Natural Allergy Remedies - Allergies And Symtoms

"With this allergy & asthma treatment book, neither you nor your loved ones ever have to suffer a potentially life-threatening allergy or asthma attack again."

An allergy can refer to several kinds of immune reactions including Type I hypersensitivity in which a person's body is hypersensitised and develops IgE type antibodies to typical proteins. When a person is hypersensitised, these substances are known as allergens. The word allergy derives from the Greek words allos meaning "other" and ergon meaning "work".

Type I hypersensitivity is characterised by excessive activation of mast cells and basophils by immunoglobulin E resulting in a systemic inflammatory response that can result in symptoms as benign as a runny nose, to life-threatening anaphylactic shock and death.

Symptoms of allergies

runny nose
tearing eyes, burning or itching eyes
red eyes, conjunctivitis
swollen eyes
itching nose, mouth, throat, skin, or any other area
wheezing
coughing
difficulty breathing
hives (skin wheals)
skin rashes
stomach cramps
vomiting
diarrhea
headache

Treatment with drug medication for allergies

Dextromethorphan is a cough suppressant. Decongestants relieve nasal stuffiness. This combination medication is used to treat symptoms associated with the common cold, allergies, hay fever, sinusitis and other respiratory illnesses.

Side Effects: Mild dizziness, mild drowsiness, headache, nervousness, restlessness, loss of appetite, nausea or dry mouth may occur the first several days as your body adjusts to the medication. If any of these effects continue or become bothersome, inform your doctor. Notify your doctor if you develop chest pain, rapid pulse, skin rash, high blood pressure, tremors, extreme nervousness, hallucinations. If you notice other effects not listed above, contact your doctor or pharmacist.

Allergy is a very common disorder and more than 50 million Americans suffer from allergic diseases. Allergies are the 6th leading cause of chronic disease in the United States, costing the health care system $18 billion annually.

Common allergens

Plant pollens (Hay fever):

rye grass
ragweed
timothy grass
birch trees
Mold spores

Drugs:

penicillins
sulfonamides
salicylates (also found naturally in numerous fruits)
local anaesthetics

Foods (food allergy):

nuts (2 separate cases)
peanuts
nuts
sesame
seafood
egg (typically albumen, the white)
peas, beans, peanuts, soybeans and other legumes
soy milk
wheat
corn or maize

Insect stings:

bee sting venom
wasp sting venom

Animal products (animal allergy):

Animal hair and dander
cockroach calyx
dust mite excretion

Other:

Latex

Allergies Natural Remedies

Certain nutrients have been found beneficial in the prevention and treatment of allergies. Often the intake of vitamin B5 or pantothenic acid brings great relief to the sufferer. This vitamin may be taken in a dose of 100 mg daily for a month. In such cases, liberal amounts of pantothenic acid helps even though the recovery takes several weeks. A dose of 400 mg of vitamin E taken daily for four to six weeks is also beneficial as this vitamin possesses effective anti-allergic properties.

Lime is considered an effective remedy for any kind of allergy. Half a lime may be squeezed in a glass of lukewarm water and sweetened with a teaspoon of honey. It can be taken once daily first thing in the morning for several months. This remedy not only flushes the system of toxins but also acts as an antitoxic and antiallergic agent. However, those who are allergic to citrus fruits should not take recourse to this remedy.

One or two bananas a day are useful for those who are allergic to certain foods and who consequently suffer from skin rashes, digestive disorders, or asthma, The fruit does, however, cause allergic reactions in certain sensitive persons and they should avoid it.

A quantity of 500 ml carrot juice or a combination of carrot juice with beet and cucumber juices, has been found beneficial in the treatment of allergies. In the case of mixed juices, 100 ml each of beet and cucumber juices should be mixed with 300 ml of carrot juice to prepare 500 ml or half a litre of mixed juice. This should be taken once daily.  

When to call a doctor for allergies

If you notice any of the following symptoms, and never experienced them before when you were experiencing an allergy attack, it is time to see a doctor.

- Welts that come up in response to exposure to an allergen, also known as hives. These welts may be a sign of anaphylactic shock, and allergic reaction deadly enough to kill you. Bee stings and fire ants stings are more commonly associated with anaphylactic shock, but can rear its ugly head because of other allegens too. "Seek medical attention immediately".

- If you begin wheezing, which is a whistling sound when you breathe.

- Congestion of the chest to the point where breathing becomes difficult (asthma)

- If you develop an allergy attack that is not remedied by over the counter medicines within a week.