Health Tips for Allergy Shots

HealthNFitness Tips: Allergy shots can provide much-needed relief from watery eyes, runny nose and other allergy symptoms. But the shots aren't for everyone. The American Academy of Asthma, Allergy and Immunology says they're not appropriate for Food allergies.

Before deciding to begin allergy shots, the academy says you should consider these factors:

• The severity of your allergy symptoms.
• How long your allergy season lasts.
• The effectiveness of antihistamines in treating your allergy symptoms.
• Your desire and ability to take antihistamines and other medications over the long-term.
• Your ability to visit an allergist consistently to get allergy shots.
• Your ability to pay any costs associated with allergy shots.

  
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Traveling Despite Asthma and Allergies

Healthy Tips:  Traveling can expose you to New Triggers for Allergies and Asthma, but planning ahead can help you Breathe a bit easier while you're away.

The Asthma & Immunologist offers Travel suggestions:

• Pack your asthma and allergy meds in carry-on bags, and keep them in their original containers.
• Continue to take your medications on schedule as directed by your doctor.
• Prepare for potential problems, such as food allergies.
• Keep contact information for your allergist and an emergency contact handy.
• If possible, find an allergist at your travel destination.

Related Sites: Pharmacyproductinfo, Pharmacy News.
 
 

Combating Myths on cyclic Allergies

With Spring Allergy season looming, people need to know the facts about controlling their allergies like Asthma and Immunology.

According to the ACAAI:

• Over-the-counter (OTC) oral antihistamines are less effective than prescription medicines in controlling a stuffy nose. OTC antihistamines may control some allergy symptoms but have little effect on relieving a stuffy nose or inflammation that often occurs with allergies.


• OTC decongestant nasal sprays are not addictive. However, overuse leads to the need to use more and more nasal spray in order to get congestion relief. Don't use an OTC decongestant nasal spray for more than three days in a row.


• Eating local honey will not combat spring allergies.


• Pollen allergies can lead to food allergies. About one-third of people with pollen allergies also may react to certain foods because some pollens and foods have similar proteins. The reaction is usually mild and may include itchy, tingling mouth, throat or lips.


• Skin tests are more sensitive than blood tests for diagnosing allergies.


• Allergy shots are not necessarily more costly or time-consuming than taking medicine to relieve allergy symptoms. Over time, in fact, they may reduce an allergic person's health-care costs.

Black Male Childrens Have Highest Rates of Food Allergies

Children, males and blacks have the maximum rates of food allergies in the United States, and the risk is 4.4 times higher among male black children than in the general population, a new study finds.
Overall, 7.6 million people (2.5 percent of the U.S. population) are anticipated to have food allergies, according to researchers who analyzed data from 8,203 people, aged 1 year to 60 and older, who were included in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey in 2005-06. The participants had their blood tested for antibodies to four specific foods: peanuts, milk, eggs and shrimp.
Food allergy rates were maximum (4.2 percent) among children aged 1 to 5 and lowest (1.3 percent) among adults elder than 60. Compared to the general population, food allergies were two times more common among children aged 1 to 19, three times more common among blacks and two times more common among males.
People with asthma were 3.8 times more likely to have food allergies than those who had previously been diagnosed with asthma but no longer had it. Food allergies were seven times more common among people who had an asthma-related emergency department visit in the past year than among those who had ever been diagnosed with asthma but hadn't been to an emergency department.
"This study provides further credence that food allergies may be contributing to severe asthma episodes, and suggests that people with a food allergyDr. Andrew Liu, and asthma should closely monitor both conditions and be aware that they might be related," study author  an associate professor of pediatrics at National Jewish Health in Denver, said in a news release from National Jewish.