Allergy Season By Region

The South

Because the southern parts of the United States have a warmer climate they are the first to have plants pollinating every year. These areas tend to stay warmer longer, meaning that their first frost doesn’t come until later. The allergy season in this area are much longer than other areas. Mold is also a larger problem during the summer months in these areas; this creates a higher irritation rate for mold allergy sufferers.

What Causes Allergies and During Which Season?

• Grasses – These are normally a bother from April until September (in central southern states). The southeast and west have a different time frame for grass allergens, however. The grass pollen seasons in this area normally run from March to October.
• Trees – As strange as it sounds, trees are a common allergen. The time frame for these allergens is from January to June.
• Mold – Mold season (June to August) may be more extreme in coastal areas due to high humidity and damp summers. This can cause mold allergens not only outside but inside as well.
• Ragweed - These allergens normally peak from August to November in many Southern states. In the further south areas (such as Florida) ragweed season often hits as early as July.

The North

The northern areas of the United States have it a bit easier than the rest of the country because it starts a bit later there. They also have a lack of ragweed (with 3 out of 4 people suffering from this allergy- that’s a big sigh of relief!).

Common Allergens and Their Seasons Include:

• Trees – February to June in the northwest. March to June for other northern states.
• Grasses – These allergens are at their peak from May to August.
• Ragweed – The northern states have these from August to October while the northwest has no season for this allergen.
• Mold – This is a constant struggle- it does not have a specific time frame because it’s always consistent.

Midwest

Although this area has a shorter allergy season than the Midwest, they have a much stronger amount of grass pollen in the summer time.

Typical Allergens and  Their Season:

• Mold – This does not change throughout the season. It is always a problem.
• Grasses – This allergen is worst in the summer months ranging from May to August.
• Trees – This peaks from February to June.
• Ragweed – This allergen climaxes in the fall (August to October).

Allergy Symptoms

Now that we have identified the time frames in which it occur- let’s now take a look at the symptoms of allergies:

• Sneezing
• Coughing
• Eye Irritation
• Allergic Shiners (dark eye circles)
• Chest Tightness
• Difficulty Inhaling
• Wheezing
• Red and Itchy Skin

The symptoms will vary depending on what the allergy is and how severely allergic you are to the allergen. Common allergies and symptoms that accompany them will vary for everyone. If you find yourself having many of the above listed symptoms or any strange allergy symptoms during the allergy season, there are many over the counter medicines to aid you. You should always consult your physician before beginning any treatment.

Who Is Affected by Dog Skin Allergies?

Dog allergies show no favoritism. They strike anyone, anytime. There are also many cases where people develop an allergy to a pet later in life. This means that even those who have a pet can later become aggravated with allergies. You can have a cat allergy symptom later in life as well. Thus if you suspect that you have a dog allergy you should take the appropriate steps to find out if you are allergic to dogs. This can easily be done by avoiding dogs for a period of time and to check whether your allergies improve.

Dog Allergy Symptoms

There are many reasons that people show allergic symptoms to dogs. These skin allergies are very similar to cat skin allergies. The culprits for allergic reactions include:

• Pet Dander (dead skin that is shed by the animal)
• Saliva (the protein in the saliva causes an allergic reaction)
• Urine

Are there dogs for allergy sufferers?

In the dog species (as well as other animal species) certain dogs will trigger more allergy symptoms than others. Unfortunately, there are no hypoallergenic dogs (non allergic dog breeds) for people with allergies. There are also no breeds that do not shed. But, there are some breeds that have a denser coat than others. All hope is not lost for those who love dogs. Poodles are often a good breed for those who suffer from dog allergies. But, this depends on what items trigger your allergies. Poodles are good for people who have intolerance to pet dander. They tend to have less dander. Other breeds that have a lesser amount of pet dander include Terriers and Schnauzers. These can be great dogs for people with allergies, if they are allergic to the pet dander.

What If I Already Own a Dog?

There are many ways to reduce strange allergy symptoms in order to maintain homeostasis (balance) in your home and with your pet. If you are suffering from minor allergic responses, you may be able to eliminate them with proper precautions.

• Give your pet a weekly bath- This can help to reduce pet dander that it staying in the fur. This can also eliminate pesky dust and pollen particles that hide in their coat.
• Keep your dog out of your bedroom - You spend a large amount of time in your room, if you pet is a frequent visitor it can leave pesky allergens for you.
• Vacuum your home regularly 
• Encourage your pet to spend time outdoors - This will keep your dog healthy while also reducing the amount of time (and allergens) in the home.
• Purchase an allergy reducing spray - After you comb your pet you can spray this on them to cut back on allergens.

Dog food allergies tend to occur in the same individuals. If you have dog skin allergies, you may have food allergies as well. Determining what all the sources of your allergy symptoms will better help you to manage them.

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What are Hives?

When you have an allergic reaction to something, histamines are released to battle the invader (allergen). When this happens the histamine is released by cells under the skin which causes fluid to leak out of the skin cells. This is what causes the raised, red bumps or rash. Hives are the common name for raised bumps due to an allergic reaction but they are also known as urticaria (medical term). If hives persists for more than 6 weeks we call it chronic urticaria. Acute and chronic urticaria look exactly the same.

What Do Hives Look Like?

Hives (or urticaria) can occur anywhere on the body and are usually round (or oval) welts on the skin. They are normally red, and are raised bumps all over the surface of the skin. They normally appear on the arm and leg region, but as stated before, they can appear anywhere. Hives are often itchy or burn. They are frequently red, but they can also be a variation of shades.

Skin hives have a very irregular longevity. They can appear on the body and be gone within fifteen to twenty minutes. There are reactions where they last up to a couple hours as well. There are also many types of hives that appear. What do these hives look like? They are also very distinct and have a different appearance or shape for each type.

Types of Hives

There are two different types of hives. Below we will discuss what do hives look like and the unique characteristics of hives and what causes them.

1. Ordinary Hives - This particular type of hive appears rapidly and with no apparent reason. These are raised, red, and swollen. They are generally itchy and normally come and go (can last 15 minutes to a few hours). There are some episodes where they last a couple of weeks as well. If the hives last for longer than six weeks, they then become considered chronic. These can last a surprisingly long time (months to years!).
2. Physical Hives - Physical hives arise when something stimulates the epidermis (skin). Most commonly they are due to scratching. Other things that can cause physical hives include: sunlight, temperature (hot or cold), pressure, exercise, and water. They are generally red and raised (similar to the above mentioned).

An easy at home hives treatment is to take some over the counter allergy medicine. Benadryl works quite well and is available at your local drugstore. Be sure to always have it around during allergy season. Topical treatments such as creams and ointments for hives will help symptoms of pain and itch.

If necessary, by going to the doctor you can identify the types of hives you are suffering from by having some tests run. Since hives and their symptoms may come and go it is important to give a thorough description when your doctors asks “What do hives look like when they appear?” The answer to this question will help your physician find your hives’ cause(s).

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What Is Eczema Exactly?

Eczema is a mild to severe skin reaction to an internal “threat” or allergen. There is a wide range in the degree of eczema skin symptoms the different types of eczema cause. Eczema can range from very mild and virtually unnoticeable to very thick, unsightly patches of grey leather like areas on the skin. The patches or areas of skin that are affected try to encapsulate the perceived allergen by sealing it off and surrounding it with more epithelial (skin) cells. This causes the skin to become swollen and red initially. Eczema is not contagious, but since it is believed to be at least partially inherited, it is not uncommon to find members of the same family affected. The symptoms are red itchy skin which can occur on any body part but in babies it  is usually the face and neck.

The majority of cases in adults are also the face and neck but it can also affect the hands and forearms as well as the legs. The unreadable itching that comes with Eczema is also aggravated by scratching and may lead to ruptured skin to reddened, irritated, scaling skin or to a leathery thickening of the skin (sometimes called lichenification). Cracking and weeping of the skin may also occur and open sores may become infected. There are also some forms of Eczema that can be caused by substances that come in contact with the skin like soaps, cosmetics, clothing, detergents and even sweat. There are some environmental allergens which are substances that cause allergic reactions that can also cause the onset of Eczema.

What Causes Eczema?

There are different thoughts as to the exact causes of eczema. Eczema clinical trials suggest that there may be a food intolerance or allergy. Which foods cause eczema is still being investigated. Thus far; research indicates that gluten, yeast and milk seem to be likely suspects for the immune response that causes skin eczema symptoms. One of the milk allergy symptoms can be eczema.

Immune System – Although many studies have been done trying to identify the specific causes of Eczema it can still not be conclusively decided the exact causes as there are many different types. But Eczema or atopic dermatitis are generally defects that lead to abnormalities of certain proteins like filaggrin which is important in maintaining a barrier of normal skin. But people who suffer from Eczema generally have symptoms of other allergies as well like hay fever, asthma as well as stress generally which can cause this problem to worsen, but it is assumed that it is the result of abnormal function of the immune system.

Hormones – If you have been diagnosed with Eczema then you will no doubt already know that there are many different manifestations of this skin disease. It can be anything from your scalp to your feet that are affected the worse but the point in finding a cure is to seek first the reason that the problem started in the first place. The causes of Eczema are because your body is out of balance and in the old Chinese medicine they say there is too much heat. Which in normal allopathic medicine we call inflammation but also it is caused by the over production or under production of certain hormones.

Thyroid – For example your Thyroid is a vitally important part of your body because it moves the blood around your body to where it needs it most. If you have an under active Thyroid or Hypothyroidism then it means that your skin is not receiving enough blood supply. If your skin is not receiving enough blood then it will not be able to repair itself quickly enough because you are always shedding dry skin and replacing the skin that you have. Without the waste products from your skin been removed at the correct time will result in itching, swelling, blistering, oozing and scaling of the skin.

Fungus Infection – But there could be other reasons and those reasons could be anything from stress to candidiasis. Candid Albicans is a yeast -like fungus that grows on the skin and is very common in sufferers of Eczema but more importantly it will weaken the immune system which will only make your Eczema worse that it is already. You get this fungus yeast-like infection because of the processed food that you eat, like white sugar, white flour white rice etc. This bad habit usually starts as you grow up and we develop a taste for processed food but the more processing that takes place with food the more nutrients that our body can naturally take from the food are diminished.

Genetics – There is also a strong genetic component in the reasons why you may have Eczema and the probability that some in your family also suffers with this is very high. The first symptoms are usually first seen in babies under 5 years old but this type of Eczema shows that 30% of babies will outgrown this type of Eczema and should be self healed within a year. 1% of the adult population suffers from Eczema and it can happen in any race which only endorses the genetic transference theory and that you will suffer from this problem if you got it from your parents or grandparents.

So if you can look at your body as a plant that may be dying in your garden and you want a way to solve the problem you will know that it may be short of something that it needs to regain its health. The plant will be effected by bugs and insects the same way you will be by the toxins that you take in and the best way to deal with that is to start reducing the amount of toxins that you take in. This will immediately have an effect on your liver which is the main cleaner of your body because if it has no toxins to deal with it can get busy with other important work like removing excess fat etc.

There are three ways that toxins get into your body:

• through the digestive system (eaten)
• through the respiratory system (breathed in)
• and through the skin (absorbed).

If you are aware of this you will start to be able to watch what goes into your system and you will be able to solve the problem. But this solution will not happen over night as it is what you take in every day that has caused the problem and in order to get the balance of your body where you want it to be you have to start changing the toxins that you allow into your body.

Cure Child Eczema

How Many Types Of Eczema Are There?

The exact number of types that exist is not nearly as important as the specific types and their definitions. Here are some of the most common:

1. Asteatotic Eczema - Occurs most often in the elderly. Areas of the skin involved are the shin area and sometimes the hands or body. The skin becomes dry and cracked. If the cracked skin continues to split a fissure is formed that may cause bleeding and infection to set in. Fortunately with proper care the eczema can be easily remedied.
2. Atopic Dermatitis - Most prevalent form of eczema. It is diagnosed in both children and adults; however more often it is found in children (particularly those with allergy induced asthma). Skin symptoms include a dry rash that causes intense itching. Scratching the rash makes it become thickened and hard. The rash can appear anywhere on the skin including the hands, feet, face or body. It is very important that once the the rash is discovered to treat it immediately to relieve the itchiness and thus stop the scratching.
3. Contact Dermatitis - Eczema caused by an irritation of the skin (by an external source). The external source can be an irritant or an allergen. Common irritants would include any caustic solutions such as bleach, strong detergents and soaps, or other cleaners. Allergic contact dermatitis is caused by allergens such as poison oak, poison ivy, poison sumac, latex, rubber, some metals and creams, ointments and cosmetics. Sensitive individuals may find other allergens that cause problems.
4. Dyshidrotic Eczema - Also referred to as vesicular eczema and most often involves the hands. It has been known to develop on the feet in some cases. Raised bumps appear under the skin of the fingers and then develop into a rash. Studies show vesicular eczema is hereditary and is exacerbated by stress of any kind.
5. Nummular Eczema - Characterized by small round patches of red scaly skin. Winter and dry skin make this eczema worsen.
6. Seborrheic Dermatitis - Eczema that causes pink or yellow patches of oily scales to form on the face, scalp and ears. When this condition affects infants it is often referred to as “cradle cap”. Adults with the condition may mistake its appearance for ordinary dandruff (dry scalp).

Eczema Treatment Options

• Glycerin Oil – There is no permanent solution to solve all Eczema problems but there are many home remedies that have proven to be successful from Glycerin oil to a three day apple diet.
• NSAID (Non steroidal anti anti-inflammatory drug) - But most Eczema treatment options can usually give you relief by the application of certain oils on the affected areas which can be anything from the scalp to the feet. The best that doctors can offer is a NSAID  such as cortisone which will help to reduce the itching and swelling but will not actually solve the problem.
• Negate Stress – The importance of stress or psychological causes of this disease cannot be over emphasized and it can certainly have a major effect in relieving of these symptoms by trying to deal with it by solving these problems first.

If you suffer from one of these types of eczema; your doctor may recommend you try to determine if there are any foods making your eczema flare up. You can help determine which foods cause eczema to worsen by eliminating a food group (such as dairy) from your diet for a one week period to see if your symptoms improve.I f you see no difference; then you can move on to the next group. Keep a diary to help you narrow down which foods make your eczema skin symptoms to worsen for you. Your physician can offer medical advice to you for managing the types of eczema affecting your skin.

The Most Common Egg Allergy Symptoms

The most common symptoms are:

•  Nausea and vomiting – the degree will vary according to the severity of the allergic reaction.
•  Egg allergy rash – a skin rash that occurs from minutes up to one hour from the time of consuming the eggs.
•  Rhinitis – inflamed runny nose.
•  Rarely, egg allergy symptoms progress to an emergency (anaphylactic shock); although it can happen.

Using Probiotics for Treating Egg Allergy

Today’s research is looking toward natural and restorative remedies to help put our body back into balance with itself so that it may function as intended. It is thought that some immune responses such as egg allergies in children continue to increase due to our body’s lack of exposure to bacteria; therefore our bodies do not produce enough good (helpful) bacteria to defend itself. The theory is our immune system goes onto a hyper alert state and mistakenly confuses non-threatening items (like food) as posing a threat. In response, our immune system adversely reacts to create allergy symptoms, for example, shrimp allergy.

Taking probiotics for egg allergy treatment to introduce some of the good bacteria back into our system, will hopefully reduce allergic responses to food allergens such as eggs.

Other Treatments for Egg Allergy

• Desensitization - Desensitization is accomplished by injecting diluted amounts of the allergen into the body and slowly building up an immunity and tolerance to the allergen. The goal is for the person to be able to consume diluted amounts of egg in food without developing allergy symptoms. The process is completed over a long period of time.
• Avoidance - Dietary and lifestyle changes are made to remove eggs from the diet. In some rare cases of hypersensitivity to the protein contained in the yolk (yellow part) of the egg, a person must remove chicken meat from the diet as well to prevent allergy symptoms completely.

Often children outgrow an egg allergy by the age of five years old. However, there are still cases that last into adulthood and they still get strange allergy symptoms. In mature adulthood, a natural desensitization can occur that allows small diluted amounts of egg to be eaten in prepared foods. Consumption of eggs in their entirety is usually not recommended unless a physician is monitoring you.

Adults have also been shown to improve when using probiotics for egg allergy treatment. The probiotics do not cause any harm, even if they do not improve symptoms.

With the frequent occurrence of egg allergies and egg allergy symptoms in children; parents may want to monitor children for egg allergy rash (usually the first sign of an egg allergy). If a rash or hives occur while your child is consuming eggs; consult your pediatrician for an egg allergy test.

Three Possible Causes of these Strange Allergy Symptoms

• A banana allergy
• An allergic reaction to surgical steel
• A strawberry allergy

Strange allergy symptoms that indicate you may have an allergy to banana:

Bananas contain a substance that can mimic histamine in the body. The body cells normally contain histamine. When the immune system feels a threatening substance it may tell the cells to release the histamine. The histamine then finds a histamine receptor; where it locks in place and causes adverse symptoms. It is uncertain why some substances (allergens) cause this reaction in some people and not in others.

Bananas also contain another substance that does not mimic histamine, but rather actually causes the body’s own histamine to be released causing symptoms.For people with a banana allergy, strange allergy symptoms will occur within an hour of eating a banana or banana containing food (such as pudding).

A mild allergic reaction may include one or more of these symptoms:

• Itching and or swelling of the lips, mouth, or throat.
• Hives (rash) on the skin, especially on the face, neck and chest. With this allergy you will know what do hives look like.
• Runny nose or swelling of the membranes inside the nose and sinuses. A congested or full feeling around the eyes and forehead (such as felt with a sinus headache) may occur.
• Sneezing
• Gastrointestinal upset or distress such as diarrhea, nausea or vomiting and stomach cramping.

The symptoms generally resolve rather quickly (less than a few hours). A physician may recommend an antihistamine or other allergy medication as he/she deems indicated.

A severe reaction can occur that includes symptoms such as:

• Difficulty breathing
• Throat occlusion (blockage) due to excessive swelling
• A drop in blood pressure

These are symptoms of anaphylactic shock which form part of strange allergy symptoms that are life threatening and a medical emergency. it is of the utmost important to seek help as soon as symptoms of difficult breathing are detected.

Reaction to Surgical Steel

Although infrequent, occasionally a person will have allergy symptoms due to surgical steel such as that used in body piercing. Most often the cause is not actually the surgical steel but rather from topical products applied to the piecing, an irritation from a flaw in the metal due to manufacturing defect (most commonly the metal is not completely smooth). The Nickel contained in surgical steel will often cause an allergic reaction in people.

Symptoms of an allergic reaction to surgical steel include:

• Pus or discharge from the piercing
• Redness and swelling in the local area and infection

Surgery patients who receive any type of implant (such as screws and joints) in their body can develop these same symptoms. This is not just types of eczema. A surgical patient with symptoms of an allergic reaction should seek medical treatment promptly.

Signs of a strawberry allergy:

Often overlooked in children are what are the signs of a strawberry allergy and it is being dismissed as just an irritation of a child’s mouth. Also known as oral allergy syndrome (OAS).

• The lips and mouth become irritated, very red, and may swell. The reaction is isolated to the mouth and lips.

While OAS is usually temporary and resolves on its own; it can cause an adult or a child to become quite uncomfortable. If you (or your family) are suffering any of these strange allergy symptoms, consult your doctor to discuss your symptoms more thoroughly.

If you are one of the many people that suffer from an allergy to shrimp, you are aware that it is an unfavorable reaction by your body’s immune system (to shrimp) if you ingest it.

Shrimp Allergy Symptoms

• Difficulty breathing after consuming shrimp or other seafood.
• Flushing (reddening) of the skin.
• Hives (raised rash on the skin).
• A feeling of being very hot or smothered.
• Feeling of faintness or light headedness.
• In extreme cases, an inability to breathe at all due to the swelling of the trachea (windpipe) or allergy induced asthma.

Are You Experiencing Shrimp Allergy Symptoms?

Here is some important information you need to know if accidental consumption of shrimp occurs and you develop strange allergy symptoms:

• If mild symptoms occur, you can take a mild over the counter antihistamine such as Benadryl (if your doctor approves). A common allergy remedy recommended by doctors is diphenahydramine (generic name for Benadryl).
• Keep any medications your doctor has prescribed for your allergy in an easy to access and easy to remember location. This will ensure that in the case of an emergency, you will be able to easily and quickly access it.
• Let family and friends that you may be dining out with know about your allergy and where your allergy medications are located. You may also want to alert them of the many different types of symptoms you may experience.
• If your symptoms are severe, involve serious breathing complications, or your medication doesn’t work- you or someone around you needs to call 911 for immediate medical attention.

Shrimp allergies and its symptoms can be serious (sometimes even fatal); therefore prompt treatment is required. You should create a personal safety plan if you suffer from any type allergy.

Shrimp allergies in children need even more monitoring due to a couple of reasons:

1. A child’s circulatory system has less fluid circulating due to the child’s small size. Excess dilation (opening) of the blood vessels is one of the major symptoms that create serious problems. A slight variation in the balance of a child’s circulatory system can cause life threatening symptoms such as a drop in blood pressure.
2. The second cause is due to a child’s air passages being much smaller than an adults; therefore the swelling that occurs from allergies in children can cause an airway obstruction much sooner than it does in an adult. Children who stop breathing will also suffer brain and other tissue damage much sooner than an adult.

If a child is suffering from any of the above symptoms you should seek medical help immediately. An allergy can cause symptoms that are frightening and possibly life threatening in both children and adults. Precautions should be taken by those who suffer from them including any doctor recommended shrimp allergy remedy.

Sulfonamide antibiotics are often prescribed by a physician for treating urinary tract infections and ear infections (mainly in children). Due to the symptoms and the problems they may cause, physicians may be more inclined to prescribe penicillin when it seems appropriate. Sulfonamides, however, do not seem to produce an allergy any more frequently than other antibiotics do. This allergy is not influenced by the allergy season and can occur at any time.

Sulfa Drug Allergy Symptoms

Sulfa allergy symptoms tend to be progressive and can become life threatening if the sulfonamide is not discontinued. Some medications will produce adverse effects that diminish or disappear with continued treatment. This is not the case with sulfonamides; generally symptoms will continue to worsen until the sulfonamide is no longer being administered.

Allergy Symptoms by Body System Affected

• Skin - The most common symptom is a rash on the skin. This may continue to progress to a more severe swelling and pulling of body fluid to the skin’s layers. The fluid shift may cause an imbalance that can cause the circulatory system to fail (heart and blood vessels). Sulfonamide antibiotic treatment must be discontinued if a skin rash appears.
• Respiratory - Severe Sulfa allergic symptoms include lung collapse, allergy induced asthma and anaphylactic shock (the air passages close off and the person cannot breathe).
• Internal Damage –  The liver or kidneys can be damaged and impaired.

Diagnosing an Allergy to Sulfa Drugs

Currently there is no sulfa drug allergy test and diagnosis is made by history of symptoms and physical examination. Treatment is aimed at preventing exposure to sulfonamides and other medications know to be similar to the chemical make-up or action of sulfonamides.

Similar drugs known to cause symptoms:

• Hydrochlorothiazide – A common diuretic (“water pill”), sometimes found in combination with a high blood pressure medication and given as one pill. Hydrochlorothiazide should not be given to patients with an allergy.
• Diabetic medications - Such as sulfonylureas (commonly dispensed as glipizide) are similar in composition as sulfonamides, but rarely do they produce allergic symptoms. A physician would need to monitor and weigh the options of giving these medications to a person with an allergy to sulfa drugs.
• Zonisamide - A medication for the treatment of seizures should not be taken by people with an allergy to sulfa drugs due to the skin reaction it may cause.
• Sulfasalasine - Another important medication for treating inflammatory bowel disease and arthritis should also not be used to treat sulfa drug allergy sufferers.

If you are ever on a sulfonamide or one of the above listed medications and develop a rash or shortness of breath, discontinue the medication and consult your health care provider. Be sure to alert medical professionals of your sulfa drug allergy or any other medication.

What Are the Common Allergy Induced Asthma Signs and Symptoms?

Wheezing:
this can cause a squeaky whistling sound when you breathe.
Breath Shortness:
In some instances, people with asthma feel as though they cannot catch their breath. The feelings of being out of breathe or like you cannot get the air out of your lungs can also occur.
Coughing:
This is usually worse in the early hours of the morning or late at night (which can make it difficult to sleep).
Tightness of the Chest:
When this occurs, you sometimes feel that someone is sitting or squeezing on your chest.

The common signs and symptoms will not be apparent for everyone. Also, showing signs of these symptoms does not mean that you have asthma. To obtain a proper diagnosis, you should take a lung function test, have a physical exam, and observe your family history on the matter.

What Causes Allergy Induced Asthma Signs and Symptoms to Occur?

There are many things that can flare up or trigger your allergy induced asthma. Your doctor can assist you in finding out with things will cause flare ups when you come in contact with them. It can also be worse in allergy season.

Some common triggers:

• Common allergens such as dust, pet dander, mold, pollen, and grass.
• Physical Activities
• Irritants such as pollution, cigarette smoke, strong fragrances (perfume), or chemicals (hair spray).

There are many situations that can cause flare ups as well. Sinus infections, for example, can cause an unexpected asthma attack to occur or other allergies like a shrimp allergy can also trigger symptoms. If an attack is extremely violent, contact a doctor immediately for asthma emergency treatment. An asthma attack is not something you should take lightly – immediately seek help.

How to Treat Signs and Symptoms

There are three frequently used treatments for asthma: inhalers, herbs and plant supplements, and steroids.

Inhalers

Inhalers are the most frequently used treatment for allergy induced asthma. These devices are made from a canister and mouthpieces. The medicine is in the canister, which also has a metering dose valve to control the amount of medicine inhaled.

Steroids

Steroids are another form of treatment for asthma. However, the side effects are more numerous than inhalers. You must be very cautious when using steroids for treatment.

Herbs and Plant Supplements

The more natural approach to treatment for allergy induced asthma is the use of herbs or plant supplements. These are considered alternative therapies. They may interfere with the treatment prescribed to you by your doctor, so always check with your medical advisor before adding any alternative therapies to your health plan.

Become Asthma and Allergy Free With This E-Book

How to Dye Your Hair

When using dye in your hair it is best to try and avoid the outbreak of hair dye allergies. By following the below steps you can take the proper precautions when dying your hair:

1. After dying hair, wash out all remaining residues. This can be done with a clarifying shampoo. If you do not have clarifying shampoo handy, use the next strongest shampoo in your home.

2. Take an antihistamine. Benadryl is a great over the counter allergy medicine that can help to block out an allergic reaction.

3. If you begin to have some itchy skin around the scalp – use a cortisone cream to help soothe it. This can calm the itch of a mild reaction to the hair dye.

4. If these items do not help and reactions continue- see a doctor. You do not want the allergic reactions to cause problems with skin on the face or neck. It is possible for it can impede breathing or lead to allergy induced asthma, so be cautious.

If you do not want to risk dying your hair, do a skin patch test first. You can do this by mixing a small amount of hair dye and applying it to the skin of your inner arm. Leave this on for five minutes, and then rinse it off. If you do not have a reaction within twenty four hours, you should be safe to dye away! Remember to rather always err on the side of caution and consult a doctor if in doubt.

Not everyone will suffer a hair dye allergy. A small fraction of the population are afflicted. Rashes and inflammatory skin conditions associated with hair dye allergy have been around for as long as people have been colouring their hair. There are people who discovered their allergy when trying to dye their hair and developed a systemic sensitivity to many colorant chemicals they never previously reacted too. This can be difficult to handle and usually requires dietary control.

Symptoms of Hair Dye Allergy

A hair dye allergy is one of those conditions that sound a great deal less unpleasant than they really are. The symptoms of a hair dye allergy can be and often are slight but paying attention to the safety advice on almost any bottle of hair dye is wise, given the severe reactions that are possible.

Hair Dye Allergic Reactions:

Light Reaction: Includes itchiness and redness of the scalp.

Mild Reaction: Rashes and inflammatory skin conditions.

Severe Reaction: Hair loss and very painful inflammation of the derma around scalp and similarly sensitive areas of the skin that may have been exposed to the dye. These symptoms are obviously extremely unpleasant and there have even been cases of anaphylactic shock as a result of severe allergy to some of the chemicals used in the manufacture of hair dye.

Paraphenylenediamine is a chemical used to create the deeper toned hair dyes, it becomes dangerous to certain individuals when activated by the oxidising compound (most often hydrogen peroxide) usually supplied in a second bottle with a commercial hair dye system.

Many sufferers don’t stop dying because once the chemicals have settled they are inert again, so the less severe sufferer regards the rash as simply being a part of what happens when they dye their hair.

How to find out if you have a hair dye allergy

• You can test the dye you are thinking of using by dabbing a small amount of the mixture onto a small but sensitive patch of skin (behind the ear for example) and in the case of a hair dye allergy you will experience the slight discomfort of a small red patch of skin. This will only test that particular dye and its ingredients.
• A medical laboratory will do comprehensive patch testing in clinical conditions from which data they will be able to give you a detailed report of what allergies you have and how severely you have them.
• Failing the above, your hair falls out or you experience other symptoms of dermal sensitivity to your dye. There is little chance of a coincidence in this instance, and you are almost certainly suffering a severe hair dye allergy.

Efforts have been made to create totally hypoallergenic dyes and the chemicals used for the redder end of the spectrum are generally acknowledged to be less potentially harmful, however the consensus appears to be that for the best quality colour result in a non-allergic person the older dyes are still the best in terms of permanence and depth of tone. A hair dye allergy is not a very common problem, more often than not bad reactions are seen in individuals who have used the product incorrectly or in conjunction with each other to create something of a chemical cocktail for the skin. It is possible to give yourself a hair dye allergy doing that.

How to Treat Allergic Reactions to Hair Dye

There are many people that wonder how to do this. If you begin to feel itchiness or redness occurs and it feels like you are in the middle of the allergy season you can take an antihistamine or use cortisone cream (as listed above).

Reactions can vary due to skin and allergy types. For some, allergies are more severe, changing how they should treat allergic reactions to hair dye. Some reactions are mild, and not requiring much attention.

Henna Hair Dye

Henna can help skip the allergic reaction process altogether. Many people have hair dye allergies due to the harsh ingredients in the dyes. Henna is a more natural approach and a good black hair dye allergy replacement. Henna may still cause an allergic reaction and a skin test is still recommended.