Allergy Treatment

It is possible to develop allergy to any substance at any point in time. If you begin to experience symptoms like a runny nose, itching or a rash upon exposure to a substance, you may be having an allergic reaction. Some medications and other substances in food or cosmetics can trigger even life threatening reactions from provoking breathing difficulty.

Symptoms of Allergy

• Reddening of eyes
• Running nose and sneezing
• Itching of the skin at any site
• Skin rash
• Swelling of the lips and face
• Breathing difficulty
• Wheeze and cough

Several therapies are currently available to effectively treat allergies. If you suspect you have an allergy, it is recommended to consult an allergist, who is an expert in diagnosing and treating allergies. Upon identification of the specific allergen, they will be able to provide a treatment plan to help tackle specific allergens.

Treatment of Allergy

• Avoidance: staying away from the source of allergy is a logical first step in managing an allergy. This may be simple to follow is the allergen is a specific drug or cosmetic. In case of food allergies, labels of food packages should be carefully scrutinized for the allergen. This is much harder for environmental allergens like pollen, dust or animal dander as exposure may occur despite precautions.
• Medications: Many drugs can provide symptomatic relief. Antihistamines decrease inflammation of mucous membranes, which helps to control the congestion of the eyes and nose and also decreases skin reaction. Steroid sprays, creams or oral medications may be beneficial is some cases.
• Immunotherapy: This involves slow exposure to the allergen in escalating doses to desensitize the body to the allergen. Very rarely, an anaphylactic reaction can develop upon receiving the allergen. So it is essential that the therapy is administered in the office of a trained allergist. There are two variations of immunotherapy.
• Subcutaneous Immunotherapy (SCIT): These are commonly referred to as Allergy shots. This involves injecting the allergen into the subcutaneous tissue in increasing doses over time. A wide range of allergies can be effectively tackled through shots.
• Sublingual Immunotherapy (SLIT): This is a newer form of immunotherapy which uses tablets or drops placed sublingually or below the tongue in increasing doses. Currently, tablets for allergies to ragweed, pollen and dust mites have been approved by the FDA.
• Epinephrine injection: Epinephrine is the same as adrenaline in the body, and is beneficial in severe allergies with anaphylactic shock and breathing difficulty from narrowed wind pipes. In case of history of a known anaphylactic reaction to a common allergen, it is recommended to carry an epinephrine injection like an EpiPen at all times. A shot of the epinephrine can prevent life threatening anaphylaxis.

References:

1. Allergy overview. Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America
2. Allergic reactions. American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology