Feeling Discomfort With Allergy?

Feeling Discomfort With Allergy? 

By Dr M A Alam, SSMC

An allergy refers to an exaggerated reaction by our body’s protective system in response to exposure to certain foreign substances. It is exaggerated because these foreign substances are usually seen by the body as harmless and no response occurs in non allergic people. In allergic individuals, the body recognizes the foreign substance and one arm of the immune system generates a response.
Allergy-producing substances are called "allergens." Examples of allergens include pollens, dust mites, molds, animal proteins, foods, and even medications. To understand the language of allergy, it is important to remember that allergens are substances that are foreign to the body and can cause an allergic reaction in certain people. When an allergic individual comes in contact with an allergen, the immune system mounts a response through the IgE antibody. Therefore, people who are prone to allergies are said to be allergic or "atopic."
Allergic prevalence:



· Approximately 10% to 30% of individuals in the industrialized world are affected by allergic conditions, and this number is increasing.
· Allergic Rhinitis (nasal allergies) affects roughly 20% of Americans. Between prescription costs, physician visits, and missed days of work/school, the economic burden of allergic disease exceeds $3 billion annually.
· Asthma affects roughly 8% to 10% of Americans. The estimated health costs for asthma exceed approximately $20 billion annually.
· The prevalence of allergic conditions has increased significantly over the last two decades and continues to rise.
Who is at risk for allergies?
Allergies can develop at any age, and the initial exposure or sensitization period may even begin in the womb. Individuals can also outgrow allergies over time. Whereas many children outgrow food allergies, nasal or environmental allergies are something that individuals often grow into over time, often into young adulthood. Exposure to tobacco smoke increases the risk of allergy. Boys are more likely to be allergic than girls. Exposures to antigens, use of antibiotics, and numerous other factors, some of which are not yet known, also contribute to the development of allergies .The parts of the body that are prone to allergic symptoms include the eyes, nose, lungs, skin, and gastrointestinal tract.
Food Allergies and Food Intolerance



Food allergies or food intolerances affect nearly everyone at some point. People often have an unpleasant reaction to something they ate and wonder if they have a food allergy. One out of three people either say that they have a food allergy or that they modify the family diet because a family member is suspected of having a food allergy. But only about 5% of children have clinically proven allergic reactions to foods. In teens and adults, food allergies occur in about 4% of the total population.



What are the most common food allergies?
Shrimp, crayfish, lobster, and crab; nuts from trees, such as walnuts; fish; eggsand peanuts can evoke an allergy reaction. In children, the pattern is somewhat different from adults, and the most common foods that cause allergic reactions are eggs, milk, peanuts, and fruits, particularly tomatoes and strawberries. Children sometimes outgrow their allergies, but adults usually do not lose theirs. Also, children are more likely to outgrow allergies to cow's milk or soy formula than allergies to peanuts, fish, or shrimp. Adults and children tend to react to those foods they eat more often. For example, in Japan, allergy to rice, and in Scandinavia, allergy to codfish, is more common than elsewhere.
Recovery from allergy
1. Give me drugs
Make sure you have always have enough anti-histamines. Steroids can help but the side effects of extensive scratching, lack of sleep, scar tissue, pain and low moods are not much fun either.
2. Ice, ice bags
You can use the plastic freezer bag packs, or failing that a bag of frozen peas or ice cubes packed into a plastic bag. A cool bath can also help if you are feeling really hot and bothered and your skin has erupted all over your body – it’s rather unpleasant, and chilly… but worth it as it can really calm down itchy skin.
3. Tackle the pain
If you had a head ache you wouldn’t think twice about popping a paracetamol or ibuprofen would you? Don’t be hard on yourself if you have an allergic reaction, take a pain killer and it will really help you get over the early agonising itching stages of an attack.
4. Think happily
Think happy thoughts and imagine your ravaged skin all healed and back to normal; play some soothing music, turn down the lights and relax.
5. Drink plenty to hydrate
Drink plenty of water, you need to replenish your body’s stock of rehydrating liquids and water is the best way of doing this.
6. Moisturise
Keeping your skin moisturised is vital, don’t stint on this when you have an allergic reaction. Bathe and clean your hands and face, or wherever affected, just in case it’s something you’ve transferred on your hands.
7. A little help from nature
There are many things that can help an allergic reaction such as herbs and plants that can help boost your immune system, or alleviate the blocked up stuffiness of the excess mucus that can be created. Take some Echinacea, Grape Seed extract, Evening Primrose or Borage, Stinging nettle or milk thistle. An extra boost of zinc, vitamin E, calcium, magnesium and other vitamins will also help give the skin a helping hand to recover. Include these following foods in your diet:
– Organic Dark green, leafy vegetables
– Organic Deep yellow and orange vegetables
– Nettles, bamboo shoots, cabbage, beet tops, beets, carrots, yams
– Onions, garlic, ginger, cayenne, horseradish
.
8.And the last Get some fresh air!