From Good Hands

Many allergies are not able to be completely prevented or treated one hundred per cent. However, there are available a number of remedies for allergies, that can reduce the symptoms and make life much more bearable.

Allergies are an over-reaction by the body’s immune system to things called allergens. These allergens may be from pollens, house dust, molds, animal hair or dander (dead skin), or foods.

For some people, allergic reactions can be life threatening. Food allergies such as nut allergies are an example. After an anaphylactic reaction an emergency injection of adrenaline and medical treatment is vital. For those with these severe allergies, the only reasonable path is complete avoidance. Safety labels and emergency wristbands are often essential to warn others in case of accidental ingestion or emergency.

And, the symptoms of allergic reaction can range from extremely dangerous to very painful to mild and inconvenient. These often include skin reactions, such as eczema and hives, sneezing, runny eyes, increased temperature, headaches and asthma. The first step in overcoming allergies is always identification of the cause or allergen. Sometimes this is obvious, sometimes testing is necessary to help in identifying the intolerance.

Once the cause or trigger is identified, the best remedy is to remove either yourself from the allergen, or to remove it from, or avoid it in your everyday life. So if you are allergic to pollen dust, stay inside on windy spring days. If you find you are allergic to cats or dogs, then simply stay away from them. Regular dusting, vacuuming and the use of HEPA room air cleaners will also help.

Many remedies for allergies occur naturally in foods, herbs, and supplements. Pharmaceutical drugs or allergy medicines are also available for assisting with relief of allergy symptoms. It is very important when considering the use of herbal or home remedies to check with your doctor first, especially if you are on prescribed medications or have other medical problems.

Some of the commonly used remedies for allergies are Vitamin C, which has antihistamine properties, and Spirulina which also has these properties. Antihistamines are chemicals or drugs that reduce or neutralize the allergic reactions, and so reduce the symptoms. Foods and supplements such as garlic, ginger, green tea, chamomile, honey and especially vinegar have all been used in treating allergies. Allergy medication is available from your doctor.

Acupuncture treatment can also be very effective for both acute and chronic allergies. Commonly, patients will start to feel relief within minutes of treatment. Acute cases of for example Sinusitis, may respond well to just 3 – 6 treatments. Chronic cases may require a longer course of treatments, but some improvement is usually noticed after the first few visits.

So there are plenty of remedies for allergies available, but always the best one, if at all possible is avoidance of the allergen, or the thing which is causing the allergic reaction.