If the body makes contact through the mouth, skin or nose the allergen as it is called makes the body release antibodies. These are known as histamines that fight the allergen and are the bodies normal defence mechanism. The histamine may then however go on to cause one or more of the following annoying symptoms to varying degrees of severity:
Sneezing and possibly a blocked nose, an itchy feeling in the eyes, nose or throat, watery eyes, dry coughing, a skin rash and even conjunctivitis.
Discovery of what the allergen is is particularly important in preventing future problems. This is generally done in one of three different ways:
Firstly, an intradermal test may be performed, This is when a potential allergen is injected into the top layer of the skin. Over that spot an allergic reaction will occur in the form of a bubble or in fact any other type of irritation such as an itch or redness.
Secondly the common patch test can be performed. A plaster with the suspected allergen under it is fixed tightly to the skin. Normally 48 hours is allowed to pass by before the plaster is removed to see if their has been any inflammation or reaction.
Thirdly, a small droplet of the proposed allergen is placed on to the skin to see if it causes reactions. Within 20 mintues reactions usually occur.
If someone is found to suffer from allergies then there are fortunately several straight forward things you may do to ease the allergic reaction. Try any or all of the following simple methods to see which helps ease your symptoms:
Make your-self aware of the content of the food that you are eating. Keep an eye on the days you are particularly worse and your diet. Chocolate and wheat are well known to cause allergic reactions in some people.
Use an air filter which may reduce the effects of air pollutants, this is very good advice if you live in an industrial area.
Try spending time with all the windows and doors closed to see if this eases the symptoms.
Home dehumidifiers can reduce the moisture in the air and therefore help reduce the spread of dust mites and other allergens. Nowadays there are specifically designed home dehumidifiers and even portable air dehumidifiers that can quickly and easily reduce humidity levels where you feel the need to do so, this will also reduce the risk of mold growth which is well known to produce allergic reactions in some people.
Wash your bed linen often and you could also try a new powder to check this is not the source of the reactions.
Herbalists may recommend Querticin a poweful ingredient in garlic and onion that reduce the impact of histamine.
Green tea extract whilst being a highly recommended drink which includes antioxidants also contain plentiful phytonutrients that prevent against cellular level attacks and bacteria.
Ensuring you are getting enough calcium may also help some people as this helps equalise the alkaline to acid ratio which may reduce some peoples allergies and furthermore may decrease the production of the histamine.
All of the above methods are simple but could possible save you a good deal of suffering. It also might be wise to keep a note of the days when things are good and bad and the possible reasons for this including the above factors.
Appropriate prescriptions can be gained from your doctor if the problems persist and if it is necessary. Indeed always consult your doctor for medical advice. Prescribed medicine often takes the form of nasal sprays in order to reduce the inflammation. They could also recommend antihisthamines that can considerably lessen symptoms in many people also.
In conclusion it is definitely worth pursuing some of the simpler methods first and recording your reactions before progressing on to the use of medications. Clean air through the use of air filters and dehumidifiers and portable dehumidifiers should also be looked into as a serious option.
Tags: allergic reactions, allergies, dehumidifiers, home dehumidifiers, how to get rid of allergic reactions