Medications are one of our most powerful weapons against germs and diseases. But sometimes when people take medications, they can have an allergic reaction. That’s when a drug causes the body’s immune system to overreact. They may not be able to use the drug again without risking more serious consequences. Any drug can cause an… Continue reading Drug Allergies: What You Need to Know
Category: Allergies
Another Bad Allergy Season Is Here
Experts say that last winter’s snowfall is causing trees and grasses to erupt with very high pollen levels. This year’s pollen forecasts are also high in the southern parts of the country. Pollen and other airborne allergens cause cells in the immune system to release histamines. Those histamines trigger everything from itchy eyes and throat… Continue reading Another Bad Allergy Season Is Here
What You Need to Know about Sinus Infection
The fall months are upon us, and that means that the potential for seasonal allergies, runny noses and sinus infections increases. Sinus infections happen when fluid builds up in the air-filled pockets (sinuses) in the face. This allows germs to grow. Viruses cause most sinus infections, but bacteria can also be the culprit. However, Jessica… Continue reading What You Need to Know about Sinus Infection
Breathe Easy: Reduce Seasonal Allergies and Boost the Fun!
For the millions of people who suffer from seasonal allergies, melting snow may not bring a sigh of relief. It can start in early spring. We may still be bundled up, but the air-borne allergens of the next season have arrived. Allergens – substances that trigger an immune response even though they do not pose… Continue reading Breathe Easy: Reduce Seasonal Allergies and Boost the Fun!
A Large Percentage of Anaphylaxis Cases Result from Tick Bite Meat Allergy
An increase in the Lone Star tick population since 2006, and the ability to recognize the ticks as the source of “alpha gal” allergy to red meat, has meant significantly more cases of anaphylaxis being properly identified. A new study in the July 2018 Annals of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, the scientific publication of the… Continue reading A Large Percentage of Anaphylaxis Cases Result from Tick Bite Meat Allergy
More Than Half of US Adults Who Are Prescribed Epinephrine Don’t Use It in an Emergency
The most effective, life-saving treatment for a severe allergic reaction (anaphylaxis) is epinephrine. Yet a 2018 study showed that in an emergency, 52 percent of adults with potentially life-threatening allergies didn’t use the epinephrine auto-injectors (EAI), also called epi pens, which they were prescribed. The study, published in June in Annals of Allergy, Asthma and… Continue reading More Than Half of US Adults Who Are Prescribed Epinephrine Don’t Use It in an Emergency
A Drug That Increases the Speed & Safety of Treatment for Multiple Food Allergies
In a randomized, controlled phase-2 clinical trial, an asthma medication increased the speed and safety of a protocol used to treat children for several food allergies at once, according to research conducted at the Parker Center at the Stanford University School of Medicine.The study was published online Decemeber 11th 2017 in The Lancet Gastroenterology &… Continue reading A Drug That Increases the Speed & Safety of Treatment for Multiple Food Allergies
Dogs May Help Protect Against Childhood Eczema and Asthma
Now there’s another reason to call dogs man’s best friend. Or maybe a child’s best friend. Research presented at the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI) Annual Scientific Meeting shows that babies born in a home with a dog during a woman’s pregnancy receive protection from allergic eczema. A second study shows dogs… Continue reading Dogs May Help Protect Against Childhood Eczema and Asthma
Are You Really Allergic to Penicillin?
A new study shows many physicians who treat patients with “penicillin allergy” listed in their charts may not fully understand important facts about penicillin allergy. They may not be aware penicillin allergy can resolve over time and they don’t fully understand the importance of allergy testing to make sure a penicillin allergy currently exists. The… Continue reading Are You Really Allergic to Penicillin?
Unexpected Strategies For Fighting Allergies
Wheezing and sneezing definitely isn’t the most invigorating way of getting through the day. But runny noses, congestion and itchy throats are an unfortunate fact of life for the more than 50 million Americans who suffer from nasal allergies that can be triggered by tree pollen, grass pollen, dust mites, pet dander, mold and other… Continue reading Unexpected Strategies For Fighting Allergies
4 Tips To Sleep Better During Allergy Season
Spring is the season of renewal. Plants and trees start to rebound from the harsh winter that claimed most of their leaves and vegetation. Birds return from their Southern vacations, serenade us with their morning songs and rebuild their nests in preparation for new arrivals. Unfortunately, there is another renewal that many people don’t look… Continue reading 4 Tips To Sleep Better During Allergy Season
Seasonal Allergies and Complementary Health Approaches
Sneezing? Wheezing? Itchy eyes? If you have seasonal allergies, you may have thought about trying complementary health approaches. Here’s advice from the National Institute of Health’s National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health: Saline Nasal Irrigation There is some evidence to suggest that saline nasal irrigation may modestly improve some seasonal allergy symptoms. What Does the Research Show?… Continue reading Seasonal Allergies and Complementary Health Approaches
A New Use for Probiotics: Treating Hay Fever
A probiotic combination, already in use to maintain digestive health, may also help reduce hay fever symptoms, if it’s taken during allergy season, according to new research. Many published studies have shown a probiotic’s ability to regulate the body’s immune response to allergies, but not all of the probiotics show a benefit, University of Florida… Continue reading A New Use for Probiotics: Treating Hay Fever
Hair Coloring and Allergy
Choosing a new hair color wouldn’t seem to be the kind of decision that comes with much peril. But anyone intent on going from blond to brunette, or from gray-haired to redhead, could be in for a surprise. In fact, chemicals used in hair dyes can trigger allergic reactions, and skin exposed to the chemical… Continue reading Hair Coloring and Allergy
Tips to Minimize Allergy Symptoms During Peak Allergy Season
The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) estimates that about 50 million of Americans suffer from allergies, which are most active in the spring, summer, and early fall. Allergies, according to NIAID, are the sixth leading cause of chronic disease in the United States and cost the healthcare system $18 billion annually. Here… Continue reading Tips to Minimize Allergy Symptoms During Peak Allergy Season
Natural Ways to Treat Sinusitis
Sinusitis, or the inflammation of the nasal cavities, affects 37 million people each year. And according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), sinus problems are among the leading reasons children and adults need to stay home from school or work. Sinusitis can cause difficulty breathing, headaches, sore throat, teeth pain, and fatigue. Most cases… Continue reading Natural Ways to Treat Sinusitis
10 Tips to Reduce Allergy Symptoms While Outside Doing Yard Work
As the weather is warming up, many homeowners are starting to work in the yard to enhance their home’s curb appeal for the spring and summer months. But with the warmer weather comes the wheezes and sneezes of allergy season. How can you spend more time outside working in your yard without the bothersome symptoms… Continue reading 10 Tips to Reduce Allergy Symptoms While Outside Doing Yard Work
Top Tips for Surviving Allergy Season
Remove pollen covered clothing as soon as you get home. Bag garments or deposit them in your mud or laundry room as soon as you walk in the door. Do the same with shoes to avoid tracking allergenic contaminants into your home. Use a high quality air purifier with a true HEPA filter at home… Continue reading Top Tips for Surviving Allergy Season