Articles Archives

How to Treat Your Allergy Symptoms Part 1

For those of us that have allergies, there are several options we have to help us deal with them. Today we are going to talk about how to treat your allergy symptoms with conventional treatments.

When we cannot adequately avoid airborne allergens, our symptoms often can be controlled with medication. Effective medications that can be prescribed by a doctor include antihistamines and topical nasal steroids either of which can be used alone or in combination.

Many over-the-counter (OTC) antihistamines and decongestants are effective and available at your local Walmart, CVS, or Walgreens. Be prepared to show your ID.

How to Treat Your Allergy Symptoms with Antihistamines

As the name indicates, an antihistamine counters the effects of histamine, which is released by the mast cells in the body’s tissues and contributes to allergy symptoms. For many years, antihistamines have proven useful in relieving sneezing and itching in the nose, throat, and eyes, and in reducing nasal swelling and drainage. Antihistamines will not help with congestion. To relieve congestion, a decongestant is needed.

Many people who take antihistamine experience some distressing side effects: drowsiness and loss of alertness and coordination. In children, such reactions can be misinterpreted as behavior problems.

During the last few years, however, antihistamines that cause fewer of these side effects have become available by prescription and over the counter. These non-sedating antihistamines are as effective as other antihistamines in preventing histamine-induced symptoms but do so without causing sleepiness.

Some of these non-sedating antihistamines, however, can have serious side effects, particularly if they are taken with certain other drugs.

It is not recommended that people with glaucoma or high blood pressure take certain antihistamines. Always let your doctor know what other medications you are taking.

How to Treat Your Allergy Symptoms with Topical Nasal Sprays

A topical nasal corticosteroid may be prescribed, especially for seasonal allergies. This medication should not be confused with anabolic steroids, which are sometimes used by athletes to enlarge muscle mass and can have serious side effects.

Topical nasal corticosteroids are anti-inflammatory drugs that stop allergic reactions. In addition to other beneficial actions, they reduce the number of mast cells in the nose and reduce mucus secretion and nasal swelling.

The combination of antihistamines and nasal steroids is a very effective way to treat allergy symptoms, especially in people with moderate or severe allergic rhinitis. Although topical nasal steroids can have side effects, they are safe when used at recommended doses. Some of the newer agents are even safer than older ones.

Up Next – Treatment Options Part 2

Till next time

Cheryl
Allergy Store – Helping customers since 1989
800 771-2246

Extreme Allergy Control – Taking it Beyond the Limit

Talk about extreme allergy control! I was shocked to read today about a lady in Toronto that has asked her community to cut down the oak trees next to the school because her two children have nut allergies.

That’s right, nut allergies. You can read the entire article here Mother Wants Trees Cut Down.

At first I thought there must be a mistake. Why would you cut down oak trees because of nut allergies? Unless your children think they are squirrels, they aren’t going to be eating the acorns. Did she mistakenly believe that the acorns could be inhaled and make her children sick? What kind of uninformed extreme allergy control measure could this be?

No, turns out not only does she know better, she is the head of the school’s Allergy Committee. She is afraid that the acorns could be used to “bully and torment children”. Bully and torment with acorns? If this is her greatest fear, then she needs a serious reality check.

I’m a Mom. I understand protecting your children. Honestly, I tried to protect my kids even if I did let them drink out of the water hose and make mud pies. I tried to protect them from real and present dangers. Look both ways before you cross the street. Swim in pairs. Wear your helmet when you ride your bike. Don’t take candy from strangers. Don’t take candy from people you know unless it is chocolate and you are going to share with Mom.

My kids had allergies and I tried to control their exposure as much as possible. Some people might think I used extreme allergy control measures because I had no carpeting in my home and ran air cleaners in each bedroom. But that doesn’t mean that I asked people to remove the carpeting from their house lest someone bully my child by rubbing their face in the carpet.

Let’s just be reasonable, shall we?

Til Next Time!

Cheryl
The Allergy Store

Discover How to Explain Asthma to Your Child

You suspected something was wrong. You looked at the 10 Signs you May Have Asthma and made an appointment with the doctor for your child. Now, you just left the doctor’s office knowing for sure why your young son has been coughing and wheezing all this time. It is not an infection. It is asthma. Now you must explain asthma to your child.

Before you can explain asthma to your child, you must do your homework. First, you must learn everything you can about asthma;

what it is,
what causes it,
what are your child’s triggers,
what to avoid
and how to treat it.

Your world just got a bit more complicated.

What do you need to cover when you explain asthma to your child? Explain asthma to your 8-year-old son in terms he can understand. Explain that he now has to take medicine, and use inhalers and peak flow meters. Let him know these are helpers to keep him healthy. Assure him that he will get comfortable with a mask put over his mouth for breathing treatments. Hard stuff for an adult to deal with much less an 8-year-old.

This is how some of our customers have handled explaining asthma to a child.

Be honest. Let them know that asthma is serious but with some work, they will be able to still have lots of fun. There will just be some new rules to follow. When they ask what asthma is keep it simple. “Asthma makes it hard for you to breath sometimes” The best example if you have to explain asthma to a child is an experience from their own life. Remind them of a time they had difficulty breathing. Get into more detail when they can understand it.

Teach them their triggers and asthma symptoms. Let them know they will need to be more careful and pay attention to their surroundings. Your child needs to understand the signs of an asthma attack and what to do if they have a hard time breathing. “Find mom or dad, your teacher or another adult if you don’t feel good”.

Keep them involved. Make a game out of filling out the peak flow meter charts. If one of their triggers is pollen, teach them what pollen is and where it comes from. If weather changes trigger your child’s asthma, watch the Weather Channel and learn about cold fronts. Great time to teach them about keeping a daily journal.

Asthma is a lifelong condition but it does not necessarily mean they can’t do the things they like to. They and you just need to be careful.

Wishing you the best of health

Mike Krause

The Allergy Store