Med Answering

1. Allergy Sufferers Can Improve Quality of Life with Knowledge 

Allergic symptoms can be caused by a variety of substances. Allergy sufferers can arm themselves with knowledge to avoid allergens and alleviate symptoms.

Allergies are an immune disorder that impacts the quality of life for people who suffer from symptoms. The disorder causes symptoms that range from mildly irritating to severe and life threatening. People that do not suffer from allergies do not understand how uncomfortable they can be. To add insult to injury, sometimes allergy sufferers are told that the symptoms are 'all in the head.'

Allergies Affect Quality of Life

Allergic people often are limited in their daily activities, having to curtail their outdoor activities and recreation. Often allergic people have to avoid foods, that they would dearly love to eat. When people have to avoid certain activities and foods, it can have a negative effect upon their social interactions because others think they are being fussy, rather than protecting their very health.

The allergy sufferer who is allergic to the ingredients in pizza, for example, knows that she will pay dearly for giving in to peer pressure to partake in a social meal of that delicious pie. (Common Food Allergens and Hidden Sources)

Many people with allergies can function well, as long as they avoid the substances and situations that cause allergic symptoms. This may require being firm with friends and family members about not participating in activities that aggravate the condition..

Information Helps Patient Take Control of Health

People with allergies are best armed with information. A qualified allergist can conduct tests to help identify the cause of allergic reactions. Allergic people often have multiple sensitivities. Allergens are very often ingredients in hidden sources.

Foods, beverages, pollens, cleaning products, chemicals, paint fumes, dust, medications and environmental factors can all cause allergic symptoms. Allergic symptoms may include skin rashes, sniffles, respiratory problems, headaches and more.

After years of allergy tests and desensitizing drops, this allergy sufferer was aware of the types of substances and situations to avoid in order to stay healthy. Identifying the source of the problems was an important key to wellness. An allergist can help to identify allergens and recommend a course of action.

Allergy medications help to control the symptoms. Newer over-the-counter medication help to alleviate the uncomfortable symptoms without the excessive side effects of the older medications that caused drowsiness.

It is up to the allergy sufferer to monitor their symptoms and control their environment factors. Self care is important for the person who has allergies. Sometimes self-care means saying no to peers in social and work situations.

2. How to Allergy-proof Home for Fall

Identifying the fall allergens that cause allergy symptoms and knowing how the allergens enter the home during the fall season is half the battle. Knowing how to prevent exposure to fall allergens by allergy proofing the home is the other half of the battle that can help you be a winner in the battle against allergy-induced sneezing, itchy, watery eyes and the host of host miserable allergy symptoms.

In-home Fall Allergens

Allergens are around year around, but each season ushers in its own variety. During the fall, one of the biggest causes of allergies is ragweed. One ragweed plant can release close to one million grains of pollen during the fall season.

Mold is another allergen that has accelerated growth during the fall. Fall weather is typically damp, making it many home locations prime growing areas for allergy causing mold.

Dust mites like to stir up the dust inside the home, and as the weather cools down in fall and more time is spent indoors, there is more exposure to the dust mites' allergy-producing habits.

Prevent Outdoor Allergy Causing Pollens from Entering the Home

Outdoor airborne allergens such as the ragweed pollen can be prevented from entering the home by keeping the windows and doors closed. Install HEPA filters in the air conditioning unit to filter out the ragweed pollen before it enters the home. Use a HEPA filter in the vacuum cleaner too. For the list of the best HEPA vacuum cleaners, you should visit HealthEssential.net.

After being outdoors in the fall, change clothes as soon as possible when coming indoors to limit the amount of time to ragweed pollen. Allergy-causing pollens will also stick to hair, so wash hair nightly before going to bed to prevent night time inhaling of the pollen. Keep a rug at the home’s entrance to catch the ragweed pollen off of the bottom of shoes and pets' feet. Pets that spend a lot of time outdoors during the fall will also have ragweed pollen attached to their fur coats, so brushing the pet’s coat before allowing them back indoors will help prevent allergens from entering the home.

Perform a Home Mold Test

Fall moisture causes mold to grow indoors and outdoors. The mold spores can cause a variety of allergy symptoms and even more serious respiratory illnesses. Perform a simple mold test on the home by filling a bucket with water and taking it outside. Pour the water on the ground a few feet away from the house. If the water runs or seeps towards the house, the house is a prime target for mold growth. Rain water and rain water run-off will head towards the house, keeping the house damp and prone to mold and mildew growth.

A professional may need to be called in to stop the home’s moisture problem, but some mold preventing steps are simple DIY jobs, such as chalking around the bathtubs and showers and removing visible shower mold with bleach.

Allergy-proof Bedding by Preventing Dust Mites

Two thousand dust mites can live comfortably in one ounce of mattress dust. The mattress you sleep on each night may be home to millions of allergy causing dust mites. Purchase allergy-proof bedding that is machine washable and wash bedding in hot water frequently throughout the fall season. Remove all dust mite havens from the bedroom such as carpeting, upholstered furniture and stuffed animals.