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What to do About Allergies
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Whether you're afflicted with seasonal allergies
or endure allergy symptoms all year, you are
not alone. The American Academy of Allergy, Asthma,
and Immunology (AAAAI) estimates that 40 million
to 50 million Americans suffer from allergies.
Allergies can range from irritating inconveniences
to chronic debilitating conditions. They can
even be life-threatening, as in the case of allergic
shock, or anaphylaxis. Because of their potential
severity and increasing prevalence, allergic
reactions have been the focus of rigorous research.
This work has resulted in a greater understanding
of the complex nature of allergic reactions,
which in turn has led to more effective allergy
treatment options. While allergies still can't
be cured, doctors are learning more about how
to prevent them and how to manage allergy symptoms
successfully. This means that youíll not
only feel better but also be less likely to suffer
the permanent tissue damage that can result from
long-term allergies.
Allergic Reaction, Treatment, & Allergy
Symptoms
This report will explain how and why an allergic
reaction happens, discuss the advantages of newer
treatments, and shed light on some controversial
topics such as peanut allergies, alternative
diagnostic approaches, and toxic house syndrome.
When it comes to managing allergies, the watchword
is “avoidance,” particularly of those
triggers that fire the starter’s gun on
a full-blown allergic attack. Finally, this report
will take a look ahead to what may be coming
soon to an allergy clinic near you.
Prepared by the editors of Harvard Health Publications
in consultation withMariana C. Castells, M.D.,
Ph.D., Associate Professor of Medicine, Harvard
Medical School and Associate Director, Allergy
and Clinical Immunology Training Program, Brigham
and Women’s Hospital, Division of Rheumatology,
Immunology, and Allergy. 48 pages. (updated:
2007)
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Table of Contents:
- Why are you allergic?
- Your genes
- What’s
in a name?
- Your environment
- Antigens and
allergens
- What is an allergic
reaction?
- Tolerating intolerances
- Allergies and
your immune system
- What is inflammation?
- Pinpointing your
allergic triggers
- Diagnosing allergies
- Skin testing
- Blood testing
- What to tell
your doctor
- Elimination diets
and food challenges
- Drug challenges
- Complementary
and alternative diagnostics
- The changing world
of allergy treatments
- Antihistamines
- Decongestants
- Anti-inflammatory
medications
- Bronchodilators
- Allergy shots
- New meds on the
block
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- Managing your allergies
- Allergic rhinitis
(nose)
- Allergic asthma
(lungs)
- Allergic conjunctivitis
(eyes)
- Atopic dermatitis
(eczema)
- Contact dermatitis
- The itchies:
Urticaria (hives)
- All puffed up:
Angioedema
- Anaphylaxis (allergic
shock)
- Latex allergy
- Drug hypersensitivities
and allergies
- Vaccine allergies
- Seminal fluid
allergies
- Insect allergies
- Food allergies
- What you can do to
help yourself
- Pollen: Sized
for a special job
- Molds and other
fungi
- Dealing with
dust mites
- Roaches on the
run
- Pouncing on pet
dander
- Glossary
- Resources
- Organizations
- Books and Special
Health Reports
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Here's an
Excerpt from this Allergy Treatment Special Health
Report
Allergic reactions are inappropriate, overblown
responses mounted by the body’s immune
system against a harmless substance. Take ragweed
pollen, for example. Ragweed pollen is not poisonous,
infectious, or in any way harmful to humans.
But in some people it triggers an attack by immune
system cells that takes the form of an allergic
reaction. When this happens, the ragweed pollen—or
any offending substance—is called an allergen.
You develop allergies for two reasons: First,
you are genetically predisposed to be allergic;
second, factors in your environment, especially
when you are young, make you more susceptible.
Most allergies are caused by some combination
of genetics and environment.
Scientists now know that many people have a
genetic predisposition to be allergic. For instance,
a child with one parent who has allergies has
a 50% risk of developing allergies. And this
risk increases to 70% if both the child’s
parents are allergy sufferers.
Genes alone are not enough to give you allergies.
The circumstances of your early childhood apparently
influence how likely you are to develop allergies.
For instance, if you have siblings, your place
in the birth order matters. Children who have
three or more older brothers or sisters are less
likely to develop allergies than siblings born
earlier. Scientists think this is because younger
siblings are, by definition, more exposed to
germs generously passed around by older brothers
and sisters. Exposure to a wider array of germs
early in life may dampen the body’s tendency
to turn on the allergic response. Similarly,
children in day care, who are exposed to germs
as they come in contact with many other children,
seem less likely to develop asthma. Being breast-fed
also provides some protection against developing
allergies.
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