What allergy means in simple words?
Allergy simply means reaction to a thing(allergen) that our body don't like or reject. That reaction occurs by our immune system cells which tries hard to get rid of that stuff.What are the symptoms:
Mild symptoms:
Hives/Rashes: looks similar to what we see when an ant or mosquito bites us, but this will be multiple either all over body or locally. It is mostly associated with itching.
Diarrhea, vomiting
Severe Symptoms:
Mouth swelling, difficulty to breath due to laryngeal edema, Dizziness, skin pilling or blisters- Immediately go to Hospital if any of this severe symptoms appears.
Treatment:
Only one: Find out what substance you are allergic to and avoid it.
Once you get in contact with allergen, after you get rid of it, it will take couple of days until body stop reacting to that allergen.
For Symptomatic Care: Use antiallergen or antihistaminics
Example:
1. Syrup. Benadryl 5ml for children >5year age, and 10ml for adults for two to three times a day for 2-3 days
or
2. Tablet Cetrizine10mg - one tablet once a day for adult and half tablet once a day for children more than 5 year of age, for 2-3 days.
3. Calamine lotion : It will help with itching and burning
4. For Difficulty in breathing/asthma: Use albuterol inhaler if available immediately until you reach to physician
How to find out what is causing allergy?
It usually take 1-2 days to develop allergic symptoms first time but it will take just few minutes to a hour for second time exposure. Think what new thing you used or try in past couple of days.
Think of followings:
New food?
Most common are:
Nuts (peanut can cause severe allergy),
Milk (Lactose allergy can cause bloating and diarrhea),
Chocolate/Candy,
Wheat( diarrhea, rashes),
Fatty food (foul smelling stool),
Oil,
eggs/ meat/fish
New weather?
New weather like sudden cold weather or sudden rainy wet weather can cause reaction in airway which can cause difficulty in breathing
New body soap/ Detergents?
Can cause small rashes all over body
New cloths?
Can causes rashes on contact area
New Medicine?
Any including multivitamins can cause mild to severe allergic reactions
Mold in house/ backyard?
It mainly causes breathing problems/ asthma
Animal contact/ Animal dropping/hair contact?
Animal contact or contact with their dropping or hair can causes rashes and itching
Dust allergy?
It usually causes breathing problems, such as asthma, nasal congestion,and coughing.
Keep the house clean specially sleeping area. Get rid of carpets as it hold dust, plus in a day today life we don't clean carpets everyday. Wooden floor or tile floor is much better than carpet as you can see dust on it.
If symptoms remain persistent and you are unable to find out what causing allergy, then take appointment with allergy/immunology specialist to get various allergen testing done.
Good Initiative. .!
ReplyDeleteI have few Questions.
1. What to do with Environmental skin allergy like Pollen etc. ?
2. How do we increase immunity to prevent Allergies?
1. Usually, pollen doesn't cause skin allergy. But, skin allergy like rashes, contact dermatitis can occur by contact with poison ivy or Oak. Or it can menifest due to photosensitivity. Also,Moisture can cause acne or rash.
DeleteWash your skin immidiately if you come in contact with any irritant. Use sunscreen lotion in case of sensitivity to sun. Wash your face multiple times and keep it dry and less oily in moist weather.
2. There is nothing to increase immunity to prevent allergy as allergy is caused by high immune response to allergen. Rather we need to desensitize or say make our body expose to allergen little by little so it can get used to it and do not react to it. Allergy specialist can help with desensitization process. Sometimes, it can take years to desensitise.
Very helpful information !
ReplyDelete