Allergy Hero!

Allergic Reactions And How To Live With Them
By Dorothy Santoro

Hay fever is an allergic reaction that most of us have witnessed up close. There are few of us who don’t know of someone, or ourselves, who are among the millions of people who suffer with the sneezing, runny and itchy eyes and noses of hay fever.

And of course, you can tell when allergies are most prevalent, by the commercials on TV. In the spring, when the temperatures finally start to warm up, pharmaceutical companies bombard the TV screen with ads for seasonal allergy medications for those who are allergic to dust and especially, pollen. If you have experience or have been diagnosed with seasonal allergies like hay fever you know how miserable it can be.

It is important though, to find out what is causing your allergy symptoms. Of course, not everyone is allergic to the same substance, even if the symptoms seem the same.

We often find that children are allergic to pet dander, certain foods and dust, which is bad, but, the good thing is that they may outgrow some of these allergies as they mature, just as they sometime outgrow their allergies to Penicillin. And just as in everything else, children’s body chemistry changes as they grow up.

The best way to find out what you are allergic to is to go to an allergy specialist. This doctor will administer a series of tests to see what the underlying cause is of your allergy.

This may not seem like such an important thing, when we are talking about hay fever. Miserable symptoms like those from hay fever are just that, miserable, but not life threatening.

But with people who have serious allergies, it becomes very important, as some of the symptoms can actually result in death. You can’t get much worse than an allergic reaction that causes anaphylactic shock. The body begins to shut down, the throat could become swollen, it also could become difficult if not impossible to breathe.

One of the more severe allergic reactions can be caused by stings from bees or wasps. When you know you have this type of allergy, you can carry an injection to counteract the life threatening symptoms of bee stings, but of course, it is even better to avoid the stings if possible.

Peanut allergies have caused many deaths when the person did not even realize they were exposed. Even the dust from peanuts may cause a horrible reaction in a person, so if you are a parent that has an allergic reaction to peanuts, it would be wise to get your kids checked out. Even though you may not have peanuts in the food or snacks that you serve at home, eventually your children will be put in a position where they could possibly be exposed to peanuts. It’s always good to know, so you can be prepared.

Of course, true food allergies are rare, but when they do occur, they can be devastating. So after you or your children have had the tests and the diagnosis, then you can sit down with your allergist and talk about avoidance, along with a treatment plan that you can live with, but, don’t let your allergies prevent you from getting out and enjoying life.

To find out more about allergies, allergic reactions, preventative measures such as air cleaners for those afflicted with allergies to dust, pollen, pet dander, etc., check out the articles at http://www.allergies.healthprobleminfo.com This resource is updated regularly.

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