiers that can quickly and easily reduce humidity levels where you feel the need to do so, this will also reduce the risk of mold growth which is well known to produce allergic reactions in some people.
Of course, frequently wash and dry your bed sheets and clothes, you may wish to try a new powder to ensure this is not the problem as well.
garlic and onion are commonly suggested by herbalists as an effective treatment as they contain an ingredient called Quercitin which stifles the production of histamine.
Green tea extract whilst being a highly recommended drink which includes antioxidants also contain plentiful phytonutrients that prevent against cellular level attacks and bacteria.
Ensuring you are getting enough calcium may also help some people as this helps equalise the alkaline to acid ratio which may reduce some peoples allergies and furthermore may decrease the production of the histamine.
All of the above methods are simple but could possible save you a good deal of suffering. It also might be wise to keep a note of the days when things are good and bad and the possible reasons for this including the above factors.
If you still encounter problems then of course your doctor will be able to aid you in the prescription of appropriate medication if deemed necessary. Indeed always consult your doctor for medical advice. Prescribed medicine may come in the form of nasal sprays which attempt to reduce the inflammation. They may also suggest antihistamines as they can dramatically combat the symptoms for some people aswell.
In conclusion it is definitely worth pursuing some of the simpler methods first and recording your reactions before progressing on to the use of medications. Clean air through the use of air filters and dehumidifiers should also be looked into as a serious option.
Annette
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