By Steve Evans

Indoor allergens may provoke or worsen asthma symptoms, depending on a person’s unique sensitivities. There are thought to be more than 40 million people throughout the US who suffer from indoor allergies

Indoor allergens include dust mites, domestic pets, cockroaches, and mold. Sufferers will often wheeze, sneeze, cough and hack their way through the winter months, thinking they have a chronic cold. Indoor air contains the same pollutants that are found outdoors-smog, soot, and gas fumes. Other very common causes include cockroach droppings, and even dust mite body parts and droppings. The fact is that for the susceptible our indoor air can make their lives miserable if homes are not kept clean and healthy.

It is a harsh reality for people who suffer from allergies in the home, that staying indoors may make them just as miserable as cold weather. When you look around any house, you will find ways which could be used to help control indoor allergens, or things that may be triggering indoor allergies.

Avoid using humidifiers and consider using a dehumidifier in your home or in your child’s bedroom.

A thorough house cleaning can help control symptoms. Once the allergens are removed you will no longer suffer sleep deprived nights or hazy mornings due to frustrating insomnia caused by your home allergies.

According to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, although it is virtually impossible to eliminate every possible source of an allergy, there are many steps you can take to reduce your exposure level and cleaning is the first step to carry out.

Unlike seasonal allergies, indoor allergies may last all year long and can provoke or worsen asthma and other symptoms, depending on a person’s unique sensitivities.

Winter does indeed offer reprieve for some, but for a considerable portion of those 40 million Americans who struggle with allergic reactions, the sun’s declining rays foreshadow a holiday nightmare more horrifying than coal in the stocking. Yes, it is indeed those debilitating indoor allergies.

Those home based allergies may, for some, be present all year-round, but can in many cases be treated with medicine. However, before you try that route to a cure do look at your bedding.

Some of the likely sources of exposure are your pillow, mattress and bedding where they tend to live. They float into the air when anyone vacuums, walks on a carpet, or disturbs bedding, but they settle out of the air once the disturbance is over. Also remember to change bedding and pillows regularly. In addition, wash the pillow case and other bedding in hot water each week. Also, wash all the bedding in hot water (over 130 degrees Fahrenheit) once a week to kill and denature the mites and their faeces.

Anti-allergy bedding covers are available which have been scientifically tested can significantly reduce contact with allergen.

Pets can set very often off the problem, so they must be mentioned here, and the cure is keeping pets out of the bedroom; washing pets weekly to reduce the amount of dander; and replacing bedding and carpeting that has dander in it. Smaller domestic animals, such as guinea pig and hamsters can cause the problem as well. These animals distribute allergen in their urine within bedding if any is present, so always take care with your personal cleanliness.

Finally, always wash all bedding and soft furnishings on which an animal has lain.

By Jake Borjas

House dust is found in the cleanest of homes. In a city, the average six-room house or apartment collects 40 to 50 pounds of dust every year. High levels of dust can result in allergic reactions ranging from nasal congestion to asthma. Though no amount of house cleaning can completely solve the problem, there are many “dust measures” that can help.

Cut down the source of dust in you home by taking the following actions:

· Replace your A/C filter per the manufacturers recommendations. The filter in your air conditioner traps particles and dirt before they go back into your home. Replace worn out filters with an efficient electrostatic filter. Most electrostatic filters carry a charge that attracts and holds dust. High quality filters are made from pleated fabric or paper.

· Clean the dirt out of your ducts. If your home A/Csystem duct’s are dirty, your ventilation system is carrying dust, dirt and other stuff into your household air. Have your ducts cleaned by a professional every two to three years. Removing the dust from the ducts becomes more important if you smoke, have pets, or have a family member with asthma.

· Keep your mattress clean by using a washable protective cover. Regularly vacuum both mattress and base to remove fluff and dust, and mop up any stains and spills quickly with a mild soap and cool water. To kill the dust mites from your bedding, place the item in a garbage bag. Leave the bag in the freezer for an hours or so.

· Your carpet should at all times be free of dirt, dust, lint, and stains. The biggest pro secret is to vacuum all carpets and mats regularly. Do not wait until you can see the dirt. Proper timing of vacuuming can extend the life of your carpet and reduce the need to shampooing up to 50 percent.

· Vacuum all the carpets and draperies frequently to remove the surface dust. Mop or vacuum hard floors rather than sweeping. Use a vacuum with a high efficiency filter. Please notice that dust mites also live in the carpets. Vacuuming does not remove the dust mites. It is a good idea to have your carpet deep cleaned every two years.

· Vacuum furniture, base boards and moldings with a soft brush attachment. Use care to avoid scratching the delicate surfaces. Dust with a damp cloth. Rinse it out occasionally in clear water. Toss dirt dusting cloths in the washer.

It is commonly believed that allergies are caused by an immune problems that recognizes something as a threat in some people and not in others. When the immune system detects what it believes to be a threat to the body, it take steps to combat the perceived intruder. Most symptoms of allergies will disappear when the item is removed from our surroundings. That is why is so important to remove the dust from our household.

Frequent cleaning can help reduce the allergens and irritants that cause allergic reactions. While regular house cleaning is recommended for allergy sufferers, the act of cleaning itself can aggravate the symptoms. It is important to avoid your house cleaning tasks in the presence of someone with allergies.

Clean air is a necessity for healthy living, especially since the majority of the time is spent indoors. Clean habits have a part to play in the matter of staying healthy. If you take the preventive measures detailed on this article, the dust in your home will be significantly reduced in your home.

Your nose is running, your eyes are itchy and watery and you just want to crawl out of your skin. What you wouldn’t do for effective allergy relief.

There are many different types of allergies and just as many different types of allergy relief products some more effective than others. You’ve probably tried a few over the years and probably had mixed results.

The big problem is not only finding effective allergy relief but also not going broke in the process. It’s not unusual to get soaked a $20 bill for maybe a dozen antihistamine time release pills. That’s expensive.!

You might be surprised to discover that your allergies are because you are actually suffering from food allergies with gluten sensitivity being the most common. We understand if you find it hard to make the leap from grains to allergies but natural medicine has scientifically documented and clinically proven that gluten sensitivity is responsible for many problems other than allergies – IBS, Fibromyalgia, Child hood ear infections which are so commonly treated with antibiotics and tubes, sinusitis, migraines, Celiac disease, arthritis, and asthma.

Another underlying reason for allergies is an immune system that is misfiring and you might be surprised to discover that the number one reason that your immune system is not up to par is toxicity in the body. A good detoxification program and a good immune boosting program and you might be surprised to see your allergies disappear.

According to NIAID one in ten Americans suffers from hay fever and is search of effective allergy relief. The numbers are climbing and the seriousness of the allergies are also climbing. In fact more and more children are being faced with life threatening allergies such as the peanut allergy that is plaguing the country. In fact according to JACI and AAAAI in just five years from 1997 to 2002 it has doubled.

Stop and think back 20 years, heck 10 years what do you recall about peanut allergies? Didn’t hear about them much did you? Ever wondered why? Is it because we are using peanuts in everything which is over stimulating the body’s reaction? Is it because our bodies have become so toxic? It’s not just peanuts but the effective allergy relief for peanuts is generally an EPI Pen after all this is a serious allergy.

These days all of seem to suffer from some type of allergy that we are seeking effective allergy relief for. It seems everything causes allergies these days and I do mean everything – trees, weeds, grasses, pollens, dust, pets, dander, dust mites, foods, gluten, chemicals found in cleaning products, bleach, and well the list could go on and on.

So instead of looking for an effective allergy relief you might want to delve a little deeper and try to figure out what’s changed so much in such a short period of time. Let’s see the trees, grasses, even the dust mites are probably the same as they were a decade ago but what has changed a lot is our exposure to toxins and when our body itself needs to be detoxified we can begin to develop allergies to just about anything.

So besides looking for a temporary effective allergy relief maybe the time has come to dig deeper and find out just what is going on.

In this article were going to discuss how allergies are commonly diagnosed using a variety of methods.

The first thing that is important as far as getting your allergies diagnosed is to know, or at least suspect if you might have allergies. This isnt always easy because in many cases, depending on the type of allergies you have, they may very well have the same symptoms as the common cold.

Normally, the difference between the two is that with a cold, symptoms include fever, coughing, post nasal drip with a bad smell and or taste, yellow or green mucus from the nose or throat, sore throat, headache, and finally most colds clear up in 7 to 10 days.

Allergy is a medical condition that causes certain people to react badly or feel ill when they eat or come into contact with particular substances. This medical condition occurs as a result of the inability of the body’s immune system to respond to certain substance that may not be harmful to the body.

Under normal condition the body immune system function is to help the body fight foreign substances known as antigens. This is done through the release of antibodies and other body chemicals to fight against these antigens.

However, a situation where this foreign substance is neither harmful nor could it cause pain to the body and the immune system still function by producing the antibodies, an allergic condition is said to have occurred. In other words, such a person is allergic to the particular substance that makes his/her body to react or respond in that manner. In this case an Allergy test is necessary in order to determine the true medical condition of the person.

Therefore it is advisable for the person to see a medical doctor who is in a better position to diagnose the allergy and carry out the analysis involve and recommend the prescribe medication.

With allergies, symptoms include sneezing, itchy eyes, ears, nose and throat, nasal congestion, runny nose, and clear mucus from the nose and throat. Then there are other conditions that can be present such as asthma, eczema and food allergies.

For some people, the symptoms are seasonal, meaning that they may be perfectly okay in the winter and fall but feel like garbage come spring and summer depending on what they’re allergic to. Then there are some people who are allergic all year round because their allergies are mostly of the indoor variety.

Based on the above symptoms for both colds and allergies you can pretty much get an idea of what you are suffering from, especially if your symptoms seem to be persisting for more than a couple of weeks or have been going off and on for several weeks.

The next question is simply, once we suspect that we do suffer from allergies, how do we determine what kinds of allergies we are suffering from?

The easiest way to get your allergies diagnosed is to go to an allergist and have him give you an allergy test. Actually, to be more accurate, they are a series of tests.

Allergy tests can be given in a variety of ways but the most common and most effective is the progressive series.

In these tests what the doctor does is set up a number of vials. Each vial contains a specific allergen. There are outdoor allergy vials and indoor allergy vials. The outdoor vials are trees, grass, weeds, plants, pollen, and outdoor mold. The indoor vials are indoor mold, dust, pet hair, feathers, and cockroaches.

The procedure is simple. The doctor, or assistant takes each vial and injects a small amount of serum from each vial into the patient, starting with the smallest amount possible. If there is no reaction from any of the vials then the doctor increases the dosage by a small percentage.

Once a reaction occurs, that vial is marked at the dosage that caused the reaction. This process is continued until the max dosage is given for each vial or a reaction occurs for each vial, whichever comes first. After it is determined what allergens, if any, the patient is allergic to, the doctor then makes a serum based on the test results should the patient decide to proceed with allergy shots to treat the allergies. Otherwise, the doctor will prescribe a medication to take based on the allergies the patient has.

Author: Heather Colman

Promethazine is a generic name for a class of antihistamine drugs used to prevent motion sickness, nausea, or vomiting; and for sedation, and the treatment of itching related to allergies.

It is the latter that we’re interested in here, treating allergy symptoms and reactions with Promethazine, such as: nasal congestion, itching nose, clear runny nose, sneezing, itchy or watery eyes, hives, and itchy skin rashes.

Brand names of promethazine include Phenadoz, Phenergan, and Promethegan. The FDA has approved Promethazine in 1951.

Promethazine is a prescription drug in the USA, but is available OTC in the United Kingdom, Switzerland, and in many other countries. For the treatment of allergy induced symptoms and itches, tablets may be taken with or without food, once every 4 to 8 hours.

Though be very careful about giving it to children, especially those below 2 years of age – Promethazine can cause severe breathing problems or even death. Doctor’s instructions must be followed carefully when given to a child of any age. Always keep this medicine out of children’s reach.

As an anti-allergic medication, Promethazine can also be used to treat hay fever, or better known as allergic rhinitis. To treat allergic reactions, it can be given either alone or in combination with an oral decongestant. All patients are recommended to have their blood pressure measured frequently. Moreover, during long-term therapy, blood cell counts, liver function studies, EKG, and EEG should be undertaken. These studies and examinations are to be taken at intervals according to risk profile of the patient.

Promethazine can produce side effects that impair your thinking or reactions. It’s required that when under medication you should not be driving or do any hazardous work which takes a great deal of concentration and alertness. Also, do not take alcohol, which serves to enhance the side effects of Prometazine.

Typical side effects of Promethazine include blurred vision, confusion, fatigue, dizziness, drowsiness, and dry mouth. Serious side effects, in which the patient should contact their physician immediately include seizures, respiratory depression (most common in children under two years of age or people with compromised function of pulmonal region), and malignant neuroleptic syndrome.

Before taking Promethazine, make sure you convey to your physician if you have or have ever experienced urination problems, digestive obstruction, stomach ulcers, glaucoma, sleep apnea, bone marrow disorder, or seizure disorder. You should also notify your physician, before taking the drug, if you have any history of heart disease, high blood pressure, or liver disease.

If you have any of the above conditions, you may not be able to take Promethazine unless your doctor requires you to take adjusted dosage, or undergo special laboratory tests during treatment. In addition, this medication is harmful to an unborn baby, so if you are pregnant or plan to get pregnant, avoid this treatment, or consult further with your doctor.

Seek emergency medical attention if you think you have used too much of this medicine. Symptoms of a promethazine overdose may include severe drowsiness, dizziness, dry mouth, large pupils, flushing, nausea, vomiting, shallow breathing, and fainting.

Disclaimer: This article should not be substituted for medical advice. Please talk to a qualified professional for more information about Promethazine.

Rustam Nosirovich

Air duct cleaning can help you avoid five of the major indoor allergy triggers that give most people fits. Even if allergies are not present, keeping air ducts clean can assist in improving overall indoor air quality and even the smell of a home.

Air duct cleaning is generally recommended at least once every three to five years. Some homes might require more frequent service. In fact, some families swear by having their ducts inspected and cleaned annually.

When duct cleaning services are called upon, they remove dust and debris from the lines that run hot and cool air throughout a home. The end result is a lessening of particles that can be released in the air.

So, what kind of allergens can duct cleaning help lessen in a home? Let’s take a look:

1. Dust mites. Found wherever there’s a build up of dust and human skin cells, these critters are responsible for a host of allergy issues in people. Even when allergies are not present, dust and dust mites can still create breathing issues – especially if there is an abundance of them in a home. Although microscopic, dust mites can wreak havoc on a home and its occupants. Cleaning ducts can help remove the layers of dust found in a duct system. In the process, it lessens the impacts this allergen can have on a home and its residents.

2. Insect and pest droppings. It is an unfortunate reality, but pests sometimes infiltrate air ducts. When they do, they leave behind their droppings. Gross, isn’t it? Some people find themselves highly allergic to this type of feces, especially roach and vermin droppings. When air ducts are thoroughly cleaned on a regular basis, this issue is lessened, as well.

3. Animal hair and skin particles. These, just like dust and dirt, can be swept up into an air conditioning unit’s intake system. In the process, these allergens can be released back into the air through the vent system. When air duct cleaning ensures that a build up of these allergens is also removed.

4. Pollen. Just like animal air, pollen can be swept into an air conditioning system. If dust and moisture are built up, it can get stuck. Eventually, it will be released again into the air through the duct system.

5. Mold. Allergies to mold and even sensitivities to it can be a huge issue for many people. Unfortunately, mold and bacteria can grow within air ducts if moisture is allowed to settle into place. When regular duct cleaning takes place, this issue and its impacts can be lessened greatly. It is important to note that air ducts are not the only sources of mold in most homes, however. Home should be inspected for mold problems on a regular basis.

While air ducts are not the only sources of allergens in most homes, they can serve as major circulators. When they are kept clean, people tend to breathe a lot easier. One of the best recommended DIY home maintenance tasks to prevent allergen circulation is deep cleaning. Create a list of deep cleaning chores and do not forget to remove dust from baseboards, drapes and other objects. This will ensure that less dust and allergens will be in the environment to get trapped in the air duct system.

by Masni Rizal Mansor

A wide variety of allergy control products are available both online and in stores. The selection can be mind-boggling and confusing. Depending on your type, or types, of allergies, some items can be good purchases while others will be less than effective.

There are several factors to keep in mind when being a smart consumer of allergy control products. Cost, effectiveness and number of items needed are all things that you should consider.

Cost

Unfortunately, a lot of allergy control products are expensive. But you can use the Internet to find items being sold at a discount, but beware of items like HEPA filters, that you might find being sold for much less than youve seen elsewhere. Sometimes you do get what you pay for, and quality can be low.

Be sure to use reputable online stores and brick-and-mortar businesses. Ask your doctor where he suggests shopping for things like nonirritating cleaning supplies, dust mite covers and non-allergenic air conditioner and heating filters.

Effectiveness

Stick with items your doctor or allergist suggests. If you try an allergy control product they dont recommend and it seems to help with your symptoms, great. However, your doctor will know what has been effective for his patients in the past and he wont want you to waste money.

There are quite a few debates about which allergy control products are effective. HEPA filters are often compared to air ionizers. Some experts say mattress and pillow covers are effective against dust mites, but the special bedding and sheets are not. Be sure to do your homework and do lots of research before ordering any allergy control product you are not familiar with.

Number of Items Needed

To get the closest you can to an allergen-free home, you may need a lot more than one of each kind of allergy control product. For example, experts suggest having a HEPA filter for each room of your house, even if you have a 1,200 square foot home and the filter says it can cover a 1,200 square foot area. This will simply not work with air flow patterns and its better to buy smaller filters and place them throughout the home.

With dust mite bedding, it makes no sense to just protect your own bedding when the dust mites can just proliferate in your guest bed or other family members beds. Be sure to buy enough slip covers for all the beds in your home. Buying more than one allergy control product each will naturally increase the costs but its better to allergy-proof your house effectively.

Trying to free a home of irritating allergens can be an uphill battle, but one you dont have to wage alone. Remember to do your research and consider cost, effectiveness and quantity of items when selecting the allergy control products you need.

by Michelle OConnor

What Causes Asthma?
Asthma is an allergic reaction that can be brought on by a variety of triggers including certain foods, medicines, organisms, dander, mold and airborne pollution. An asthmatic attack can be very frightening for both the asthmatic and their friends and family. While an air purifier alone is not sufficient to remove all allergans and asthmatic triggers from a home, they can be an effective component in your arsenal.

Including Air Purifiers in your Arsenal to help Combat Asthma Attacks
A quality air purifier alone cannot trap all household allergans that may contribute to asthmatic attacks. The reason for this is that not all allergans are or remain airborne. For example, many people with allergies are allergic to dust mite droppings (feces) which fall out of the air and into carpeting, upholstery and linens rather quickly due to their relatively large size. In addition, allergy attacks can be brought on by the presence of certain organisms which are immune to air purification, such as cockroaches.

In a September, 2004 study co-funded by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) and the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), and published in the New England Journal of Medicine it was found that a HEPA air filter, when used in conjunction with dust mite proof mattress and pillow covers, cockroach extermination and a HEPA vacuum, dramatically reduced asthma symptoms.

Though no air cleaning system can remove all allergans from a home, studies have shown they can significantly reduce the levels of airborn allergans and irritants, in some cases, by up to 90%. The HEPA filter has long been used in laboratory experiments, and has been proven to reduce the level of particles in the air. Many air filtration systems rely solely on HEPA technology, or, include a HEPA filter as part of a multi-filtration system.

Multi Filter Air Cleaning Systems
There are purifiers available today that combine more than one type of air filtration technology. The HEPA filter is a widely known, effective and popular air filter. Newer technologies include ionization and UV filters, which, when combined with a HEPA, can trap or kill allergans and particles that are much smaller in size than was previously possible. There are some UV filters that can effectively treat airborne pollutants that are down to 0.001 microns in size. The HEPA air filter traps particles as tiny as 0.3 microns. Ionization technology for air filtration works by negatively producing negatively charged ions which attach themselves to contaminants. These contaminants then drop from the air, resulting in cleaner air to breathe. The HEPA operates by physically trapping particles that go through the filter. While the UV method works by killing or destroying germs.

While no air filtration system alone can remove all potential allergans from the air, they can definitely help reduce them. Subsequently helping to reduce the number of allergic or asthmatic attacks an individual may experience. Much of this depends on what the individual is allergic to, what filtration system they choose, and what other allergan-removal methods they employ in their home environment. A quality air purifier can be a valuable tool in fighting allergies and the effects of asthma.

by Max Patel

While its a popular misconception that an air purifier is a luxury product, few people realize the immense benefit this technological marvel can bring about in their lives. Be it a large home air purifier or a high-end HEPA purifier for your posh office. In a world increasingly punctuated by rising pollution and airborne discomfiting elements, the place for an air purifier in your life has changed from being a desire to being a need. Electrostatic air purifiers, ionic air purifiers, filterless air purifiers and a whole army of more such soldiers perform the brave task of keeping you healthy and safe. So what do these air purifiers protect you from? Lets find out …

Airborne allergies are easily one of the most common types of allergies afflicting a wide spread of the population. This rise in allergies necessitated a lot of research from several companies on making a device that would clean the air. Thus, Air purifiers and air cleaners today have become one of the biggest answers to the various airborne allergies. The air you breathe is rife with so many pollutants that there is almost no single system that can make the air 100% pure but you can get pretty close.

Air purifiers get rid of particulate matters in the air silently and effectively. This particulate matter frequent have pollutants which cause common airborne allergies such as pollen allergies, tree and plant allergies, weed allergies, hay fever allergies and mold allergies. How do you know if you have caught on to these allergies? If you have been sneezing often, having breathing problems, a nose thats running, skin rashes or watery eyes, its possible that you are suffering from some airborne allergy. But how do you fight an enemy you cant see? Thats where the air purifier steps up to the challenge, getting rid of these pollutants so that the air that you breathe is safe for you and healthy as well.

Like any other product, air purifiers are available in a variety of sizes, shapes, prices and features. Depending on where you live, quality of ambient air, size of the room or apartment and specific allergies you suffer from, you will be able to find the best air purifier that will satisfy most of your requirements if not all. Remember, when it comes to your health, spare no efforts in ensuring that you can secure it to your best possible extent.

Breathe clean healthy air and enjoy a long life! All the best!

by Michael Russell

Millions of Americans suffer from allergies. Even though you might not be able to eliminate all sources of irritants from your life, allergy proofing your home is a great way to give yourself some relief.

Control mold. Many people who suffer from allergies are also very sensitive (if not allergic to) mold. While the mold you often hear about is the toxic type of mold, it is really the very common household molds, which cause the most problems for allergy sufferers. Here are ways to control mold in your home:

1. Repair any leaks in your home, especially in basements and around windows.

2. Install and use exhaust fans in your bathroom.

3. If your basement has a concrete floor, do not install carpeting over it without a vapor barrier. Use area rugs so that you can wash these periodically.

4. Run a dehumidifier in your basement, or other areas of the house if you live in a humid climate.

5. Limit indoor plants. Mold grows really well in the soil of potted plants.

6. Clean your bathroom thoroughly. Use a mold-killing cleaner on all surfaces, including shower curtains and caulking.

7. Re-caulk your tub surround with special mold resistant caulking.

8. After doing the laundry, leave the lid open on the washing machine to let it dry out.

In the rest of your house, controlling dust mites and their droppings will greatly reduce allergic reactions. Also, dust is a major irritant. Follow these tips for other areas of your home:

1. In the summer months, use air conditioning instead of open windows. This will reduce the amount of pollen that gets indoors. Purchase filters for your heating and air conditioning system that are designed to clean the air of allergens.

2. Remove carpeting and replace with either solid flooring or area rugs. Carpets are notorious dust collectors, even if you vacuum a lot.

3. Keep your pets out of human sleeping areas.

4. Use special allergen reducing mattress and pillow coverings for your beds.

5. Replace cloth curtains with shades or shutters. Curtains capture a lot of dust and are rarely thought about in general cleaning.

Don’t forget about outdoor areas of your home. While you can’t control what your neighbor plants in their garden, you can in yours.

1. Don’t plant male trees or shrubs. These carry the pollen. Ask your garden center which of the plants are female before purchasing.

2. Invite wild birds to your yards with feeders. Birds will reduce the number of insects, which will help control mold.

3. Use rock mulch instead of wood chips. Organic materials do rot into the soil and while great for fertilizing, this can create a lot of mold spores.

4. Avoid overcrowded planting areas. Plants closely packed together can trap moisture and cause mold to grow.

5. When purchasing plants, make sure that you pick disease resistant plants. Some species of plants are more susceptible to mildew and insect damage.

Creating a safe haven for you or any other family member who suffers from allergies can give you great satisfaction and a healthy home!