Allergies and Asthma, See What You're Missing

Allergies can be as simple as the cough I get during pollen season or as severe as being life threatening from medication, peanut, or insect allergies. Fields of rag weed create clouds of pollen spores in the spring time, these clouds soon find their way into towns or cities. Children and adults like myself who have no resistance built up because we have not been in contact with rag weed in 10 to 12 months, this goes on for days and the cars turn green from the pollen. We begin to get congested and cough, our eyes get runny. As we continue to breath in the spores we develop anti bodies that attach to the mast cells in our nasal passage, these anti bodies interlock with the pollen spores and create an explosion destroying the spores and damaging the nasal passage. This is what causes us to sneeze.

The allergens that cause the most trouble are mold spores, animal dander, dust mites, pollen, biting insects or bee stings also foods, peanuts, and medications. The most dangerous are bees, peanuts, and medications, these can kill you if not treated quickly. The cause of allergies has not been discovered yet, it is not hereditary but does seem to run in families.

Then there is asthma, this is caused by breathing in allergens but is different from allergies. Some people develop asthma from having allergies, some get asthma and never have allergies, while others never get either.

Some symptoms of allergies are itchy eyes, nose, and throat, coughing and a congestion, sneezing and a runny nose, even watery eyes. Asthma symptoms are similar but not the same as allergies, they consist of trouble breathing and wheezing, coughing and breathlessness, and a tight feeling in your chest. The most severe of allergies causes anaphylactic shock, this comes on quickly, has many symptoms, and is life threatening. Treatment for anaphylactic shock is a fast injection of epinephrine to constrict the blood vessels, open the airway,and raise the blood pressure. Followed by an injection of antihistamines and/or steroids.

Diagnosing what your allergic to is getting a complete medical history and conducting allergy testing. I had this done when I was 7, it was two rows of eight injections on the inside of each arm,

the ones that swell up, get painful and red are what your allergic to. There is a patch test that works but it is mostly for skin allergies, also a blood test but it only works for allergens that enter or effect the blood stream.

Treatment of allergies for me consisted of shots for 7 years during the worst part of my allergies, I was amazed that what I was allergic to was in the shots. That's how they work, by forcing our bodies to boost our immune system. Other then the shots all you can do is treat the symptoms to be comfortable. There were also things I had to do, like stay away from animals and enclose the mattress in plastic. I had no curtains or rugs in my room because they just stored dust mites.

I had no food or medication allergies so that was not a concern but I was supposed to wear a mask when the pollen was bad, I prefered to stay in the house with the air conditioner on. It worked better, the mask was somewhat ineffective, the eyes also put allergens into the body. Thats why they water and itch.

Asthma treatment consists of two groups of medications, breathing and anti-inflammatory, they are administered by inhaler and pills.

The fall can also be a difficult time for allergies, the windows are closed and the dust accumulates. The dry heat starts blowing and the congestion starts again. Air fresheners, chemicals, and aerosol

can also get your allergies started. Take notice to what you are allergic to and try to avoid it, that is the best treatment.