Allergy

What Is It?

If you're among the 10% of Americans with an allergy, anything from pollen to pets to peanuts can bring on a reaction. But whether you're sneezing from hay fever or swelling from bug bites, the underlying mechanism is the same: your body has encountered a foreign substance and considers it to be more threatening than it really is. The body then mounts an unnecessary attack.

This faulty immune response can cause a range of problems -- from itchy eyes and a runny nose to a very serious full-body reaction called anaphylactic shock. Without immediate treatment, the characteristic breathing difficulty and plummeting blood pressure during anaphylactic shock can be fatal.

People with allergies are more likely than others to develop asthma, particularly those allergic to pollen, mold spores, animal dander (skin flakes), and dust mites.

How Do I Know I Have It?

Chances are you only had to suffer through one sneeze-filled spring or autumn, develop one itchy rash from a new soap or perfume, or have one frightening reaction to a bee sting to consider yourself allergic. Your primary care doctor can diagnose most allergies based only on your symptoms. But for more serious problems, your doctor may recommend that you see a specialist. An allergist can perform a series of tests to determine the existence and severity of an allergy.

During allergy testing, several potential triggers, or allergens, are injected just below the surface of your skin. It's relatively painless, although substances that cause an allergic reaction may leave you quite itchy for a while. Calamine or hydrocortisone lotion, or Benadryl can help.

What's the Treatment?

Your options depend on your particular allergy triggers, the severity of your symptoms, and whether exposure could be life-threatening. Your doctor can provide information on reducing allergens in your home. These may include replacing carpets with hard floors, removing heavy draperies, and covering mattresses and pillows with dust-mite barriers.

If you suffer mild hay fever each spring and fall, over-the-counter preparations may suffice. Prescription antihistamines and corticosteroids can handle more debilitating or longer-lasting symptoms. Medications called leukotriene modifiers can also be used to help prevent an allergic reaction. In some cases, the best treatment is avoiding potential triggers. By carefully reading food labels and asking questions at restaurants, for example, you can prevent most run-ins with common food triggers such as shellfish, peanuts, and eggs.

Because you can't be 100% certain you won't unwittingly eat something you're allergic to, or be stung by a bee, your doctor may prescribe an EpiPen to carry with you. If you have a reaction, this easily administered shot of epinephrine (a.k.a. adrenaline) will expand your airways, letting you breathe until medical help arrives. You may also consider wearing a MedicAlert bracelet to inform others of your allergy if you're unable to communicate during an allergic reaction.

Your doctor may also suggest immunotherapy or allergy shots. By gradually exposing your immune system to increasing doses of the offending substance, over time, your body learns to stop reacting inappropriately. The shots work in about 75% to 80% of patients and are most effective in those with respiratory and insect-sting allergies. You'll need to get them on a regular basis for several years to gain lasting benefits.

10 Important Questions to Ask Your Doctor About Allergies

1. What am I allergic to?
2. What are my treatment options?
3. Will I need to take prescription drugs? If so, for how long?
4. Are there any supplements or over-the-counter drugs I should or shouldn't take?
5. Would allergy shots work for me? If so, how often and for how long will I need to get them?
6. Should I carry an EpiPen with me?
7. Should I wear a MedicAlert medallion or bracelet?
8. What steps can I take to allergy-proof my home?
9. I don't want to get rid of my pet, but I'm allergic. What can I do?
10. Are there any clinical trials I could participate in?

Similar of Allergy

Allergic Reactions to Foods

Scores of the ordinarily harmless substances in foods, the air, and objects we touch can provoke symptoms ranging from a runny nose and hives to fatal

Allergic Rhinitis Classification

Allergic Rhintis is a problem of the nasal passages cause by the infection of the nasal mucosa through the IgE and the resultant exposure to trigger of

A Nose for Trouble

Constant allergy symptoms are not to be sneezed ? Self-diagnosis addict Susie Steiner gives herself up to the experts The word "allergy' is bandied about all

Anti-allergic Drugs

January 02 2006 Monday Prescribing Notes Antihistamines are indicated (1) to relieve itching, sneezing and rhinorrhoea of allergic rhinitis and hay

Hay Fever - Alternative Treatment

A number of alternative therapies can help with symptom control and as preventive measures. Aromatherapy Inhalations of eucalyptus (Eucalyptus globulus),

Diet for Hay Fever

Hay fever is a seasonal allergy triggered by the inhalation of pollen or, less commonly, molds. Medically known as seasonal or allergic rhinitis, the popular

Etiology of Asthma

What Causes Asthma Episodes? The exact etiology or causes of asthma is still unknown. The airways of the asthmatics are found to be inflamed, red and

Topics:

• Disease and Treatment