With prices on the rise on just about everything these days, everyone is looking to save money. And, with gas prices at historic highs, nobody wants to make unnecessary trips to the doctor’s office or local drug store for medical treatments. With allergy season in full swing, everybody is looking for cheaper, easier ways to treat their allergy symptoms. Find out about some inexpensive ways to treat your allergies.

Learn more:

• Over-the-Counter Allergy Medicines
• Over-the-Counter Eye Drops for Allergies
  Posted in Zyrtec Medication from »»»

LONDON (Reuters) - Having a dog in the housereduces the risk that young children will develop allergies, Germanresearchers said on Tuesday.

The finding, based on a six-year study of 9,000 children, lendsweight to the theory that growing up with a pet trains the immunesystem to be less sensitive to potential triggers for allergieslike asthma, eczema and hay fever.

Just why this should be is unclear but scientists believeyoungsters may get beneficial early exposure to germs carried intothe house on the animal’s fur, which helps their immune systemsdevelop.

“Our results show clearly that the presence of a dog in the homeduring subjects’ infancy is associated with a significantly lowlevel of sensitization to pollens and inhaled allergens,” saidJoachim Heinrich of the National Research Centre for EnvironmentalHealth in Munich.

Cat Allergies, Cat Parasites & Environmental Control

Only in recent years have I befriended the feline species. I was always a “dog person.” But in the past five years or so, I’ve had just as many feline roommates as human roommates, and I’ve grown to love the little furballs.

Ironically, since I have developed an affection for cats, I’ve also become allergic to them. Thanks to environmental control measures, my cat allergies are not very bothersome. I’ve spent a lot of time learning how to avoid cat allergens in the home; the key is to always keep the cats out of the bedroom. I keep the bedroom sealed off and keep my AllerAir air purifier running at all times. (When I do have reactions, it’s usually because a fur-covered blanket is brought in from another room; to avoid this, use Allersearch Allergen Wash laundry detergent to denature allergens, and make sure that you have a durable, washable hypoallergenic blanket.) To learn more about environmental controls for cat allergies, see An Allergy Sufferer’s Guide to Living with Cats.

Today I’d also like to discuss a different topic related to cats and environmental control: the litter box. Cute as they are, cats frequently spread disease to humans. In fact, about half of the world’s population is infected by the common cat parasite Toxoplasma gondii. This ABC News article suggests that T. gondii subtly affects the human personality and may be linked to schizophrenia. Other studies suggest that the parasite may play a role in bipolar disorder, depression, and anxiety. Oxford University researchers say that high levels of the parasite lead to hyperactivity and lower IQs in children.

So how do people get this parasite? Well, it comes from cat poop, particularly the poop of cats who venture outdoors and eat infected animals. About 80% of domestic cats are infected. This is crucial. After the cat poop sits out for longer than a day, the microscopic oocysts (spores) become infectious and can easily be inhaled or ingested without your knowledge. Use gloves and wear a mask when emptying the litter box. Wash your hands thoroughly after emptying the litter box, and try to keep the box in a low-traffic area of your home.

Pregnant women should be especially careful to avoid litter boxes. A woman who gets the infection, known as toxoplasmosis, during pregnancy can transmit the parasite to her child, and studies suggest that this increases the risk of mental disorders in the child. Toxoplasmosis can also cause stillbirth. Pregnant women should also avoid eating raw meat and gardening with bare hands, as these activities could also lead to infection.

T. gondii oocysts can remain infectious for up to 18 months, so it’s important to thoroughly clean the area around the litter box. I recommend a HEPA vacuum cleaner, vapor steam mop, and safe, eco-friendly disinfectant. I also have an air purifier near the litter box at home (which is hidden inside a hallway closet).

The litter itself can cause health problems, too. Have you ever coughed after inhaling a cloud of kitty litter dust? That’s probably because the litter contains irritating crystalline silica, a known carcinogen. (Again, you should always wear gloves and a mask when changing the litter!) If the litter bag warns that you should go to the emergency room if you accidentally swallow it, then you can assume that it’s toxic. Most stores now sell the non-carcinogenic natural kitty litter. I’ve been using all-natural, dust-free pine pellets along with the Naturally Fresh Pet Crystal to help with odor control.

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Homemade devices tohelp children take inhaled asthma medication more easily may bejust as effective as the commercial versions, according to a newreview of all existing studies comparing them.

But the commercial type should remain the first choice if theyare available, the study’s authors say, given the limitations ofresearch to date.

Called spacers, the devices make it easier for children tocoordinate inhalation with the release of beta 2-agonistmedication, which is used to treat asthma attacks. Spacers alsoallow for more of the drug to be delivered to the lungs and less towind up in the mouth and throat, thus reducing side effects.

May is Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month.  Over 35 million Americans suffer fromseasonal allergies.  Although allergiescan cause many bothersome symptoms including runny or stuffy nose, itchy eyes and throat irritation, we are lucky that we have several medications that canbe used to treat and prevent these symptoms. Therefore, people with allergies should not feel that they are limitedin the outdoor activities that they can do. They should not feel that come the spring time that they should spendtime indoors. 

One of the best ways to try to prevent allergy symptoms whensomeone has outdoor allergies is to start taking medication prior to when theplants bloom.  Currently, there areseveral over the counter medications.  Inthe past, many of them, such as Benadryl or Chlorpheniramine, made most peopletired.  Today, over the countermedications such as Claritin and, more recently, Zyrtec are effective withoutcausing that drowsy, sluggish feeling.  Some people may get tired from the Zyrtec, butnot as tired as they might with Benadryl.

In or around the St. Louis metro area? Make plans to attend the Food Allergy Fair on May 17th. The Fair, jointly sponsored by Gateway FEAST and the St. Louis Chapter of the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America as part of National Food Allergy Awareness Week, will feature a Kid’s Concert by musician Kyle Dine and vendors like AwareAbouts ID Tags, Check My Tag, Divvies, Allergaroo, DEY, and Whey Out Chocolate. The event will also feature an “Ask the Allergist” table.

Within striking distance of St. Louis and interested in attending? You can preregister by calling 314-645-2422 or by e-mailing FEAST (at) aafastl.org.

More about Kyle Dine:

• Kyle Dine: Music About Food Allergies
• Allergic Living: Spotlight, Kyle Dine, Allergy Minstrel

More about AAFA and Gateway FEAST

• Gateway FEAST
• Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America

Are You Allergic to Your Cell Phone? Electromagnetic Sensitivity & Allergies

“In addition to the typical pollen-producing allergies that are rampant during the months of spring, technophiles should take caution that some of their favorite gadgets may be the culprit of certain allergy symptoms,” says Dr. Todd Rosengart, Chief of Cardiothoracic Surgery at Stony Brook University Medical Hospital and Chief Medical Advisor of MDX Medical.

Exposure to radiation and microwaves from cell phones may lead to electromagnetic sensitivity and cause skin rashes, fatigue, and headaches.

For allergy sufferers, cell phone use can trigger allergies and make seasonal allergy symptoms worse, according to rehabpub.com.

There’s been a lot of research lately into ways to prevent children from getting atopic dermatitis. Studies have looked at the foods a breast-feeding mom eats, whether infants are breast or bottle fed, when babies start eating solid food, and feeding prebiotics or probiotics to babies to prevent or lessen the symptoms of atopic dermatitis. At best, these studies show further study is needed.

Along this line, recent studies presented at the International Symposium on Early Nutrition Programming found that bacteria in babies guts may be an area to focus on. These studies showed that babies who have a family history of atopic dermatitis have a higher chance of not developing it themselves if they have certain bacteria in their intestines.

It makes sense that the right balance of bacteria could be helpful. Soon after birth bacteria colonize babies’ guts and their immune systems start to work developing what is known as gut immunity. Gut immunity is important because it’s the first line of defense against absorption of substances that could trigger allergies.

The investigators are hoping that the risk of atopic dermatitis can be lessened by giving babies the right bacterial strains and prebiotic mixtures to boost their immune systems.

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Levels of nitric oxidein exhaled breath are higher in young children with frequentrecurrent wheeze and these children are at higher risk for asthma,compared with young children who only wheeze occasionally, researchshows.

Because respiratory symptoms are so common in childhood,progression to asthma can be hard to predict, Dr. Alexander Moellerof Children’s Hospital, Zurich, Switzerland, and colleagues note inthe Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology.

They investigated the utility of using exhaled nitric oxide,which is thought to reflect the degree of inflammation in theairways, to help differentiate between groups at different levelsof asthma risk in 391 children.

At the age of 10, I was still having the same symptoms and I didn’t believe what the nurse had told me. How could I be sneezing and wiping my nasal drip for so long?” So I decided to pay a visit to the junior high school nurse. This school nurse told me that it wasn’t a cold, it was an allergy.

I asked my parents when I got home for allergy medicine. They had never even taken it before. My parents bough the allergy medication. Unfortunately it caused drowsiness. I could remember being so sleepy during class time. I couldn’t believe that my teacher actually accused me of taking drugs (the kind that aren’t allowed at school) when in fact I was only taking allergy medication.

My symptoms of sinus infections escalated from that point forward. What I’m about to describe are two types of sinus infections. These are called acute sinus infections and chronic sinus infections.

Here’s the difference:

* Headaches

* Mucus drainage down the back of the throat

* Fever is common

* Facial pain or soreness

* Pressure around the sinus cavities

* Nasal congestion

* Pain behind the eyes

* Nasal discharge

* Vision problems

* Bad breath

* Prolonged facial pain

* Chronic nasal discharge

* Pain below the eyes

* Prolonged headaches

* Pressure across or above your nasal passages

* Chronic sore throat

* Toothaches

As you can see, these symptoms have some similarities. However, what is dissimilar is amount of time that the symptoms will last. Acute symptoms are shorter and typically last a month. Chronic sinus infections can last for months.

It might be the case that over-the-counter medications or herbal remedies can assist you. Please consult with a medical professional if you feel that your symptoms are severe. Thinking in from your end, I’m sure you wouldn’t want to have any side effects.