All About Allergies: How to Understand, Prevent and Treat Them In Your Family, Part Two

Part One of this series described the biological process involved in most allergic reactions and also the severity and types of most allergy attacks. Part Two describes the many different types of allergies and how families can treat and prevent them.

Hay fever is common and easily controlled.

Hay fever is among the most visible signs of allergies, with sneezing, watery eyes (also called allergic conjunctivitis) and coughing the most common symptoms. Other more severe effects include headache, impaired smell, nasal and chest congestion, and wheezing.

The most common kind of hay fever is actually the condition called rhinitis, an internal inflammation of the mucous membrane inside the nose. Its primary symptoms is the runny nose.

Hay fever is basically an allergy to a variety of seasonal pollens. It gets its name from haying season, which typically lasts from the end of May through the month of June. Most of the pollens that cause hay fever are propelled through the air via wind currents, literally creating an atmosphere conducive to an allergic reaction. It’s considered easy to treat, with dozens of antihistamine and corticosteroid medications available over the counter.

Atopic and Contact Dermatitis are also very common and easily treatable

Atopic dermatitis (also called atopic exzema) routinely appears in conjunction with other allergic reactions such as sneezing and allergic conjunctivitis. It’s marked by swelling or reddening of areas of the skin. However, atopic dermatitis is non-contagious, and symptoms can fade and disappear over time. The symptoms often strongly resemble the outward signs of psoriasis. Atopic dermatitis is very common in children and even many breeds of domesticated dogs.

Allergic contact dermatitis, as the name implies, arises when the skin encounters something to which the body reacts. The infected area develops a rash or irritated surface area some hours after exposure to the allergen. Typical causes include poison oak, poison ivy, and also some chemical detergents and cleansers with a high nickel content.

Atopic and contact dermatitis should not be confused with contact urticaria, in which a strong rash arises immediately after contact but fades almost as quickly.

Preventing Allergies For You and Your Family

Creating an allergy-free environment for yourself and your family takes some technology, a lot of planning, and plenty of awareness. Fortunately, it does not take a lot of money.

Experts recognize that the best way to avoid allergic reactions is simply to avoid the substances and conditions that provoke them. Within the home, this can involve using air purifiers and high performance filters on air conditioning units.

Smoking remains one of the greatest dangers to allergies – especially those in children. Removing smoking altogether from your home and your car will greatly improve their air quality. Pregnant women should never smoke, as this presents myriad dangers to the unborn child.

Evidence suggests that breastfeeding increases a baby’s later susceptibility to allergies and irritants. Breastfeeding as long as possible also helps build the child’s immune system build resistance to respiratory diseases which can contribute to allergies.

Getting Tested for Allergies

Getting yourself and your children tested by an allergist will definitively disclose any airborne, food, and several other allergens to avoid during everyday activities. The tests are quick and mostly free of discomfort. A trained allergist or specialist will prick the skin with a variety of known allergens, testing for a response and monitor the results. They’ll then be able to formulate an "allergy map" describing the severity of any allergies on a scale of one to four.

Skin tests will not work, however, on patients with some kinds of skin disease or for those who have recently taken antihistamine allergy medication.

Various types of treatment medications work for various allergy needs.

The most famous type of allergy medications are long- and short-term antihistamines, which block the production of the histamine substance within the body. Most cause some form of drowsiness, though some do not.

Decongestants also work to prevent many allergy symptoms by shrinking blood vessels along nasal tissues. They’re typically used to reduce congestion that comes with moderate allergy symptoms. Side effects include raised blood pressure, irritability, and even sleeplessness and insomnia.

Combined medications offer much of the benefits of both antihistamines and decongestants. They may also combine side effects, however.

Steroids are especially useful for relieving allergy inflammation that results in many allergy symptoms such as sneezing and watery eyes. They must be taken regularly to have a positive effect, however, and may not show positive results for as long as two weeks. Side effects include weight gain and fluid retention.

Determining which treatments will work best for you and your family

Allergies, especially during the high pollen content months of spring and summer, are a great enough family health concern to consult your family doctor. Medication and removing known allergens from your living environment are important steps, and can be understood as the foundation of a healthier lifestyle.

Pursuing a greater level of respiratory and cardiovascular fitness is also a helpful form of allergy resistance. Improving the strength of these important body systems will help them stave off allergy irritation, reducing the risk of reactions.

Michael Kabel is Senior Staff Writer for http://www.cornerstorkbabygifts.com. Stop by for parenting and baby resources, unique baby gifts, baby gift baskets and baby shower favors.