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Wednesday, May 30, 2007

Help! I Can't Stop Sneezing - Allergy Solutions

Allergies occur when your immune system overreacts to foreign substances in the environment called allergens. Exposure to what is normally a harmless substance, such as pollen, causes the immune system to react as if the substance were harmful. In essence, allergies are your body’s effort to get rid of substances it feels are dangerous. You might have allergies, but there are a number of things you can do to help prevent, treat and live with your symptoms. A few helpful tips to make your life with allergies a little easier: keep windows closed to help eliminate pollen in the air; use and air filter and clean it regularly; stay away from damp areas where mold grows; wear a mask and gloves when you clean the house.
More and more people yearly are being diagnosed with allergies. If you are an allergy sufferer learning effective strategies to control allergy symptoms is very important and could tremendously improve the quality of your life.
Tree pollens, grass pollens and other allergens can antagonize your senses and keep you from full enjoying outdoor activities. If you are a seasonal allergy sufferer, you know that sneezing; itchy, watery eyes; a runny, stuffy nose; and other allergy symptoms can keep you from feeling clear-headed. There are a number of effective over-the counter allergy medications. Or you may need to consult with your doctor about possible prescriptions.
A popular over-the-counter choice is an antihistamine. Some popular antihistamine choices are: Benadryl or Sudafed. A common problem with using these antihistamines is that they can dry out your nasal passages to much causing irritation from being too dry. In this case a nasal spray would work better. Nasal sprays do not dry out the nasal passages as much.
If the over-the-counter solution is not working for you, you may need to check with your doctor about a prescription an allergy medication. Some of these medications include: Zyrtec, Singulair, Flonase and Nasonex.
There are also Natural solutions such as medications or supplements. Some of the natural remedies include: Vitamin B12, B5, Vitamin A and grape seed oil. Sometimes the best road to take is to try both: a natural solution and an over-the-counter or prescription medication.
I hope that this information helps. I have been an allergy sufferer all my life and I know it can make your life miserable! There are remedies out there; unfortunately the same remedies do not work for each individual sufferer. Good luck on your search, I hope you find some relief.
Lisa is a published author on Asthma and Allergy Relief.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lisa_McKennon

Thursday, May 10, 2007

Allergy and Asthma Relief and Treatments

Types of asthma and common triggers of asthma attacks:
There are three main types of asthma, allergic, idiopathic, and mixed asthma.
The first main type of asthma is allergic asthma. This type of asthma is caused by airborne and seasonal allergens. Some of these Allergens include pollen, mold, pet dander and dust mites. Once you are exposed to an allergen, it acts as a trigger for an asthma attack, causing coughing, wheezing and shortness of breath. By avoiding the allergen, the asthma can be controlled.
The second main type of asthma is idiopathic or non-allergic asthma. This type of asthma is not related to any specific allergen or substance. Common triggers for idiopathic or non-allergic asthma include the common cold, a respiratory tract infection, exercise, emotions, environmental pollution or some food additives such as sulphates. Over time, asthma attacks can become more frequent and severe if left untreated. This type of asthma can also develop into a more serious respiratory condition, such as chronic bronchitis, or emphysema.
The third main type of asthma is mixed asthma. An individual could have a combination of both allergic and idiopathic (or non-allergic) asthma. This is the most commonly diagnosed.
Different treatments for asthma:
It is important to know what your personal asthma triggers are. Preventative medications do not stop an asthma attack, they only help improve your day to day functioning. Therefore, knowing your personal triggers is a must. Triggers can include weather conditions like extreme temperatures, pet dander, dust, mold, pollen, dairy products, emotions, and exercise. It is possible to eliminate some triggers like pet dander, dust mold, pollen and dairy products. Pets can be bathed to help with their dander. Frequent cleaning for dust and mold problems helps along with keeping windows closed and running the air conditioner during the spring and summer seasons.
Bedrooms are good rooms to target to get rid of a lot of dust. Dust and dust mites collect in pillows and mattresses. There are covers for pillows and mattresses that help to eliminate dust mites. Also the regular cleaning of sheets, blankets and curtains will help. It is recommended when possible not to have carpet or throw rugs as these items also collect dust and present problems.
According to medical theory, asthma is a hypersensitivity reaction of the lung. The bronchioles of the lungs start to constrict when triggered by stimuli. When your body is weak, the hypersensitivity reaction is more extreme and the asthma attack is more severe. Once the lungs become hypersensitive easily, it is almost impossible to remove these reactions. In Chinese concept, asthma is most likely triggered when the body is weak. According to Chinese alternative medication, eating a certain Chinese bird nest which can only been found in a cave is very good at controlling asthma. It is a bird's salivary secretion which contains lots of minerals. Some believe there are some Chinese herbs which are good for asthma also.
Some asthmatics try Chiropractic care not just for symptomatic relief of asthma and allergies, but for a complete change in how the body responds to allergens and infections. The nervous system controls all of the functions of the body and allergies are an inability to respond properly to something we are sensitive to. It's not the pollen or mold or food that gives us the allergy it's the way the body responds to the allergen. So the medication that helps with our symptoms is suppressing the body's response to something we are sensitive to. A Chiropractor performs an adjustment in a patient's spine which provides more comfort and freer breathing. They also recommend a change to a more natural diet with whole foods. It is recommended to take the most natural approach possible. First make sure your nervous system is doing exactly what it should. Get checked by a Chiropractor who will be able to recommend nutritional supplements which will help strengthen the glands in the body that have the most to do with allergy response, the adrenal glands. They put out adrenaline, which is a hormone that, when injected into the body, will immediately stop an allergic response.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lisa_McKennon