Anaphylaxis is a serious type of allergy that usually happens when a person takes a triggering substance that is often called allergen. The exposure and its resulting reaction, anaphylaxis, occurs when the person become sensitized to that substance.

Sometimes even if the person is exposed to allergens, even how little the allergens are and the time of exposure, the resulting allergy can really be serious and life-threatening.

Anaphylaxis attacks can happen after the substance is inhaled, injected or ingested. Physical or skin contact to the substance can sometimes also lead to anaphylaxis attacks.

Beware, because medical records around the world show that in several instances, anaphylaxis can lead to shock or anaphylactic shock that can really be fatal and deadly if untreated or uncured.

An example of a substance that can lead to anaphylaxis is bee sting. Bee stings contain minimal amounts of toxins that sensitizes a person’s immune system. If the person is exposed to subsequent bee stings, certainly, an allergic reaction will follow.

Take note that reaction to bee stings can be severe, sudden, and sometimes involving the entire body.

During anaphylaxis attacks, take note that the victim’s airways can be constricted. This reaction will sometimes be serious especially if breathing difficulties, wheezing and gastrointestinal discomfort occurs, like cramps, diarrhea, vomiting and abdominal pain.

Causes of anaphylaxis

Other substances that may trigger an onset of anaphylaxis include several drugs, food allergens, horse serum which are contained in vaccines and other insect bites especially if there are stinging sensations. Insects like wasps, hornets and several species of ants can cause these sensations.

Foods that commonly cause anaphylaxis include eggs, wheat, shellfish, fish, legumes, soybeans, milk, cheese, peanuts and other nuts.

Drugs like pain relievers including diclofenac and ibuprofen, and anti-infection like penicillin and cephalosporins can trigger anaphylaxis attacks on several people.

Do you know that regular and prolonged exercises can also lead to anaphylaxis attacks? Yes, it is true because exercises affect the flow of air in your breathing system, especially if the surroundings is unclean.

Symptoms to look out for

Basically, anaphylaxis attack by constricting the passage of the airways. The disease can be indicated by respiratory distress, and low blood pressure or hypotension (the opposite of the common hypertension).

Other indications include hives or in medical terms urticaria, itching, vomiting, uncontrolled tears due to stress and difficulty in breathing, swelling of the face, neck, throat and other body parts, blushing and fainting.

These symptoms can immediately show up upon exposure to triggering allergens or substances. However, in some cases, symptoms for anaphylaxis occur after about 30 minutes to up to about a few hours after the exposure or ingestion of allergens.

Take note that several of the symptoms are also symptoms for incompatible blood transfusion and should not be mistaken for such.

Treatment

Anaphylaxis attacks will require utmost and serious professional medical attention. Because the attacks involve breathing difficulties, it is important to rush the person to the hospital to avoid serious problems, especially if no one around knows some first aid treatments for such.

In several attacks, artificial resuscitation, like the methods used when first aiding a drowned person, should be administered. Drugs like epinephrine and antihistamine will also help.

Prevention is better than cure

Because prevention is always better than cure, it is important if you have a history of anaphylaxis to know and identify the triggering substances.

Avoid insect bites and bee stings, because they are the common cause of anaphylaxis. Food allergens, especially some types od sea foods should definitely scrapped from the diet.

Allergies to drugs should also be known so you will never have the trouble of treating one disease and contracting anaphylaxis in the future. Remember, presence of mind and cautiousness can save you from a lot of trouble.

Asthma allergy is the number one form of allergy today. And since asthma allergy is inherited, one can get it at a young age. The diagnosis process for asthma allergy is a simple and very straightforward test and will immediately determine if you do have asthma and not just some other type of allergy.

Symptoms of an asthma allergy

An asthma allergy reaction can vary in degree, from mild to severe. The following are symptoms of an asthma allergy:

• Headache.
• Fever.
• Chronic coughing.
• Chest pain or tightness.
• Difficulty in breathing.
• Rapid breathing or wheezing.
• Scratchy or sore throat.
• Itchy, watery eyes.
• Runny nose.
• Continuous sneezing.

Some of the mentioned symptoms have the same indicators to conditions like pulmonary disease; sinusitis and influenza so make sure you see a doctor for a more precise diagnosis. What you thought as an asthma allergy may actually be something else.

An asthma allergy reaction that is mild to moderate in degree can be identified with tightness of the chest, spewing and coughing up mucus, having difficulty sleeping and constant wheezing.

A severe asthma allergy attack may be characterized by the person having difficulty in speaking, a bluish color to the person’s lips and fingernails, and breathlessness. When this happens, the patient must be ready with their medication.

Asthma Allergy Treatment

The asthma allergy is treated by medicines prescribed by the doctor. These medicines reduce the swelling of the mucous membrane and help normalize the air passage of the person with asthma allergy. Called “controller medicines”, they help ease the pain of the asthma allergy attack:

• Mast cell stabilizers – non-steroidal medications that control the inflammation by stopping the body from releasing inflammatory chemicals.
• Corticosteroids – another anti-inflammatory medication.
• Anti-leukotrienes – it stops the production of leukotrienes that are responsible for the increase in inflammation that causes constriction of the airway muscle and close the windpipes of the patient.

The drugs mentioned are used to help patients with asthma allergy to gain control of their asthma and keep on living a normal life. They are available in capsules, tablets and inhalers. A person suffering from asthma attacks should always bring their medicine along especially since these attacks are unpredictable.

Asthma Allergy Prevention

An asthma allergy attack cannot be prevented since doctors are not sure what causes asthma. But there are ways that a person with an asthma allergy can reduce the symptoms or totally avoid having an attack.

• Keep a clean and dust-free environment by vacuuming the house.
• If you live near a dusty road where cars frequently pass by, pour water on the road in front of your house. This will stop the dust from flying into the home.
• Regularly clean the fan, air-conditioning and other ducts that come in contact with air.
• Avoid places that have plenty of environmental allergens like molds, pollens, animal dander and secondhand cigarette smoke.
• Wear a mask when cleaning the house or going to a place full of allergens.
• Exercise regularly and maintain a healthy diet.

In the end, the only way to defeat asthma is to learn how to live with the condition. Healthy living is a great way to turn one’s life around when a person has asthma. And with the help of modern science, it is not impossible to lead a productive life. Despite an allergic reaction, one should not stop enjoying life even if they have asthma.

Bird allergy is a normal reaction of your body’s immune system to the feather dander, or more popularly known as feather dust, and droppings or fecal matter coming out of birds.

People who work closely with birds and those who take care of birds as pets are the most at risk to develop bird allergy. Farm workers, bird fanciers and zookeepers are the most common bird allergy patients in hospitals in the US alone.

However, medical statistics reveal that globally, the ratio of people allergic to birds are far lower compared to those allergic to other animals like dogs and cats.

Be also aware that bird allergy is an allergic reaction that indicates the immune system’s efforts to defend you from what it senses or perceives as a health threat. In reality, bird allergy should not be considered as a harmful or deadly disease. Take note that complications to bird allergy kill, not the bird allergy itself.

During the process of an on set of bird allergy, the feather dust becomes an allergen that is not wanted by the body’s system. When it manages to make a contact with your body, it will automatically trigger or cause the immune system to retaliate and produce antibodies or counter substances. Hence, you have the symptoms.

Symptoms of bird allergy

People with bird allergies exhibit manifestations or symptoms that are sometimes similar to those for hay fever or allergic rhinitis. It is alarming to know that most of the time, people with this allergy often ignore the onset of the symptoms thinking that these are just petty reaction to some weather or dust elements.

Symptoms for bird allergies can be divided into two groups. One, those symptoms that are considered lesser or less severe. These include watery eyes, sneezing, postnatal drips, sore throat, stuffy nose, coughing, hives itchy eyes and allergic shiners or the presence of black circles in the area below the eyes.

For the more serious form of bird allergies, the symptoms may vary. Take note that suffering from a severe attack of bird allergy can reduce your lung’s capacity, that may potentially pose a detriment not just to your health but also to your life.

Such symptoms may appear in a long term like two years of regular or constant exposure to allergy-causing birds like budgies and pigeons. In some cases, bird allergy appears after as long as 10 to 20 years after initial exposure to allergens.

Such cases are determined by finding the following symptoms in a patient: prolonged coughing, breathing difficulties occasions, occasional fever and chills, weight loss and dry cough that lasts for some time.

How is bird allergy treated?

Usually, your doctor will have to delve deeper into your medical records to determine or to make sure the disease is pin pointed at bird allergy.

Take note that most or basic symptoms of bird allergy are minor and therefore needs no further and serious medical treatment. Just like other allergies, bird allergy can disappear on its own without the help of any drug or treatment.

Avoiding or discontinuing exposure to allergens, in this case the birds and their feathers, will surely help cease the bird allergy attack.

Physicians often prescribe antihistamines, decongestants and corticosteroids to relieve the person from a bird allergy attack. Antihistamines block symptoms to allergic reactions, not just to birds, but also to all forms of allergies.

Decongestants relieve swelling of the nasal area and stops secretion of mucus or the stuff that runs through your nose when you have a bad cols. Corticosteroids are drugs that treat inflammation due to allergic and other medical reactions.

Allergy shots, of course, will also greatly help to curtail the onset of bird allergy.

Prevention

The most effective measure to avoid bird allergy, if ever you are allergic to birds, is to avoid getting near these animals. Hygiene is the best combative defense against any form of diseases and will also be effective in fighting attacks of bird allergy.

Did you know that cat allergy is the most common and popular form of allergy in the US according to medical statistics for allergies? Yes, it is true.

The American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology or AAAAI even have the figures to show that almost 10 million pet lovers and owners in the country show allergic reactions to cats especially their fur.

Cats, together with dogs are the most loved pets in the country, there is no question to it. About half or 50% of all American households with pets own dogs and cats.

However, you may also have noticed that households with pet cats have more than one cat, compared to dog-loving households which mostly own just one dog on the average.

What causes cat allergy?

Dusts produced by cats’ bodies are in the form of dander. These danders consist of dried shed skin of cats in the form of tiny and very minute flakes.

Cats’ danders are the main cause of cat allergy. Take note that the danders may enter your respiratory system and cause your immune system to react violently bringing up symptoms and allergic reactions.

Cat danders have proteins that are perceived by the immune system as a threat to your health. Thus, cat allergy is not exactly a disease but a reflex reaction of your body’s anti-disease system to the foreign substance or allergen.

Cat allergy occurs often and in rapid pace because allergens from cats are constantly spread out through their blood, saliva and urine. These cat excretions are very sticky and light. They can adhere to different places even if the cat is not present.

Cats’ saliva, danders and urine can also be found in air ducts and walls. Remember, you know that cats always groom themselves (or should you say bathe themselves) constantly and continually through rubbing saliva into their fur.

This action of cats make the spread of cat danders and allergens effective and dangerous. There is nothing you can do about it, though, because that grooming process is an animal instinct.

When cats do that, the allergens are transported throughout the surroundings and will find its way towards your system, making symptoms show up.

Signs and Treatment of cat allergy

A person is under a cat allergy attack if he or she sneezes, wheezes, coughs, itches, have watery eyes and experience difficulty in breathing, which does not normally and usually occur.

It is very rare that a person with such symptoms also has fever and chills, but if that occurs, chances are it is not cat allergy but another disease that must be identified immediately by your doctor.

Cat allergies are almost always treated using antihistamines and decongestants. Antihistamines are the usual drugs that are taken by a person under asthma attack or any other form of allergy. Decongestants are taken by people with cough to relive swollen nasal tissues.

Allergy shots can also be a good treatment and some doctors administer it as a mode of prevention, just like how vaccines are taken to lessen the possibilities that a disease will infect a person.

As always, doctors and therapists will always reiterate that the best treatment is always and deliberate avoidance. To prevent the onset of cat allergy, it is important to get rid of cats when you are allergic to its fur.

No other way can topple that preventive measure. It can be tough and be the harshest decision in life (imagine throwing away your beloved Garfield), but it can be all worth it. Health is far better than the luxury of cuddling your Persian cats, right?

Melissa was very excited because that Tuesday afternoon she was going to the zoo. She is very fond of animals, especially birds.

She doesn’t tire looking, talking and playing around her favorite bird in that zoo–the canary. Canary is a small finch or kind of tiny bird that is a native to the Canary Islands.

Canary birds have a yellow to greenish color and has long been bred by people and bird collectors around the globe as cage birds.

Back to Melissa, happiness with Canary birds must not be a thing for her because after an hour, a strong discomfort was beginning to ruin her mood. She started coughing and itching until she could no longer take it.

Later, the physician who attended to her concluded that she has, yes, you have guessed it right, Canary allergy.

What is Canary allergy?

Canary allergy is no different from your usual bird allergy. It is brought about by the retaliation or defensive reaction of your body’s immune system to allergens from birds or Canaries that gets through the system through feather dust or dander and through droppings or fecal matter.

Because Canary birds are cage birds that could not freely fly, expect that its feathers are very much loaded with these irritating dusts that may cause allergic reactions.

Exposure to Canary birds’ dusts and allergens will bring about bird allergy symptoms within minutes, hours, or at very rare occasions days, which make diagnosing harder unless the patient volunteers the information.

Symptoms of Canary allergy

Like bird allergy, Canary allergy is also characterized by simple allergic reactions or symptoms including postnasal drip, stuffy nose, hives, coughing, itchy eyes, sneezing, watery or teary eyes and sore throat.

Canary bird allergies may not be that fatal but the onset of its symptoms will surely cause a great discomfort to the patient. Failure to address or address severe attacks or symptoms can also lead to serious complications which can be fatal or deadly if untreated or unattended.

In very sensitive individuals, Canary allergy is also accompanied by fever and chills.

Treatment for Canary Allergy

Canary allergy is a chronic attack that can cease by its own even if you do not take in any medication. Most often, the simple treatment recommended to people exhibiting canary allergy symptoms is to make that person get farther or away from Canary birds around.

It is a practical treatment because constant and continuous exposure to the bird that causes the allergy will surely keep the onset of the allergic reaction.

Doctors also prescribe little doses of antihistamines (drugs that treat simple allergies), decongestants (drugs that unblocks breathing areas or treat swollen nasal areas) and corticosteroids ( anti-inflammatory drugs).

Avoiding Canary allergy

Hygiene of course, is the most basic and effective measure to counter potential Canary allergy attacks. Always wash your hands even if you are not eating. Clean the surroundings and make sure there are no Canary bird feathers or droppings around especially if you have those birds at home.

If you are allergic to Canary birds, just like if you have allergies to other substances, be sure to always keep your room well-ventilated by opening windows or turning on air conditioners to an optimal temperature.

If you have Canary birds at home and there is no way you will be disposing them, there are measures that could help you avoid the onset of Canary allergy. First, make sure the Canaries’ cage is clean and tidy.

Do not overcrowd the cage because that will cause the Canaries to fight and play around often, spreading their feathers around.

Make sure that area in the house where the Canary birds’ cage is placed is properly ventilated. Buy an air purification system to make sure the air you breathe around your house is free from any allergen that may trigger another Canary allergy attack.

Lisa was at a birthday party of one of her dear officemates. She has not been fond of attending parties at her age, which is 23. As a child, she was not really into attending parties even of her friends, neighbors and relatives.

No, don’t get it wrong. It is not that Lisa is virtually and practically not sociable. She is very friendly and very outgoing. Lisa admits that she has been afraid of attending parties, especially children’s parties when she was still a kid.

Lisa has a deep dark secret. Don’t get it wrong again. This girl is not a character to judge. Lisa has chicken allergy. It means she can never take in chicken meat because adverse reactions occur in her body whenever she does that.

So that explains why she was not fond of parties, especially when she was just a kid. Most children parties cater or serve fast foods and one of the most popular food served is chicken meat.

It is because more people prefer chicken meat than any other because it is considered to have less fat. . Besides, it is one of the more flexible edible meat around.

Chicken allergy

If you have the symptoms that would be described later, then, you are positive to have chicken allergy. Take note that allergy to chicken is somehow similar to allergy to other meat.

Just like there are people allergic to pork and beef, there are also people allergic to chicken meat. Some people, however, are allergic to chicken but are not allergic to chicken eggs. There are those, on the other hand, that are allergic to both.

In the United States, statistics have it that about 0.6% to 5% of overall reported food allergies annually are chicken meat allergy.

Manifestations of chicken meat allergy

Among the most common and prevalent manifestation or symptom of chicken allergy are frequent infections like ear infections and bladder infections; asthma attack; bed-wetting; eczema; skin rashes; acne; unusual fatigue; insomnia; migraine; depression and chronic disturbance in the gastrointestinal system.

Some people with chicken allergy even develop sinusitis which is somehow unusual if they don’t really have the history. Hives and joint pains are also prevalent to them.

Symptoms of chicken meat allergy occur or show up after several minutes of in take. To some people, the reaction could surface in as fast as at least ten minutes, while in others it can be as slow and prolonged to take up to 24 to 48 hours.

Treatment and prevention of chicken allergy

Chicken meat contains allergens or allergy-producing substances that are called purines. These substances are mainly cited for the onset of several other diseases like gout. Gouts are characterized by the formation or onset of kidney stones.

Purines in chicken meat may lead to excessive uric acid accumulation in the body that can possibly lead to what is called kidney stones.

Thus, if chicken allergy symptoms show up, it is important to immediately consult or seek your doctor’s help. That would prevent further ailments or disease from coming out.

The doctor will have to prescribe several medications to treat or help curtail chicken allergy.

The best prevention would be to avoid eating chicken meat. Allergies to substances, you should remember, is not curable but only treatable.

There are a lot of other meat that could taste better than chicken meat, right?

Allergy to cow’s milk is the most prevalent form of food allergy that primarily affects children. Most infants and babies fortunately outgrow cow’s milk allergy during their second to third year of formula milk intake.

Like most allergies, cow’s milk allergies is not curable, but rather, they are treatable. In that sense, people and children born with it should live with dairy-free diets all their lives to avoid cow’s milk allergies.

A close look at cow’s milk

Regular cow’s milk is composed of carbohydrates or sugar, vitamins, water, minerals, fat and proteins. It is the protein in cow’s milk that brings about or serves as allergens that cause cow’s milk allergy.

Parents should also learn that breastfeeding infants is not an assurance that the baby would not develop the allergy. However, studies found that breastfed kids are less likely to form food allergies of any kind.

Mothers pass along cow’s milk proteins to their kids through breastfeeding. Thus, it would be more appropriate to say that it is not the mother’s milk that incur reaction, but the proteins that are mixed through the mom’s milk, which is attributed to the mother’s diet.

In some cases, some infants develop immunity to cow’s milk allergy during their breastfeeding years, but surprisingly develop cow’s milk allergy when they stop taking in mom’s milk for formula milk.

Symptoms of cow’s milk allergy

It would be easy to tell when an infant or a kid has developed cow’s milk allergy. Parents should be very observant of their children’s conditions so they could immediately seek professional and medical help at the onset of the allergy.

Babies with cow’s milk allergy exhibit skin rashes or eczema. Most cases, the babies experience diarrhea, vomiting and abdominal cramps or abdominal pains.

Because babies could not talk or complain about how they are feeling, parents should heed to their infants’ cries and discomfort. Constant and regular visits to the kid’s pediatrician would be really helpful.

However, it should also be noted that it is not only cow’s milk allergy that causes rashes, eczema, diarrhea and abdominal pain. In that regard, consultation to the pediatrician is needed so the parents would know the real disease discomforting the baby.

Early detection of cow’s milk allergy would be very helpful because early modification and elimination of dairies in the kid’s diet would be very beneficial and necessary over time.

Treatment and prevention of cow’s milk allergy

Severe symptom of cow’s milk allergy would need special prescription medications from the doctor. Usually, to treat such cases, antihistamines and epinephrine are administered to the patient.

Parents of children with cow’s milk allergy should also keep supplies of those drugs in their medicine cabinets because they would be necessary if ever the children would accidentally take in cow’s milk.

Infants and babies will be switched to hydrolystate or soy-based milk formulas from milk-based formulas. Remember, it is the protein contained in cow’s milk that cause the allergy so switching to another formula milk brand would not be helpful.

Mothers who breast-feed infants and babies diagnosed with cow’s milk should instead cut intakes or eliminate dairy products in their diet so the cow’s milk protein would not be passed on to the infants.

As general prevention measure, all formula milk based on cow’s milk should be eliminated on the baby’s diet.

There are some people who are fond of eating duck meat. Duck meat can be turned into several delectable delicacies and there are a rising number of countries around the world that are somehow turning into consuming such meat.

Admit it or not, though duck dishes are not as popular as their chicken, lamb or beef counterparts, many people prefer them because of the somehow good and appetizing aroma and the satisfying aftertaste that comes with it.

Chefs and food critics also claim that duck meats are undoubtedly more meaty than chicken, and flavors tend to stick more into duck meat than into any other form of animal meat.

Whatever argument you are taking regarding duck meat, you still can not change the fact that ducks meats are becoming popular, be it on exotic or regular menus.

Duck allergy

There are some setbacks, however, to eating duck meat. Because duck belongs to the family of chicken and turkey, there a number of people who have duck allergy.

People with duck allergy may or may not know about the condition until they have eaten duck meat and symptoms of duck allergy begin to manifest.

Because people eating duck is relatively and comparatively few in number compared to vegetarians and people consuming pork, beef, lamb and chicken, statistics show that there are only a few recorded and reported cases of duck allergy.

There are other people who have duck allergy and also develop allergy to duck eggs. Just like in the case for chicken allergy, some duck allergic people do not exhibit symptoms to duck egg allergy.

Symptoms of duck allergy

Symptoms of duck allergy are somehow similar to symptoms of chicken allergy.

Duck allergy attacks are characterized by asthma attacks, eczema, unusual fatigue, insomnia, depression and chronic disturbance of the gastrointestinal system.

Unusual symptoms of duck allergy may also appear like bed-wetting and infections particularly in the bladder and in the ears. Migraine coming along with other symptoms may also be expected.

Sinusitis can also observed in people with duck allergy especially during duck allergy attacks.

Be aware that the manifestations of duck allergy attacks may occur and show up hours or even about one to days after taking in or eating duck meat.

Treating and preventing duck allergy

As usual, antihistamines are prescribed to people exhibiting apparent indications or manifestations of duck meat allergy. It is important to note, however, that antihistamines should not be taken without proper prescription as it may lead to over dosage and other serious medical conditions.

Antihistamines contain substances and anti-allergic enzymes that can pose adverse and irreversible side effects to people who take inappropriate dosages.

People with duck allergy, above all things, should also eliminate duck meat in their daily diet. Duck allergic people should do so immediately if the symptoms of duck allergy are already exhibiting or showing up. Doing so would certainly stop the prevalence or occurrence of such manifestations.

To avoid the onset of duck allergy, it is also imperative that people with duck allergy permanently and religiously eliminate duck meat in their diet. The reason behind is very logical and practical, don’t you think?

Donald Duck is so cute, and you may probably have loved him one time or another during your growing up years. But ducks around can never be always fun, especially when you want to eat them and you have duck allergy.