Archive for the ‘allergy treatment’ Category

Now you can control your allergies

Thursday, April 5th, 2007

HealthAllergies of various types make millions of people’s lives miserable everyday and the allergies control at least some aspects of the sufferer’s lives. This is unnecessary since measures can be taken to keep your allergies under control. There are different types of allergies, determined by what causes the allergy.

The most well known allergies are dust mite allergy, mold allergy, hay fever or pollen allergy and pet allergy. Each of these different types of allergies creates a different reaction within the sufferer and has different sources, but allergy control measures can be applied to all of them.

There are a variety of measures that you can put into effect, but they are intended to be back up measures for the allergy control products that it is advised you buy. There is a very large selection of products available currently. These products will help to reduce the allergic reactions of the sufferer by a large margin. When focusing on the bedroom, there are eight main product types which are manufactured to decrease the effects of allergies.

The bedroom should be the first area to be re-equipped since it is in there that the allergy sufferer spends a large portion of their time and it should be a refuge from the effects of allergies as opposed to aggravating the suffering. The different types of products are roughly divided into two groups, bedding products and air products.

In the group of bedding products there are the categories comforters, pillows and mattress pads. Comforters come in a variety of types and a variety of fills including down and a fiber fill. Most people with an allergy problem would automatically avoid down, but it is warmer than a fiber filled comforter, but you need to ensure that the comforter is hypoallergenic.

People believe they are allergic to feathers, but they are in fact allergic to the dust and protein that attaches itself to the feather so if the down has been properly cleaned then it is not a problem.

Fiber filled comforters are preferred by those in warm climates or during summer. There are is a wide range of choices for people who would like a hypoallergenic pillow , whether it is foam, natural or synthetic. This choice is dependent on what you require from your pillow and your level of allergy. Mattress pads were the greatest thing ever invented by the bedding industry for an increase in comfort and support. Some of mattresses are created for hygiene, some are created for softness and some mattress pads are for back and joint support, but for allergy sufferers the important factor is whether they are hypoallergenic.

The feather beds provided by Pacific coast are created to be an allergy control product. They come in every size to suit you and they are incredibly comfortable. In the group of air products there are Air Purifiers, Dehumidifiers, Humidifiers, Steam Cleaners and Vacuum cleaners. These products all cater for different needs and different types of allergies.

A dehumidifier would be the best option for a person suffering from a mold allergy, but a humidifier would be beneficial to a person with sinus troubles as a result of their allergies.

Dehumidifiers and humidifiers perform opposite functions, but they still perform well as allergy control products. Dehumidifiers lower the humidity level of the area around it in order to inhibit the occurrence of mildew, mold and damp. They are essential for any allergy sufferer who wishes to stop mold spores from growing within their house or in the basement and also wishes to keep the level of humidity low enough to ensure that dust mites are kept at bay.

Humidifiers come in two types, warm mist or cool mist humidifiers. These will both keep the air around them hydrated to a comfortable level to ensure that your allergies are not exacerbated. Warm mist humidifiers are more useful in cooler climates while cool mist humidifiers are better used in a warmer environment.

The determining factors are ease of cleaning and noise levels. Air Purifiers are very important allergy control products. They should be used in with either a humidifier or dehumidifier in order to get the best from them.

A good quality HEPA air filtration device is an indispensable element to ensuring that an allergen free and healthy home is maintained. Air filters literally filter out harmful pollen and particles that will cause an allergic reaction in you. In order to ensure that you can select a high quality product we have circumspectly chosen the finest air purifiers to present for you to select from out of the numerous products we have tested.

Steam Cleaners often look like a vacuum cleaner but that is where the similarity ends. The use of a steam cleaner ensures that you can sanitize, deep clean and deodorize in one simple procedure without using any of the chemicals that can be found in supermarket cleaning equipment. For allergy sufferers, there is the built in benefit that the heat of the steam penetrates deep down into any material being cleaned and therefore the dry steam instantaneously kills any and all dust mites, viruses, molds, and fungi that may be there.

A HEPA vacuum cleaner is a highly effective allergy control product that will suck up all the allergens and dust which have become settled onto furniture floors and carpets. These settled allergens are the ones which keep getting stirred up and therefore consequently inhaled by people due to movement within a room.

One allergy control product will help you to lower the allergen level in the area of your bedroom, but it is recommended that you utilize a combination of products in order to bring the allergen level to it’s lowest possible point and therefore bring your allergic reactions to an absolute minimum.

Allergy Treatment Guide

Monday, March 19th, 2007

Allergy Treatment

Allergy can be described as a malfunction of the immune system, an exaggerated response to certain substances. Allergies come in all different shapes and sizes, some as benign, but bothersome as the sneezing, wheezing, coughing and watery eyes brought on by pollens, and some whoppers that can actually bring on anaphylaxis and anaphylactic shock and death such a bee stings.

Allergic symptoms can be brought on by many different things. Some environmental allergens are seasonal pollen such as ragweed, mold, dust, dander from household pets. Others can be brought on by foods, such as nuts or shellfish, and some by medications (prescription or over-the-counter).

If you have a family history of allergy you will have a greater risk of acquiring one yourself. The first and foremost way to avoid an allergy is of course to avoid the cause of the allergy. Sometimes avoidance isn’t enough and medications are needed.

If you are interested in treating the symptoms of an occasional allergy (such as seasonal pollen) an over-the-counter antihistamine and an over-the-counter nasal spray are generally the combination suggested by most doctors. These will give you temporary relief for 12-24 hours, depending on the ones you choose. Please check for side-effects carefully. These drugs stimulate the nervous system and can cause insomnia, palpitations, nervousness and irritability. If you have a condition such as high blood pressure check with your doctor before taking any over-the-counter medication.

For some who don’t obtain relief from other medications, or who have more numerous or serious allergies, allergy shots are recommended. After a consultation and a skin patch test a vaccine is custom made for the patient. The allergy vaccine will actually contain a small amount of the allergens that tested positive. These shots are given frequently at the start of treatment, generally 1-2 times a week for 6 months, then once a month. Maintenance shots are given for 3-5 years then stopped altogether. Your doctor will decide your schedule. Not everyone is a candidate for allergy shots. Your doctor will review your medical history with you to see if you can safely receive them.

Some seek a gentler and more natural way to allergy relief with the use of vitamins, supplements and herbs. Believers see this natural path to allergy treatment as actually strengthening the body. Vitamins C, B5 A, B12, E and Omega 3 can be taken to help reduce allergy symptoms. Honey can be used to prevent hay fever. Some say washabi taken every day prevents hay fever. Please remember that herbs can have interactions with over-the-counter medications and prescription medications and check with your doctor before starting any course of therapy for your allergy.

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This article courtesy of http://www.allergy-treatment-guide.com

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