Allergy Relief Expert

Your sinuses are lined with a membrane that manufactures the sitcky substance known as mucus. When the membrane swells – most likely because of an infection or an allergy, mucuc production kicks into overdrive. The combination of inflamed membrane and excess mucous blocks those tiny passages between your sinuses and nose. That’s when you feel the pressure build behind your forehead and eyes.

Breathe a Sign of Relief

For most people decongestants are the treatment of choice for sinus pain. “If a blocked nose is your only symptom, an over-the-counter oral decongestant can help,” says Salah D. Salmon, MD, director of the Sinus Center at the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary in Boston.  Dr. Salmon also stated “Be sure to choose a product with an antihistimine if your sinus pain is associated with allergy.”

What about localized decongestants such as sprays and drops? “They can be extremely effective, too.” Dr. Salmon says. “But you shouldn’t use them for more than threee days in a row. They can be habit forming if you use them for too long. And once their medicinal effects wear off, they can produce rebound congestion.”

But decongestants are not your only option for dealing with sinus pain. The following strategies can help ease the pressure and keep you breathing easy.

Just add water. “Dryness often sets the stage for a sinus infection,” Dr. Salmon says. You can keep your sinuses moist by drinking plently of water every day. A saltwater solution, administered as either a nasal spray or nose drops, can also help, he notes. You can make your own solution by mixing 2 tablespoons of salt into a glass filled with 8 ounces of warm water. Use this preparation three to four times a day.

Hold your head high. Elevating your head while you sleep promotes sinus drainage, experts say. Prop up your bedposts ath the head of your bed on books or bricks and see if it helps.

Clear the air. Anything that irritates the nasal passages is an ally of sinus pain. “Pay close attention to air quality,” says Dr. Guillermo Mendoza, MD, chief of allergy for Kaiser-Permanente. “Avoid smoggy environments, cigarette smoke and any other pollutants that you’re sensitive to.” You may also need to stay away from seemingly harmless items such as scented laundry detergents and scented tissues.

“C” your way clear. Dr. Mendoza recommends a daily dose of vitamin C as a preventative against sinus pain. “If you are prone to sinus infection or you have a chronic sinus problem, take 1,000 milligrams of times-release vitamin C a day,” he advises.

Don’t catch a cold. If you have a chronic sinus problem, a cold will only intensify your sinus symptoms, Dr. Mendoza says. So do what you can to steer clear of cold-causing viruses: Eat a balanced diet, get regular exercise, practice good hygiene (as in lots of hand washing), and stay away from people who have colds.

Excerpted from: Pain Remedies by Philip Goldberg.  Rodale Press

Balloon Sinuplasty Provides Quick and Easy Relief to Chronic Sinusitis Sufferers

The spring and fall is a time that most people consider to be wonderful times of year. Spring brings a fresh start after the winter months. Trees regain their leaves, flowers and blooming flowers and autumn leaves change color of a sample making fun of color in preparation for winter to come. However, for ragweed allergy sufferers, it is a time of terror and fear. Spring and autumn are the two important times of year for seasonal allergies.

Seasonal allergies are classified by certain substances in the air, which only appear at particular times of year, most often during spring and autumn, although summer allergies are also common.

More commonly known as hay fever, allergies do not always coincide with the summer when hay is harvested and rarely, fever, so the term “hay fever” may be a little misleading. Ragweed is one of the most common of all hay fever causing allergens.

Hay fever usually causes itching of the roof of the mouth, nose, back of the throat or eyes. This itching can come very rapidly. Symptoms include runny nose, as well as a filler in nose and sneezing. It often causes watery eyes, sometimes very very watery and possible redness of the eyes and eyelids. The nasal lining in the nose may inflamed and swollen. It can also cause headaches, irritability and wheeze. Many who experience these types of allergies may also have asthma.

Treatment usually depends on the type of allergy and severity, but usually this kind of allergies can be controlled through the use of antihistamines in the counter decongestants section of your local drug store. Bathing the eyes with eye wash regularly can also help alleviate any irritation of the eyes.

In the spring, hay fever is known to be triggered in the southern, eastern and the midwest parts of the US.  Trees like cedar, birch, oak, alder, maple and elm can release much pollen into the air.  In summer, grasses, such as red top, timothy, bluegrass and orchardgrass, are the main culprits, and in late summer, ragweed usually becomes the worse allergy trigger of all.

In the fall, and russian thistle sagebrush are known to cause major problems for hay fever sufferers in the western part of the U.S.  Between December and March, cedar (also known as juniper) is an important pollen producer. Grass in the south-western U.S. has a long period of pollination, which makes for a longer allergy season for the southwest region.

If you think you may be suffering from any form of hay fever, you can try any of the countless over the counter (OTC) allergy drugs on the market. In most cases, these drugs will do the trick. However it is always wise to consult with an allergy doctor for diagnosis and treatment.  Allergy shot regimens can drastically improve hay fever and other allergies.

Michael Russell is an independent writer who publishes articles on allergy related subjects. http://allergies-treatment.com

Allergies – Ragweed

An allergy is an abnormal, acquired sensitivity to a particular substance, including pollen, drugs, or numerous environmental triggers. People who have allergies are often sensitive to more than one thing. Allergic rhinitis (nasal allergies) affects about 35 million Americans, of whom 6 million are children. The number of asthma has doubled in the last 20 years. This is exaggerated because these foreign substances are usually seen by the body as harmless and no response occurs in non-allergic people. Allergic people’s bodies recognize the foreign substance and one of the immune system is activated. In the United States, an allergist-immunologist is a doctor specially trained to manage and treat asthma and other allergic diseases. Proteins found in skin, saliva and urine of furry animals as cats and dogs are allergens. Can also be found in rotting logs, hay, mulches, commercial peat moss, compost piles and leaf litter. Allergies can cause a discharge nose, sneezing, itching, rashes, swelling or asthma. Allergies that occur in the spring are often the cause of tree pollen. Allergies that occur in the summer are often due to grass and weed pollens.

Allergies that occur in the fall are often due to ragweed. Many allergens, including dust mites dust are present in the dust. Dust mites are tiny creatures found in bedding, mattresses, carpets and upholstered furniture. Up to 30% of the population suffer from allergic rhinitis, and this number seems to be growing. Most people are treated by their primary care physician for their allergies. There are two elements involved in a true allergic reaction. The first is the production of immunoglobulin E (IgE), an antibody that circulates in the blood things like germs attacking. The second is the mast cell, a type of cell found in the body in the places where they cause allergic reactions, including the nose, throat, lungs and skin. There have been tremendous improvements in the underlying medical treatments developed by allergists. Antihistamines help reduce the sneezing, runny nose and itchy allergies. Cromolyn sodium is a nasal spray that helps prevent the body’s reaction to allergens. Environmental endotoxin showed a strong protection against foot hay and allergies.

Reduces exposure to endotoxin in peripheral blood leukocytes release of inflammatory cytokines after lipopolysaccharide, including cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor alpha, interferon-gamma, interleukin-10 and interleukin-12. Shower and wash your hair every day. The pollen in the air can collect on your clothes, skin and hair. Many families are giving their children safe nutritional supplements such as vitamin B6 with magnesium and Di-methyl-glycine (DMG). Many Medications used to treat various medical problems derived from plants and herbs, such as theophylline. Several herbal supplements have been used in the treatment of allergies and asthma, some showing benefits. Dry your sheets and clothes in a dryer rather than hanging them outdoors where they can collect pollen and spores. Wash your hands after contact with your pet. Keep pets out of the room or other rooms you spend lots of time. Avoid using carpeting in your home from allergens collected there.

Allergy Treatment Tips

1. Endotoxin exposure reduces peripheral blood leukocyte cytokine release inflammation after lipopolysaccharide.

2. Shower and wash your hair every day. The airborne pollen can collect on your clothes, skin and hair.

3. Many families are giving their children safe nutritional supplements such as vitamin B6 with magnesium and Di-methyl-glycine (DMG).

4. Many drugs used to treat various medical problems derived from plants and herbs, such as theophylline.

5. Several herbal supplements have been used in the treatment of allergies and asthma, some showing benefits.

6. Dry your sheets and clothes in a dryer rather than hanging them outdoors where they can collect pollen and spores.

7. Wash hands after contact with your pet.

8. Keep pets out of the room or other rooms you spend lots of time.

9. Avoid using carpeting in your home from allergens will collect there.

10. Some popular calming techniques include: vigorous exercise, which would act as a release from his great excitement, the level of vestibular stimulation.

About the Author:
Juliet Cohen writes articles for diseasetreatment.com

It’s Springtime

Millions of people suffer from tree allergies around the world every year.  While there are some trees allergy symptoms during the fall months, spring is normally when tree allergies are at their worst. Trees actually pollinate before other plants and weeds and may start releasing their pollen as early as January in the southern states and as late as June in the northern part of the United States. Tree pollination is critical for the reproduction process and certain tree species such as mountain cedar are known to create havoc in people with allergies and even some who have never had allergy symptoms.

Trees can produce large amounts of pollen which can travel miles away from the original source before causing an allergic reaction. Tree pollen reactions can range from mild to severe with mild symptoms consisting of hives and sinus (runny nose) problems.  Severe reactions to tree pollen may be coughing, wheezing, difficulty breathing and hoarseness.

Tree Pollen Allergy?

There are believed to be at least 48,000 different kinds of trees identified worldwide. However, only about 100 of them have been proven to cause allergies.  Here are the most common trees which can cause allergic reactions:

• Catalpa
• Cedar
• Elm
• Hickory
• Olive
• Pecan
• Sycamore
• Walnut

Tree Allergy Strategies

When buying trees for your yard, consider species that are known not to aggravate allergies, such as:

• Ash
• Box elder
• Cottonwood
• Crape myrtle
• Date palm
• Dogwood
• Fig
• Fir
• Maple (red)
• Maple (silver)
• Palm
• Pear
• Phoenix palm
• Plum
• Poplar
• Redbud
• Redwood
• Willow

Note: Some people are known to have ‘cross-reactivity allergies’ with trees in the beech, birch, and oak family, as well as the juniper and cedar families.

About the author:

James Singbush owns and operates the Growing High Tree Nursery in Atlanta, Georgia.

Achoo! High Pollen Count Boosts Allergies