07 Apr 09 UNDERSTANDING ALLERGY: A NOTE ABOUT SKIN MEDICATIONS

Your dermatologist may feel that your problem calls for a topical ointment or oral medication of some kind. Dr Fisher cautions that preservatives such as parabens and ethylenediamine and other common ingredients of topical salves are common causes of allergy and can therefore prolong rather than heal the disease. Another doctor tells of one person with skin allergy who was treated with one medication after another by many doctors, with no relief – until parabens were considered. ‘Within twenty-four hours of application of a parabens-free cream, his skin began to heal for the first time in seven years,’ says William F. Schorr, dermatologist at the Marshfield Clinic in Marshfield, Wisconsin (Journal of the American Medical Association).

Dr Schorr points out that benzocaine, widely used for dishpan hands and other irritating skin problems, is a very common cause of allergy. In fact, he strongly advises against use of any topical ending in ‘caine’. So if treatment calls for a topical medication, it’s important that doctors prescribe only creams that are free of potent allergens.

For a similar reason, doctors strongly discourage people with any kind of skin allergy from buying over-the-counter medicated lotions.

You should also stay away from corticosteroid creams or ointments – they may cause a non-allergic-type inflammation, further compounding skin problems. Yet some dermatologists are rather quick to prescribe oral doses of corticosteroids, like prednisone, for allergic skin problems. Non-drug approaches may make steroids unnecessary, says Dr Schorr.

‘It has been my experience . . . that it is rarely necessary to treat the average patient with contact dermatitis with systemic corticosteroids,’ Dr Schorr states. The one exception, he says, is poison ivy, poison oak or poison sumac, common in the United States. They’re such intense allergens that the disease continues to spread long after the initial contact. And the blisters and swelling produced can keep you out of work or school for longer than most people can afford. Under those circumstances, Dr Schorr sees little risk in a ten-day to two-week course of prednisone, in decreasing doses (Minnesota Medicine).

Another exception to the no-drug rule may be antihistamines prescribed to be taken in the evening. They prevent you from scratching in your sleep, which would delay healing.

Overall, though, you should try non-medical means of relief if at all possible. There certainly are enough tried-and-true means available. Total relief, however, is only possible if you stay away from the allergy-provoking items. After you’ve got the itching under control, the next step is to find out what started it in the first place.

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Tags: Allergies

07 Apr 09 ABOUT INSECT ALLERGIES. REACTIONS TO INSECT STINGS AND BITES

Most people suffer only momentary discomfort when stung by a bee: a pin prick of pain; a red welt at the site of the sting surrounded by a paler, whitish area; and maybe a fierce itch. In a couple of days, all is forgotten.

Allergic people (and 1 out of 250 people is allergic to insect bites or stings) don’t get off so easily. The area around the sting may swell and remain swollen for up to a day. That’s no real cause for concern unless the swelling persists or the whole arm or leg swells. Then you need to see a doctor – if for no other reason than to determine whether or not you are at risk for a reaction that involves your whole body (doctors call it ‘systemic’) and may even be life threatening.

That type of reaction can begin mildly enough: a dry cough, itching and swelling around the eyes, sneezing, wheezing and widespread hives. And if you’re lucky, that’s where the symptoms stop. But in 4 out of 1,000 people, the pulse becomes rapid, the skin pale or flushed, and blood pressure falls -followed by constricted breathing, and possibly abdominal cramps, diarrhoea, nausea, vomiting, chills, fever and loss of consciousness – all within fifteen minutes of the sting. That’s anaphylactic shock; unfortunately, it kills forty people a year. So even the first mild symptoms should be treated as an emergency if you’ve had a severe reaction at any time in the past.

A few individuals suffer not only an immediate reaction but a second, delayed reaction ten to fourteen days later. Symptoms can include a headache, general malaise, fever, lymph gland discomfort and painful joints.

Allergic and non-allergic reactions to insect stings and bites

Normal

Momentary pain. Redness at site of sting or bite, surrounded by a whitish zone or red, hivelike spot. Itching. Irritation. Warmth. All traces of discomfort disappear within a few hours

Local reaction

Unusual amount of swelling, pain and redness at the site. Again, symptoms vanish in a few hours.

Allergic, or general systemic reaction

First-degree symptoms: Itching around the eyes. Dry hacking cough. Widespread hives. Constriction of chest and throat. Wheezing. Nausea. Vomiting. Abdominal pain. Dizziness.

More severe: Difficulty in breathing. Hoarseness and thickened speech. Difficulty in swallowing. Confusion. A sense of impending disaster.

Anaphylaxis: Cyanosis (skin turns blue). Blood pressure falls. Incontinence. Unconsciousness or collapse.

Toxic reaction to multiple stings or bites

Headache. Diarrhoea. Faintness. Fever. Drowsiness. Swelling. Unconsciousness. Convulsions.

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Tags: Allergies

07 Apr 09 ALLERGY: SMOG BY ANY OTHER NAME IS STILL HARD TO BREATHE

Sooner or later, we all have to venture outdoors – and deal with outdoor pollution. Certain areas are particularly bad. In Denver, they call it ‘the brown cloud’. Everybody else calls it smog.

Depending on the chemicals that form it, smog comes in two general types: London smog or Los Angeles smog. Los Angeles smog is typical of warm, sunny climates with heavy traffic. Its main ingredients are ozone, a toxic cousin of oxygen, plus nitrogen dioxide and the petroleum-produced chemicals known as hydrocarbons. London smog develops in industrialized cities and supplies its own brand of irritants. Either way, you can suffer anything from eye irritation, breathing problems and blurry vision to coughing, choking and fatigue – even if you’re not allergic. Needless to say, smog is downright dangerous for asthmatics. Your doctor may be busiest – and hardest to reach – during an episode of heavy air pollution. It’s important to be able to weather an attack on your own.

What to do during an air pollution episode

1. Try to stay indoors in a clean environment. Air conditioning (if available), air filters and face masks can be helpful.

2. Avoid smoking and smoke-filled rooms.

3. Avoid exposure to dust and other irritants, such as hair sprays, insect sprays and other aerosol products; paint; exhaust fumes, smoke from a fire of any kind and fumes in general.

4. Avoid unnecessary physical activity.

5. Avoid exposure to people with colds and respiratory infections, if at all possible.

6. If air pollution doesn’t seem to let up – or if it begins to worsen – you may have to leave the polluted area temporarily until the air clears up.

7. If you are under a doctor’s care for asthma or other allergies, ask him for specific instructions. Know what medication, if any, you should use. Know what symptoms should prompt you to call your doctor. Know when and where to go to a hospital.

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Tags: Allergies

07 Apr 09 UNDERSTANDING ALLERGY: TIPS FOR PREVENTING MOULD AND MILDEW

Get rid of dampness. A wet basement can be a sign of cracked or defective mortar, cracks

in the walls or inadequate drainage.

Check your rainspouts. If your basement seems particularly damp after it rains, the roof downspouting could be depositing water too close to the foundations. In that case, extend the leader spout to carry the rainwater farther away and downhill from the house.

Use only light, washable rugs instead of heavy carpeting, especially in basements or other areas prone to dampness or water leaks. Wet carpeting is a lush haven for mould growth.

Vent your clothes dryer to the outdoors to help reduce excess moisture.

Throw out all those old, damp piles of odds and ends you’ve been hoarding in the basement, attic and backs of wardrobes – newspapers, books, magazines, old carpets, cast-off furniture, dingy pillows, broken-down toys and the like.

Keep things clean. Never hang clothes in the wardrobes after they’ve been worn. Keep wardrobes, dresser drawers, bathrooms, and refrigerators as clean and dry as possible.

Spread out damp towels and washcloths in the bathroom. Stretch out wet shower curtains.

Circulate the air. When natural breezes are absent, use electric fans.

Sprinkle borax powder in mould-prone areas, like the bottom of the rubbish bin. This natural mineral compound happens to be a simple, effective anti-mould agent.

Avoid wallpaper. It’s a haven for mould, especially in the bathroom. If you have your heart set on wallpaper, add borax or boric acid to the paste to retard mould growth.

*38/65/5*

Tags: Allergies

07 Apr 09 UNDERSTANDING ALLERGY: THE PESTICIDE-FREE DIET

Allergy to pesticides (which may be petroleum-based chemicals) is related to allergy to food additives, and can make the task of isolating exactly what a person is allergic to even more difficult, especially when that person is very sensitive.

‘A person may eat some grapes today and they don’t bother him. But three days later, he may eat grapes that were sprayed with chemicals, and those grapes bother him,’ said Dr Falliers.

Dr Theron Randolph tested patients who swore they were allergic to peaches. After eating peaches from the supermarket, one patient developed a rash and welts, another had an attack of asthma, and a third a headache. When they ate peaches picked from an abandoned orchard where the fruit wasn’t sprayed, all three felt perfectly fine.

‘One good effect of this discovery,’ writes Dr Randolph, ‘was that patients who had long stopped eating fruit, from the belief that they were made sick by it, were able to start again, provided they ate only organically grown, uncontaminated fruits.’ (An Alternative Approach to Allergies, Lippincott & Crowell).

Tree fruits – such as peaches, apples and cherries – are sprayed with more chemicals, more often, than almost any other crop. But virtually no commercial produce escapes the blizzard of pesticides (insect and rodent killers), herbicides (weed killers) and fungicides (mould inhibitors). And once food has been sprayed, no amount of washing will get rid of it. Paring does no good, either. Chemicals penetrate the skin of the growing fruit or vegetable and infiltrate the pulp itself. So if you are chemically sensitive and you suspect allergy to chemical food sprays, eating only organically grown produce may be the only way to achieve total relief. Shop around for a local supplier or track down the nearest co-op.

Avoiding pesticides is one of many good reasons to plant a home vegetable garden – plus a couple of fast-growing dwarf fruit trees, even if you have just a few square yards of available space. Canning, freezing or drying your harvest gives you a year-round supply of non-allergenic fruits and vegetables at the right price: low.

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Tags: Allergies