Archive for the ‘allergy’ Category

allergy shots for children with asthma

Friday, September 12th, 2008

Young children are more likely to develop asthma if they enter day care

Should children with asthma be given allergy shots? That question was complicated last week after a highly publicized Johns Hopkins University study found no benefit from the shots in treating a group of youngsters with moderate to severe asthma.”Parents are wondering what to do and people are asking, Should I quit these allergy shots?’ ” said Nancy Sander, president and founder of the Asthma and Allergy Network.

Young children are more likely to develop asthma if they enter day care before four months of age, a study released Tuesday concludes. But the asthma may be the type that fades with time and could help those children resist more severe respiratory ailments later on, one of the study’s authors said. USC researchers said they could not account for why early exposure to day care increased the risk of asthma, the nation’s most common chronic childhood.
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children with asthma may outgrow the condition

Friday, September 12th, 2008

One half or more of Children with severe asthma are more likely to have asthma as adults

One half or more of children with asthma outgrow the condition. Those with more severe disease are more likely to have asthma as adults. Asthma flare-ups can often be prevented by avoiding whatever triggers a particular child’s attacks. Parents of children with allergies usually are advised to remove feather pillows, carpets, drapes, upholstered furniture, stuffed toys, and other potential sources of dust and allergens from the child’s room. Secondhand tobacco smoke often worsens symptoms in children with asthma. If a particular allergen cannot be avoided, a doctor may try to desensitize the child using allergy shots, although the benefits of allergy shots for asthma are not well known. Doctors usually do not recommend that a child should avoid exercise, but rather use an asthma drug immediately before exercising if needed.

Older children or adolescents known to have asthma often use a peak flow meter-a small device that records how fast a person can blow out air-to measure the degree of airway obstruction. This measurement can be used as an objective assessment of the child’s condition.

Risk factors for asthma what triggers asthma

Friday, September 12th, 2008

asthma affects a higher percentage of black children than white

The asthma triggers cause certain cells in the airways release chemical substances. These substances cause the airways to become inflamed and swollen and stimulate the muscle cells in the walls of the airways to contract. Repeated stimulation by these chemical substances increases mucus production in the airways, causes shedding of the cells lining the airways, and enlarges the muscle cells in the walls of the airways; Bach of these responses contributes lo a sudden narrowing of the airways (asthma attack). In most children, the airways return to normal between asthma attacks.

Risk Factors for Asthm : Doctors do not completely understand why some children develop asthma, but a number of risk factors are recognized. A child with one asthmatic parent has a 30% risk of developing asthma; if both parents have asthma, the risk increases to 60%. Children whose mothers smoked during pregnancy are more likely to develop asthma. In the United States, children in urban environments are more likely to develop asthma, particularly if they are from lower socioeconomic groups. Although asthma affects a higher percentage of black children than white, the role that genetic aspects of race play in the increasing rate of asthma is controversial because black children are also more likely to live in urban areas. Children who are exposed to high concentrations of allergens, such as dust mites or cockroach fetes, at an early age are more likely to develop asthma.

 
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Asthma is a recurring condition in which certain stimuli trigger the airways to temporarily narrow

Friday, September 12th, 2008

Asthma is a recurring condition in which certain stimuli trigger the airways to temporarily narrow, resulting in difficulty breathing. Although asthma can develop at any age, it most commonly begins in children, particularly in the first 5 years of life. Some children continue lo have asthma into the adult years; in others, it resolves. More children than ever have asthma. Doctors are not sure why this is so, although there are theories. More than 10% of children in the United States have been diagnosed with asthma, a 75% increase in recent decades. The rate soars to 40% among some populations of urban children.

Most children with asthma are able to participate in normal childhood activities, except during flare-ups. A smaller number of children have moderate or severe asthma and need to take daily preventive drugs to enable them to engage normal play and other activities.

For unknown reasons, children with asthma respond to certain stimuli (triggers) in ways that children without asthma do not. There are many potential triggers, and most children respond to only a few. Triggers include indoor irritants, such as strong odors and irritating fumes (perfume, tobacco smoke); outdoor pollution; cold air; exercise; emotional distress; viral respiratory infections; and various substances to which the child is allergic, such as animal dander, dust or house dust mites, molds, and outdoor pollen. In some children, specific triggers for flare-ups cannot be identified.

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Bronchodilators are among the fastest selling drugs in the global healthcare market

Friday, September 5th, 2008

Bronchodilators are among the fastest selling drugs in the global healthcare market. Now that won’t come as a surprise considering the rate of prevalence for asthma. Today, over 300 million people worldwide suffer from this chronic respiratory disease and in the United States alone, expenses for asthma medications reached more than $60 Billion in 2007. Meanwhile, clinical studies have confirmed the risks pertinent to the extended use of long-acting bronchodilators, which include increased hospitalization and asthma-related deaths among asthma patients. Despite FDA mandate for adequate black box warnings in their packages, the risks of negative reactions prevail. If only an alternative medicine for asthma and respiratory conditions is available, then we wouldn’t have to contend with these severe side effects. But then there are in fact a number of herbs and natural remedies recognized in the practice of alternative medicine for their therapeutic effects on the lungs and the bronchioles, as well as for their tonic benefits on the respiratory tract and the immune system.

Asthma is a terrible disease and, if left untreated, can lead to hospitalization and even death. If you suffer from asthma we don’t have to tell you about the symptoms — the wheezing and shortness of breath, the chest pain or chest tightness, the difficulty sleeping and the shortness of breath during exercise. See your doctor first. Buteyko breathing technique The first natural remedy you can try is called the Buteyko breathing technique. This was developed by a Russian-born researcher and consists of shallow breathing exercises designed to help you breathe easier. It is based on the premise that raising carbon dioxide blood levels through shallow breathing will help as carbon dioxide is believed to dilate the smooth muscles of your airways. Trials undertaken in Brisbane, Australia, showed people taught the Buteyko Method were able to reduce Bronchodilator usage (symptom related medications) by 90% within six weeks; along with a marked improvement in quality of life (they felt much better). Herbs While many medical practitioners doubt the ability of herbs to help with asthma, there are some alternative medicines that have been used in Asia for centuries. Among the herbs that have been used to treat asthma include ginkgo biloba, Tylophora Indica, Solanum xanthocarpum and Solanum trilobatum. Many people do believe that these herbs along with breathing exercises and the right diet can lessen both the severity and frequency of your asthma attacks. 
Folk medicine has used the bitter gourd plant for treating asthma since ancient times. To use the bitter gourd roots mix a teaspoon of the root paste with an equal amount of honey or juice of the tulsi leaves and take this every night for a month. Garlic has also proven to give some people relief from asthma. If you are in the early stages of asthma, take 10 garlic cloves and boil them in 30 ml of milk. You should take this mixture once daily. You may also find you can keep the problem under control by adding two minced garlic cloves to steaming ginger tea.

Home Remedies for asthma : The most common home remedy for asthma is honey. The way the honey is used is to hold it under your nose and inhale the air that comes in contact with it. This may make breathing easier and deeper.

Lemon and figs Figs have also been used to treat asthma. They help by draining off the phlegm. Just clean the figs thoroughly with warm water and soak them overnight. Some asthma sufferers have found relief by using lemon juice diluted in a glass of water and taken with meals. Other natural remedies Other home remedies for asthma include drumstick leaves, ginger, bishops weed, and safflower. To treat asthma with the bishops weed, mix a teaspoon of it into a glass of buttermilk and take it twice daily. To use safflower, put a half teaspoon of the powder (of the dry seeds) into a tablespoon of honey and take this once or twice a day. This acts as an expectorant and can help reduce spasms by liquefying the tenacious sputum.

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suggestions to reduce exposure to household allergens

Friday, September 5th, 2008

The following suggestions can reduce a person’s exposure to common household allergens  - Wash pillows, blankets, and other bedding monthly in hot water. Use foam pillows and enclose mattress and box spring in plastic mite-proof covers. Remove stuffed animals from beds. Remove bedroom carpeting or treat carpet with tannic acid, which denatures allergens. Eliminate exposure to pets or at least restrict your pets’ access to the bedroom. In the house - Keep windows closed, especially during “allergy season.” Avoid tobacco smoke. Achieve ideal relative humidity: use air conditioning and dehumidification to help reduce mold production if your home is too damp; if your home is too dry, use a humidifier. Use air filters (electrostatic precipitators and high-efficiency particulate air - HEPA) and purifiers (ionizers and ozone) to remove particulate matter and odors from the air. Use mite-specific exterminating chemicals, such as tannic acid, but be wary of commercial products. The Environmental Protection Agency recently pulled a dust mite product from the market. Although it was “allergist approved,” it caused terrible reactions in people with allergies. Your best bet is to make your own tannic acid spray.  
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Several people suffer by red dye allergy. People eat snacks and food with food dyes that may cause a red dye allergy. Due to a dye phenomenon in people it may cause allergic reactions. Sometime food dyes also cause red dye allergy. Many snacks and food’s regular intake by children with food dyes may cause red dye allergic reactions to them. Sometimes specific types of food dye cause red dye allergic reaction to some children; however sometime all types of food dyes may cause allergic reaction to children. So be aware of such type of snack and food with food dyes while serving these to your children, which may develop negative reactions like indigestion or eczema. Red dye allergy may cause sever reactions like anaphylactic reactions, skin rashes etc. Ice creams, gummy bears, candies including skittles, artificial cheeses, lollipops, crackers and processed breads contain food dyes cause very severe reactions to children such asthma and anaphylactic. As a treatment part we can take precaution for children by preventing use of food dye in order to avoid red dye allergy. To find out exact cause of dye allergy is very difficult. You can read nutritional labels on the food items which may be helpful to you before taking the product.

 

Allergy is a reaction that occurs in individuals who are sensitive to certain substances such as cosmetics, animal hair, pollen food, medication or to certain climactic conditions like heat or sunshine that in others may be harmless. An allergic reaction may come about anyplace on the body: in the eyes, on the epidermis, the lungs or the digestive tract. Although an allergy can arise at any time, symptoms suffered in childhood tend to let up with time and many go away completely. An inclination to allergic reaction is mostly genetic, while the character of the allergy might be different from generation to generation. The Genetic Factors: Allergies, such as asthma, nasal allergy, hay fever, eczema and some types of allergic headaches incline to run in the family. One family member might suffer from asthma whereas another might suffer from eczema. Allergists have noticed a heritable inclination in acquiring allergy. When both parents suffer an allergy, every one of their children holds approximately a 75 % probability of acquiring one as well. When only one parent suffers from an allergy, chances are 50 % or less.
Allergy is basically the result of defective reaction of the system’s immunity
Some allergies are caused by foods which contain or release histamine during the chemical transformation process. Such foods include tuna or other canned food. Others which stimulate such allergy are food additives like coloring, preservatives and flavor enhancers. Allergy is basically the result of defective reaction of the system’s immunity, which responds to an allergen with the fabrication of antibodies as though the substance were harmful. Today, 1 in 12 children under the age of 6 show signs of food allergy and 1 in 25 have a verified food allergy present. u Firstly, an allergic reaction increases the permeatation of the minor blood vessels making the fluid component of the blood serum escape into the tissues. Such a condition brings on blisters, puffiness, and irritation of certain tissues like the nose, the eyes or the epidermis. Secondly, it causes muscle spasm, particularly in the bronchi. This brings on heavy respiration and asthmatic attacks. In intense instances, sensitivity to insect stings, a nonhuman antitoxin serum or penicillin may bring on an anaphylactic reaction (unexpected shock) that may be life-threatening. Approximately 15% of the population in the U.S. suffers from some allergy or other. However, why a specific allergy develops is yet a medical enigma. Although allergies cannot be completely cured, there is available treatment which can build up resistance to certain allergens.

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Fexofenadine (Brand -Allegra D) Drug Information & Side Effects

Saturday, July 5th, 2008

Fexofenadine is a specific, selective (has no central actions) and competitive histamine H1 receptor antagonist, with twice the affinity for H1 receptor than terfenadine. It blocks both early and late stages of allergy effectively. It does not have anticholinergic, dopaminergic or alpha-adrenergic activity. It is available under brand names like Allegra, Allegra D and Telfast. Fexofenadine - Allegra is an antihistamine drug used in the treatment of hay fever and similar allergy symptoms. The pharmaceutical company Hoechst Marion Roussel which is now a part of Sanofi-Aventis holds the patent rights for Fexofenadine allegra.banner1a Fexofenadine (Brand -Allegra D) Drug Information & Side Effects

Fexofenadine allegra like other second and third-generation antihistamines, does not easily cross the blood-brain barrier, and so causes less drowsiness than other first-generation histamine-receptor antagonists.

Fexofenadine allegra is used in the treatment of Allergic rhinitis and Allergic skin conditions. Dosage for Allergic Rhinitis is 120 mg once daily and for Allergic Skin Conditions it is 180 mg once daily. Contraindications of Fexofenadine allegra include Hypersensitivity. No special precaution is needed in the elderly, renally impaired or hepatically impaired patients unlike other antiohistamines. This drug is not recommended during lactation.

Common side effects of Fexofenadine allegra include Nausea,Vomiting,Weakness,Drowsiness, sleepiness,Fatigue,Diarrhea and Unusual bowel movements.banner2a Fexofenadine (Brand -Allegra D) Drug Information & Side Effects