Information About Allergies

Treatment:-
If you have the acute kind of allergy that makes you sick whenever you eat say, strawberries or shellfish, you hardly need a doctor to diagnose your complaint. The cause and effect are obvious, and the simplest way to deal with the allergy is to avoid the allergen.
If your doctor carries out prick tests, he/she will be able to tell you which substance you should avoid. So if, for example you are allergfic to wool, then you should avoid contact with it.

Several kinds of drug are prescribed to deal with the symptoms of allergy.
Antihistamines combat the inflammatory effects of histamine when it is released. They come as tablets, liquid medicine, nose drops or eye drops, and there are injectable antihistamines which can be used to deal with serious attacks. Antihistamines are particularly useful for hay fever, urticaria and perennial rhinitis.
Another drug Disodium cromoglycate (bettter known as Intal), works by preventing the mast cells from exploding. This drug can be given in the form of an inhalant (for asthma), eye drops (for allergic symptoms in the eyes), tablets (for stomach allergies) or by a nose spray for hay fever or perennial rhinitis.
Corticosteriod drugs such as Cortisone, which are very powerful and anti-inflammotary, are some times prescribed for skin allergies or via an inhaler, to combat asthma.

Food allergies can sometimes be relieved by drugs, but some doctors prefer to recommend diets which ensure that you eliminate all the foods to which you have an allergic reaction. This can be quite difficult in the case of peanut allergy, which can be severe and most usually occurs in children. You should inform your childs school if your child has an allergy to nuts as peanut oil is a commonly used cooking ingredient in many foodstuff.

Self-help
There is quite a lot you can do to help yourself or your child. Obviously if you sufer from a food or chemical allergy you should make every effort to avoid your allergens. (Reading the labels on food packets to see if the product contains the allergen you are alergic to).

Hay fever sufferers should be careful about going out in the open air during the pollen season, especially in mid-afternoon when the polen count is highest. Dark glasses can protect your eyes against pollen or spores.