Allergy | Causes, diagnosis, treatment

Have you any idea how many people seek for allergy relief? If we only think that more than half of the US population suffers from at least one form of allergy, things become really scary. Add to this idea the fact that about one quarter of the population is allergic to extremely common and widespread allergens such as dust mites, cockroaches, pollen, peanuts or ragweed, and you’ll have a complete picture of this serious ailment which can endanger live if ignored. The mildest symptoms can be itches, hives, scalp eczema or atopic dermatitis, while the more severe ones can be severe swelling, edema and even suffocation.

As it is an incurable disease, all we can do is seek for the best allergy relief to alleviate the symptoms each time we are exposed to the specific allergen. Topics brought into discussion:

1. Why do people get allergic?
2. Allergy causes
3. Allergy symptoms
4. Allergy relief tips
5. Herbs, vitamins & supplements

Allergic persons are characterized by a strange fact: once they are allergic to one substance, there’s a 99.9% probability that is not the only one. They usually are allergic to more than one allergen, but the severity of the ailment is not the same in all cases. Almost anything can be an allergen: foods, water, dust, cosmetics, shampoos, and even condoms.

Why do we develop allergies?
Scientists still fight to determine the mechanism of triggering the allergy. There is no consensus in this respect yet. Fact is that genetic plays an important role, so if you have cases of allergy in your family, there’s a huge chance that you’re allergic too, or that you are going to develop an allergy sooner or later. Allergic reactions occur each time your body’s defense system gives an exaggerated response to a foreign substance which comes in contact with the body. You know that pollen is harmless, but your body doesn’t know that and it thinks it’s an enemy invading your cells, thus it feels obliged to react for neutralizing it. In this attack, your body just hurts itself, because the mechanisms are not functioning like in peace times anymore, and you may get even killed easily if your body enters the shock.

What causes allergies?

There is an endless list of substances that may trigger an allergic response from the human body. Here’s the list of the most common ones.

1. Mold: this is why you should get rid of the mold in your house or in your basement
2. Animal Dander: you should either not have pets, or wash them often and don’t allow them into your bedroom
3. Latex: household or surgical gloves, balloons, condoms
4. Foods: nuts, egg yolk, crayfish
5. Insect Venom: bees, wasps
6. Medications: penicillin, other antibiotics
7. Pollen
8. Dust Mites

What are allergy symptoms?

Allergy symptoms cover a wide spectrum from mild to severe, like anaphylaxis. Mild reactions can manifest as simple hives, or rash, or slight itches, or watery nasal secretions. They always occur at local level and they don’t attack internal body organs.

More severe reactions can attack other parts of the body and they may even generalize. Breathing difficulties can occur.

An extremely severe allergic reaction is anaphylaxis, which spreads in the whole body, and which can kill a person. One of its most serious symptoms is the massive swelling, which could result in difficulty swallowing and breathing, because all organs increase in size so much that air or food have to place to enter in the body on their normal ways; the blood pressure drops severely, and if adrenalin is not administered immediately, the patient can die.

Tips to obtain allergy relief

If you are allergic to dust mites, dust often and wear protection gloves and mask when doing this operation. The best would be to have somebody else do it for you, but if you have no choice, that’s it. At least protect yourself as much as you can.

Use the vacuum cleaner very often. Also in this case wear a mask and go for a walk after you do it, in order not to stay in the dusty air. Air filters also help and they are not very expensive, so you could get one to keep it in your bedroom.

If you are allergic to pets, give them to somebody else. If you can’t live without them, either get yourself an anti-allergic cat, or make sure you keep a strict hygiene in your house and you wash your pets often.
If you have pollen allergy, relief can come from keeping the windows closed and avoiding getting out at noon during the pollen season.

Mold is your enemy. Air well your house and in case you spot mold, use anti-mold substances and air dehumidifiers.

Depending on your allergy type you can always help your medication with a natural allergy relief.

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