Allergy - Help! I Can't Stop Sneezing - Allergy Solutions

Allergies occur when your immune system overreacts to foreign substances in the environment called allergens. Exposure to what is normally a harmless substance, such as pollen, causes the immune system to react as if the substance were harmful. In essence, allergies are your body's effort to get rid of substances it feels are dangerous. You might have allergies, but there are a number of things you can do to help prevent, treat and live with your symptoms. A few helpful tips to make your life with allergies a little easier: keep windows closed to help eliminate pollen in the air; use and air filter and clean it regularly; stay away from damp areas where mold grows; wear a mask and gloves when you clean the house. More and more people yearly are being diagnosed with allergies. If you are an allergy sufferer learning effective strategies to control allergy symptoms is very important and could tremendously improve the quality of your life. Tree pollens, grass pollens and other allergens can antagonize your senses and keep you from full enjoying outdoor activities. If you are a seasonal allergy sufferer, you know that sneezing; itchy, watery eyes; a runny, stuffy nose; and other allergy symptoms can keep you from feeling clear-headed. There are a number of effective over-the counter allergy medications. Or you may need to consult with your doctor about possible prescriptions. A popular over-the-counter choice is an antihistamine. Some popular antihistamine choices are: Benadryl or Sudafed. A common problem with using these antihistamines is that they can dry out your nasal passages to much causing irritation from being too dry. In this case a nasal spray would work better. Nasal sprays do not dry out the nasal passages as much. If the over-the-counter solution is not working for you, you may need to check with your doctor about a prescription an allergy medication. Some of these medications include: Zyrtec, Singulair, Flonase and Nasonex. There are also Natural solutions such as medications or supplements. Some of the natural remedies include: Vitamin B12, B5, Vitamin A and grape seed oil. Sometimes the best road to take is to try both: a natural solution and an over-the-counter or prescription medication. I hope that this information helps. I have been an allergy sufferer all my life and I know it can make your life miserable! There are remedies out there; unfortunately the same remedies do not work for each individual sufferer. Good luck on your search, I hope you find some relief. Lisa is a published author on Asthma and Allergy Relief. For more information and possible solutions please visit http://allergy-asthma-relief.blogspot.com Article Source:http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lisa_McKennon Allergy - What Characterizes Food Allergy Food allergy represents one of the less frequent types of allergy. According to the statistical data that has been gathered recently, only 2 percent of the adults and 6 percent of the children manifest the symptoms of food allergy. The other people who believe that they have food allergy suffer, in fact, from food intolerance. However, it is very important to know that these two health conditions are very different. First of all, food intolerance has mild symptoms and does not imply the immune system. Food allergy, on the other hand, may even lead to anaphylactic shock sometimes. In addition, in food allergy, the immune system plays a very important role. When people who are allergic to a certain food consume it, the immune system releases a chemical substance, called histamine, in order to neutralize the proteins from the food. The reason why these proteins are mistaken for dangerous bodies is unknown. The scientists continue the research in order to pinpoint exactly the cause of all the types of allergy. When histamine is set free into the body, the allergic reaction is triggered and the food allergy symptoms become observable. It is very important to know that the symptoms become obvious within a few hours after consuming the food that triggers the allergic reaction. In some cases the allergic reaction is mild while in other cases, it may even be lethal. The severity of the symptoms depends on the immune system of each person. Most frequently, the symptoms include hives, itch of the skin, stuffed nosed, dizziness, nausea and vomiting. The respiratory tract is also affected, so it is not uncommon for people who are allergic to a certain food to experience wheezing, shortness of breath or even long congestion. In rather rare cases, people have reported that they have allergy asthma. Anaphylaxis, which represents the most serious allergic reaction, the symptoms include obstruction of the respiratory ways, shock, dizziness and loss of consciousness. The blood pressure of a person who enters anaphylaxis drops significantly. The pulse is either fast or very weak. When the food that causes the allergic reaction is known, the best way to avoid the problem is to stay away from that certain food. When that particular food is consumed, in order to prevent the symptoms, an injection with adrenaline or epinephrine must be made. This treatment is recommended only in dangerous situations. For people who have less severe symptoms, the doctor will recommend a treatment based on antihistamines.