Allergies & Asthma

What is the difference between an allergy and asthma attack?

I understand that an allergen can cause an allergy attack which triggers histamine production, etc. But what’s the difference between ‘allergy’ and ‘asthma’?

The term ‘Asthma’ would intersect with the broad group called ‘allergic attack’. Sometimes, asthma is precipitated by an allergy, sometimes it is unknown. Sometimes, an allergy leads to an asthmatic attack, but sometimes, it manifests in another way (eg swollen lips, unconsciousness from anaphylaxis, etc). Both lead to histamine production.

Asthma: What are some ways to control a cough for a child with asthma?

My niece is staying with us and has asthma and has started coughing. It was a last minute decision and she didn’t have her inhaler with her. She’s sleeping and just starting to cough, but I don’t want to let that go because it could throw her into an attack.

This has happened to me as well. I have asthma and when I sleep over at someone’s house my lungs usually flair up. Its probably because of an alergin in the area. Is your niece sleeping on the floor or in a bed? If on the floor, it could be dust, and if in a bed, it could be that the bedding is feather. I would reccomend checking the bedding to see if it has feathers in it. Some other common triggers that could be causing the cough are pollen, cat or other animal dander, dust mites, or mildew/mold. If you can find the trigger and remove it, you should be good to go.

What kind of allergy would cause hot red blotches to the face and neck?

I think one time he got it from cheese that had horseradish in it but we have yet to figure out what else causes it.
I believe he also has a different allergy to wine and or hard alcohol.
Nothing else usually happens to him other than the hot red blotches.

What your describing sounds like Hives! That is an allergic reaction to something. He best be tested for food allergies. In the meantime, take Benedril, it will help with the hives.

What is the best asthma inhaler or anything that can help asthma?

i have tried everything.

albuteral inhaler
cingulair pill
&advair.

please help nothing works and i get asthma attacks every time i run!
thanks a bunch i will give the best answer to the person that has personal experience and an explanation.
thanks
ps my doctor is stupid and doesnt know what to do now!

Your problem isn’t just the inhaler, it’s that few doctors understand asthma.

I use the Ventolin inhaler but, honestly, what has really helped me is cutting out a lot of dairy in my diet. I drink AT LEAST 8 big glasses of water per day and avoid all dairy: milk, cheese, etc.

I won’t say I never have dairy but after a month of cutting way back on dairy, I noticed I wasn’t needing my inhaler as often.

Also, take a product with Guaifenesin in it like Mucinex. Guaifenesin is good for people with asthma. I buy stuff at the Dollar Store that has Guaifenesin in it and it really helps me.

Allergy Relief - What Can You Do?

Just about everyone around you has suffered from some type of allergy at some time and who wants to be running to the doctor all the time? Wouldn’t you rather deal with it naturally and/or find the underlying cause and de4al with it whenever possible.

Allergy relief does not have to be complex or worrisome because of the harsh chemicals. You also must remember that most modern medicine cures do no more than mask your symptoms.

The reason behind all allergies is the malfunctioning of the immune system so would it not make sense to use natural products to re-start the immune system. That means you would actually fix the problem and not mask it with over the counter or prescription drugs that only dealt with the symptoms providing allergy relief.

Allergy relief certainly makes us feel better on the outside but the trouble is nothing has really changed. That’s why even though you might use the relief it is critical that you dig deeper.

It’s really easy to get allergy relief from popping a pill but did you ever stop to think what the chemicals in those pills do to you. For example anyone with heart disease, heart failure, ore even high blood pressure is not suppose to use them. That’s because the main ingredient can cause the heart to race and blood pressure to go up making this allergy relief deadly to the user. So even if you are healthy as a horse excluding your allergies you could put yourself in a life or death situation.

Now think about this for a moment. You are going to take a medication that will give you allergy relief but it can be hazardous to your health and in between time it will do nothing to actually resolve the problem with the immune system.

There are many natural supplements that can help boost the immune system and support the adrenal system. There are several of the vitamins, especially the B’s, CoQ10, Grape seed, and Magnesium. You get anti-inflammatory qualities, immune boosters, and reduces stress to the body. Quercitin can actually help neutralize histamine which is an excellent allergy relief.

There are many reasons why the immune system suddenly goes crazy and there are some interesting theories as to why allergies are on the rise. Natural medicine believes much of it has to do with our overly stressful lives and our bodies that are no longer in balance. This means that if we were able to bring our body back into balance we wouldn’t’ be looking for allergy relief because we wouldn’t have the allergies we have right now.

If you take a minute to think about it - it makes more sense than any other explanation we’ve had. Not only are our lives stressed because we are so busy but our body’s systems are stressed because of toxins we ingest through our mouth, respiratory, and skin. That places a great deal of stress on organs and glands. And because our food chain lacks so many nutrients that it once had we are not able to refuel our body the same way we use to. And that’s why before running out and buying some allergy relief you might also consider bring your body back into balance.

So you see allergy relief will only address the symptoms. Why not get to the bottom of the problem instead?

Kelly Johnson
http://www.articlesbase.com/medicine-articles/allergy-relief-what-can-you-do-138008.html

Types Of Allergy Medication

If you have done everything you can think of to avoid the allergens but you still continue to have problems the time has come for you to explore the different types of allergy medication.

There is allergy medication that can be bought over the counter, there is prescription medication, and let’s not forget that there is natural supplements that can boost the immune system and help to bring the body back into balance.

Antihistamines are one of the most popular allergy medication choices. Antihistamines counter the effects of histamine which is what is released when you are having an allergic reaction. They are sometime combined with decongestants. Popular over the counter choices includes Benadryl, Actifed, Tavist-D, Triaminic, and Drixoral. Prescription medicines include Allegra, Zyrtec, and Clarinex.

Decongestants are the right choice if you have stuffy nose. You might consider the oral or nasal spray for optimum relief. Decongestant allergy medication is even found in eye drops. Decongestants constrict the blood vessels which then reduces swelling. You need to make sure you don’t use them too long and then get hit with what is called the rebound effect.

Corticosteroids are an ant-inflammatory allergy medication that is used to treat swelling and itching that are a result of an allergy disorder. Nasal sprays are the most common use including Flonase, Nasonex, and Nasalide.

Cromolyn Sodium and Nedocromil Sodium are also an anti inflammatory allergy medication and it is usually in a nasal spray which can be used to treat allergic rhinitis. It prevents the release of histamine. It is available in both over the counter and prescription strength.

Epinephrine is the big guns that are used for emergency treatments in cases where anaphylaxis is occurring. It is usually administered with what is called an Epi Pen. This pen lets you self inject your epinephrine

Natural allergy medication uses nutritional supplements to strengthen the body. The use of higher amounts of various nutrients help support the body function.
To boost the immune system take CoQ10, Vitamin B12, grape seed, and AHCC. To improve adrenal function take B5, and to reduce inflammation you need Vitamin A.

Allergy medication can be taken once a day, ever four hour or as ordered b your doctor. Much depends on the medicine strength, the seriousness of the allergy what he or she is trying to accomplish.\

You might find yourself in serious condition without even thinking about it. You won’t be alone if you don’t realize the seriousness of a peanut alley or any other medication that is like the epi pen used for allergy medication treatment in serious cases.

There are so many different medications to choose from. What’s really important is that no matter what allergy you have the allergy medication is going to be expensive. They all are. So be prepared to dig deep into your wallet.

You should always consider natural supplements before trying any other medications. You might also consider mixing natural with either a prescription or an over the counter drug that will treat the symptoms while your natural works to restore your body’s health and wellness.

Your allergy medication will make you feel better but do work to treat the real cause of your allergy.

Kelly Johnson
http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/types-of-allergy-medication-136992.html

Can Potty Training Puppies Cause Allergies?

Many things can and do cause allergies and potty training puppies may very well be one of them. However, it may also be an allergy to dogs. When a new puppy is introduced to a household, it brings all sorts of potential irritants.

It’s estimated that over ten million Americans (pet owners and non-pet owners) suffer with some sort of an allergy to a pet. These allergies result in itching, rashes, coughing, and sneezing every time a dog is near.

There’s a great article at Pet University all about this. Click here to read it.

Technorati Tags: potty training a puppy, potty training puppies

Immunotherapy: The Long-awaited Solution To Your Chronic Allergy?

Immunotherapy is a viable option for the treatment of allergies. In simple terms, allergy immunotherapy is the process of desensitizing a person to what he or she is allergic to over a relatively extended period. The allergic patient’s immune system is trained to be more tolerant of that substance causing the allergic reaction, referred to as the allergen. Partly because of the time frame involved and frequency of visits to the health professional, the process requires of the person seeking treatment a good measure of patience.

Many of those who choose to undergo allergy immunotherapy have sought relief from other treatments, with negative results. These include the person who may have tried every known drug for hay fever to no avail, or the allergy patient who exhibits reactions to medications prescribed for his or her allergic condition. In such cases, the specialist may have consequently recommended allergy immunotherapy as an alternative.

Besides patience, a cooperative approach is needed for the therapeutic course to succeed. Doctor and patient work out the requirements, and both have to be on the lookout for side-effects. The physician may ask the allergic patient to stay on after the immunotherapy shot is administered to enable him to monitor any adverse reaction.

The range of allergy sufferers who are eligible for allergy immunotherapy shot programs is wide. Persons who have had to endure chronic hay fever and reactions to bee and wasp stings are among those who may benefit immensely. Young and old alike can avail of this form of treatment, though little children may of course be averse to having injections. This shouldn’t be a problem for adults; they can easily put up with being pierced by the very small needle used in allergy immunotherapy. The procedure is virtually painless.

Pregnant women are not included in the list of persons who may avail of allergy immunotherapy. Complications arising from severe reactions to the substance injected are a real possibility. There is no point here in risking the health of the mother and her unborn child. A doctor should have no second thoughts about discontinuing this mode of treatment if his patient gets pregnant during the course of therapy.

If chronic or incurable allergies have been your bane, ask your doctor about allergy immunotherapy and get as much information about it as you can. Who knows, the long-awaited answer to your problem may be near at hand.

Evelyn Dayag
http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/immunotherapy-the-longawaited-solution-to-your-chronic-allergy-131330.html

What is the best type of allergy pill to take if you have severe allergies and you do shots?

I have severely bad allergies.
I currently take Allegra 180mg but I still get symptoms.
Allergens: Most grasses, trees, cats, ragweed.
I take shots for my allergies every 3 weeks currently.
And if my allergies are irritated enough, I tend to go into something like an "allergy shock."

Ask about Clairitin.

Is it possible to develop asthma from having a human to dog allergy?

If you have a small allergy to a dog and you have a dog in your house is it possible that you could develop asthma or other serious problems?
And she’s a very small dog.

yes you can. Your best bet is to live dog-free, but in lieu of that..

Make your bedroom a dog-free zone. The dog is not allowed to enter or touch anything.. especially your bed and pillows. If the dog has been allowed on your pillows, you can try washing your pillows, but probably just best to buy all new ones. Breathing in that dander at night if you’re allergic to dogs is highly suicidal.

Wash after petting the dog. Do not touch your face with dog contaminated hands, and try to keep the dog off your clothes as much as possible. Wash up as soon as possible. If you like having the dog as a lapdog, change your clothes immediately after the snuggle time and wash your face & hands.

At night, when you go to bed, change into 100% dog-free clothing before touching your bed. You’ll want the place that you sleep to be as pristinely dog-free as humanly possible.

Carpets are actually helpful with animal dander.. it seems to trap it that its not as airborne. That said, vacuuming regularly should be done with a hepa filter vacuum, and preferably by someone else when you’re not home. If you are the one that vacuums, try wearing a filter-mask while vacuuming and for an hour after it until the "dust" settles.