Allergies Relief – Allergy Medications You Need to Know About
There is usually no cure for allergies. However, there are different types of medicines that you can use to provide allergies relief. If you suffer from allergies then you can turn to prescription or over the counter medications for relief. The different medications will include antihistamines, decongestants, combination medicines, corticosteroids and many others; some allergy treatments will work better for you than others.
Allergy Shots
Allergy shots can help increase your ability to tolerate allergens and other problems that are caused by an allergy. Sometimes people will go and have their allergy shots on a regular basis so that they can keep the allergies under control and not have to worry about them causing problems in their life. This is the easy to way to make sure that a person is not faced with dealing with their allergies on a day-to-day basis so much.
Antihistamines
Using antihistamines is another good option if you are dealing with allergies; they can be taken in many different forms including pill, liquid, nasal spray, or even eye drops. There are over the counter antihistamine eye drops that can relieve itchy and red eyes. The nasal sprays can be used to treat symptoms of seasonal and year round allergies.
Many of the over counter allergy medications will not make you drowsy; there are non-sedating forms that are also available by prescription only. You can check into the types of allergy medications that are out there and what is going to work best for your situation and what you can afford as well. It is a good idea to read labels and make sure that you are getting the right type of medication to treat your main symptoms.
Decongestants
Decongestants will also offer allergy relief and are often prescribed with antihistamines. They come in the form of nasal sprays, eye drops, or in liquid or pill form. It is up to you which form would be most convenient for you to use to treat your allergies.
For more information on allergies relief check out my latest book: The Complete Guide to Allergies & Relief.
Allergies Testing – Find Out What’s Making You Suffer
Allergies testing will help you work out exactly what is causing your allergy symptoms. Allergy testing involves a skin or blood test to determine which substance or allergen is causing the problem. Skin tests are most common as they are fast, reliable and less expensive than blood tests.
How does a skin allergies test work?
In an allergy skin test a small amount of the suspected allergen will be placed on or below the skin to see if a reaction occurs. There are three types of skin test:
Skin prick test – this involves a small drop of solution being placed on the skin and then a series of scratches or needle pricks will allow the solution to enter the skin. If the skin turns red and itchy then it shows a positive reaction and the person is allergic to that particular allergen.
Intradermal test – If a particular allergen did not cause a reaction in the skin prick test but it is still thought to be an issue then a small amount of the solution is injected into the skin.
Skin patch test – in this last type of skin allergies testing a small amount of allergen solution is placed on a pad and then taped to the skin for 24 to 72 hours. This test is used to determine if the patient has contact dermatitis.
How does a blood allergies test work?
Allergy blood tests look for antibodies in the blood and are most often used with people who cannot have the skin test performed.
The most common type of blood test is called radioallergosorbent testing or RAST and it is used to work out which allergens a patient is sensitive to.
If you would like to find out more about your allergies then talk to your doctor about allergies testing and together you can work out which test is right for you.
Want to know more about allergies and how you can beat them? Check out my new book: The Complete Guide to Allergies & Relief.
Hayfever Allergies – How to Beat the Seasonal Sniffles
Did you know that 20% of people in the US suffer from hayfever? It’s a seasonal allergy caused by an allergic reaction to various forms of pollen and ragweed. Different people seem to react to pollen in different ways – some people have mild discomfort while for others the summer months become practically unbearable.
So how do you know whether you suffer from hayfever or not? Read on and it will become clear…
When Does It Occur?
Hayfever is a seasonal allergy which often starts in early June and continues through to the middle of July. You will start experiencing symptoms whenever ragweed and pollen season begins.
Symptoms
There are many symptoms relating to Hayfever allergies and the most common are listed below:
- Eyes – are your eyes watery and itchy? You can relieve the symptoms by using eye drops such as Visine which will reduce the redness. What ever you do don’t rub your eyes as you will make it worse.
- Runny nose and sneezing – If your nose is running or stuffy then it’s a good indication that you are suffering from Hayfever allergies. If your nose is stuffy then it is likely to lead to blocked sinuses and severe headaches. Keep your nasal passages clear with a nasal spray.
- Difficulty breathing – are you wheezing or suffering from tightness in your chest? If you suffer from chest related allergy symptoms ask your doctor for an inhaler for some relief.
If you suffer from hayfever then you might find it difficult to work or study. But you don’t need to suffer in silence – work out your symtoms and then follow the tips above for hayfever relief. You can also get 5 more great tips in my free report – just pop your name and email address into the box below and I’ll send you a copy straight away!
Food Allergies – Does Food Make You Sick?
Have you found that you often suffer from strange symptoms after eating certain foods? You might develop an itchy rash, break out in hives, experience swelling of the lips or even vomit. If you experience these symptoms after eating then you might be suffering from food allergies.
Don’t worry – you are not alone. It is estimated that more than 12 million Americans suffer from food allergies and while most allergies are mild more than 30,000 visits to the ER each year are related to food allergies.
Studies report that up to 8% of children have an allergy to food, though this number drops in adults to just 4% which shows that many children outgrow their food allergies.
If you have a food allergy then you might find eating out in restuarants, friends houses or even just pre-packaged foods can cause you problems. It is sometimes difficult to find out what is in the food that we eat and whether it is likely to bring us out in a rash.
Asking the cook ‘what’s in this?’ can be the difference between an enjoyable meal and a trip to the ER!
With the increased number of allergy sufferers most food producers have now started to add labels to their products to warn of nuts, milk, wheat or soya.
If you need help dealing with your food allergies check out our book – The Complete Guide to Allergies & Relief.
Baby Allergies – What to Look Out For
If the time has come to start introducing your baby to solids you can be forgiven for worrying about baby allergies and whether your baby will have a reaction to the food you give them. Don’t worry – there are simple steps you can follow to reduce the potential problems and make sure that introducing your baby to solid food is a safe and happy experience.
Baby allergies and allergic reactions to food occur when your baby’s immune system treats a harmless substance as a harmful one. Allergy symptoms in babies present themselves as diarrhea, eczema, nausea, constipation and watery or red eyes. Very rarely the reaction can be more severe and allergic shock can occur, this can cause both the tongue and the throat to swell which can lead to choking. This is very rare but if it happens to your baby you need to seek medical attention straight away.
Now you shouldn’t confuse baby food allergies with food intolerance. If your baby has a food intolerance then they will have difficulty digesting a certain type of food. If your baby seems to be having difficulties relating to solid food then talk to your doctor for a diagnosis.
There are some simple guidelines you should follow to try and prevent baby allergies or to be able to identify the foods that are causing the problem –
- Try and delay feeding solid foods to your baby until they are at least six months old – by then the immune system has had a chance to develop.
- Introduce one food at a time and then wait for a couple of days to see if a reaction occurs. If you do this then it is easier to spot the ‘problem’ food and then remove it from baby’s diet.
- Avoid foods that are more likely to cause allergic reactions when you first start feeding solids to your baby. These include eggs (particularly the whites), shellfish, gluten and citrus fruits.
- Think about whether your baby is likely to be at risk of developing allergies. Do you suffer from an allergy yourself? If so then this can lead to an increased risk of baby allergies.
- If you have any concerns then talk to your doctor. Baby allergies relating to food only affect about 8% of children so the likelihood of your baby suffering from food allergies is slim.
Follow these simple steps to give you the confidence to introduce the delights of solid food to your baby.
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