Allergy Treatment Options - OmniMedicalSearch.com

Conditions & Diseases: Lung & Respiratory Diseases & Disorders

Bronchitis

Treatment Options

Many people with mild allergies avoid seeking medical help, but it is important to know that allergies if left untreated can develop into serious health problems like infections in sinuses, throat and ears, chronic respiratory problems, skin problems such as eczema.

The most common treatment options for allergies include:

Avoid allergen environment and/or food
Over the counter medication (histamines)
Prescription drugs & nasal drops,
Allergy shots
Allergy Drops
Immunotherapy
Alternate Therapies

Once a person knows the substance that causes allergy, the best treatment is to avoid that substance. However avoiding allergen is not always possible as it is not possible to breathe. Food allergens can be easily avoided [When Should I Get Medical Treatment for Allergy, 2006] .

In a very large number of cases of mild allergy over the counter medication is all one needs to relieve the symptoms. It is important to consult a doctor for over the counter medicine too, as some of these medicines if used excessively can cause serious side effects. Most of the histamines cause drowsiness.

Antihistamines and decongestants relieve the symptoms of most allergy sufferers. Again, a physician’s advice should be sought. Many new antihistamines relieve the symptoms of allergy without causing drowsiness. In sinus congestion, nasal sprays available on prescription provide quick relief from symptoms of allergy.

Allergy shots prevent the allergen from being recognized as a foreign body. This treatment is becoming very popular. Sublingual drops also known as sublingual Immunotherapy (SLIT) is an alternate to allergy shots and has the same principle of desensitization. Oral application of SLIT is also considered convenient by the patients.

Those interested in alternative medicine often recommend several alternate therapies. Dietary supplements are said to increase health of immune system and prevent allergies. The other alternative medicines are beyond the scope of this paper. [Allergies, 2006a] provides several references to alternative treatment websites.

Anaphylaxis must be considered a medical emergency and immediate medical help must be sought as it can cause low blood pressure, hyper-constriction, coma and even death.

Prevention Methods

The best prevention is to avoid the allergen responsible for causing the allergy. Cross the counter medicine approved by a patients physician may also be used before coming into contact with allergens. In view of the number of sufferers, various equipments such as vacuum cleaners, humidifiers, beddings and air purifiers are available in the market to control domestic allergens. A physician may be able to advice about prevention methods about other specific allergies.

Bibliography

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Allergy, (2006), What is Allergy, [Online], retrieved from Internet on 10 January 2007, http://www.setel.com/~allergy/Products/allergy

Bornehag C, Sundell J, Weschler C, Sigsgaard T, Lundgren B, Hasselgren M, Hägerhed-Engman L (2004). "The association between asthma and allergic symptoms in children and phthalates in house dust: a nested case-control study.” Environ Health Perspective 112 (14): 1393-7.

Guyton, AC, and Hall, JE, (2006), Textbook of Medical Physiology-11th Edition, Published by Elsevier, Pa., ISBN 13-81-8147-920-3

LabSpec, Allergy Diagnostic Tests, (2006) [Online], retrieved from Internet on 10 January 2007, http://www.labspec.co.za/diag.htm

Levinson, W., (2004), Medical Microbiology & Immunology, 8th Edition, McGraw Hill Companies, ISBN 0-07-143199-3

Leznoff. A., (1999), Provocative challenges in patients with multiple chemical sensitivity, J Allergy Clin Immunol 1997 Apr; 99 (4):438-42

NIH- National Institute of Health/ National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), (2000), International Team Accelerates Investigation of Immune-Related Genes, [Online], retrieved from Internet on 10 January 2007, http://www3.niaid.nih.gov/news/newsreleases/2000/ihwg.htm

When Should I Get Medical Treatment for Allergies?, (2006) [Online], retrieved from Internet on 10 January 2007, http://health.howstuffworks.com/allergy-treatments-ga1.htm