Health Guidance

What is an urticaria?

Urticaria is usually caused by an allergic reaction. It is described as a skin rash that can appear on any part of the body. It can be localized or generalized. It is usually a raised, red, wheal oftentimes extremely itchy.

What causes urticaria?

There are several things that can trigger than urticarial attack. Among them are the following:

1. Food – the most common cause of hives. Usually lasts less than 6 months and most of the causative factor can easily be pinpointed.
2. Physical – this is often caused by an inflammatory reaction due to extreme cold or heat. It can be caused by direct skin contact too like jewelleries, watches and even fabrics.
3. Drugs – most common medicines that cause hives are some antibiotics and anticonvulsants.
4. Stress – one’s emotional well being is also very important to prevent hives. It is believed that stress causes release of histamine which is the chemical mediator basically responsible for the onset of urticarial attack. Continue reading ‘Home Treatment For Hives – The Urticaria Remedies in Your Pantry’ »

This article will discuss baby allergies and 3 common symptoms that can be caused by food. If you personally suffer from any of the below symptoms, you may not even be aware that these symptoms might be caused by having a hidden food allergy.

1. Eczema: Dry, itchy skin isn’t usually associated with food; and yet this common skin problem can be caused by having a hidden food allergy to a certain food, like wheat or even dairy. By finding out all of the different foods that can cause eczema and strategically eliminating and reintroducing them, it is possible to cure eczema simply by staying away from a particular food.

2. Asthma: As with eczema, asthma can also be caused by eating a food that your system is particularly sensitive to. It can be difficult sometimes to find out exactly which food is causing the problem; but allergy testing or food elimination diets can help you decipher which foods you should probably stay away from. It is possible to even go off of allergy medications and/or stop using an inhaler simply by removing the food that is causing the asthma in the first place. Continue reading ‘Baby Allergies – 3 Common Symptoms Caused by Food’ »

This article will discuss baby eczema and 3 reasons your little one might be suffering from this fairly common health issue. It may be common, but it is very bothersome and can be extremely difficult to see your baby suffering. The three reasons below can help you identify what might be causing your child’s symptoms.

1. Food allergies: More often than not, people think an allergy to food means an immediate negative response. However, there are many hidden food allergies that present themselves in subtle symptoms that are overlooked, such as a headache or sinus congestion. Wheat and dairy are known to be fairly common hidden food allergens, but there are others including soy, tomatoes and more. By removing possible allergens and reintroducing them one at a time, you can find out if your baby’s eczema is caused by a food allergy or perhaps another external factor.

2. Pet Allergies: Having an allergy to an animal can present itself in many ways; the most common and obvious symptoms is sneezing, itchy eyes and nasal congestion. But pet allergies can also manifest in the form of eczema. The best way to find out if a baby is allergic to an animal is to go through allergy testing. Continue reading ‘Baby Eczema – 3 Reasons Your Baby Might Be Suffering’ »

Mold in the home can be a trigger for those with allergies and asthma. Find out why those with mold allergies should avoid spaces with the hot-air heat, central air conditioning and wall-to-wall carpeting that can be carriers for mold.

Question:

Ever since we moved into our new house, our son has been constantly coughing. Now his doctor tells me he’s asthmatic. He was fine before. Could the house be a problem?

Answer:

You don’t mention whether you have a family history of allergies and asthma, and we’re not physicians, so continue to discuss this situation with your doctor. Continue reading ‘Mold, Allergies and Asthma – Is Your House Making You Sick?’ »

Every year, people spend millions and billions of dollars on both surgery and medical treatment for chronic sinusitis treatment. What is Sinusitis? Sinusitis is bacteria infection on either side or behind of nose, which can be caused by bacteria, fungi etc. There are 2 types of sinusitis in medical term, namely acute and chronic. Acute sinusitis can be cured by having antibiotics such as amoxicillin, erythromycin etc., and normally can be cured within 3 weeks. Acute sinusitis will become chronic if you haven’t fully recovered within 3 weeks.

There is lots of way in chronic sinusitis treatment, but until now there is no 100% guarantee treatment for it. The goal in treating sinusitis is to eliminate or reduces the inflammation and congestion of sinus to improve the quality of life. If you went to visit a doctor for chronic sinusitis treatment, he will only recommend 2 ways to cure it, which includes using antibiotics to relieve your sinus (either eatable or something to spray on sinus). Using medicine might incurred certain side effects like sneezing, headache and even nose bleeding, which I don’t recommend you to try it. Continue reading ‘Natural Way of Chronic Sinusitis Treatment’ »

It is four in the morning and you are awaken by the uncomfortable itchiness that you have throughout your body. You turn on the light and are surprised to find unexplainable welts and wheels. What could have caused these allergies? Unfortunately, you could have been attacked by bed bugs. All throughout your childhood you have heard the same phrase over and over again, “Good night, sleep tight, don’t let the bed bugs bite”. Who would have thought that bed bugs truly existed. I always saw it as something fun to say or an easy way to scare a younger brother or sister. Many confuse bed bugs for dust mites thinking that they are both the same thing. Although they are both bugs that are drawn to the bed, they are different in many ways. The bed bug is a teeny, flat creature that is almost the exact size of an apple seed. They live just about anywhere you can think of but are especially drawn to the mattress, springs and headboards of the bed. Believe it or not, they can also be found in carpets, under wall paper, behind baseboards, small cracks and crevices. Surprisingly enough, they can live months without feeding. They are brown in color until they suck the blood of its victim and turns reddish brown.

This creature attacks their victims while they are asleep. Humans are awaken by what seems likes a rash because of all the scratching. If you feel that you or your someone you love has been bitten by this creature, immediately wash the bite with warm water and white soap. The soap should be clear of fragrances. Safeguard soap and Ivory are good choices. Apply over the counter hydrosone cream to the affected and surrounding area. Try the best you can to not scratch the bite. An open sore can form and can require medical attention. Continue reading ‘Great Facts and Tips on Bed Bugs and Dust Mites’ »

Personal Story…

I was a first time mother. With labor a few weeks early, my baby girl was a bit small but healthy. It was only when she turned one years old, that we noticed something was wrong. The red cheeks, dark bags under the eyes, dry skin and cranky child, she just looked sick.

I am not sure how we thought of going to an allergist. Neither my husband nor I have much allergic histories. My husband did have some asthma as a child, but he outgrew it a while ago. I had a sister who was mildly allergic to eggs for a few years of her childhood… that was all. Could my daughter be allergic?

We were shocked but relieved to find the answer. After her first skin test done, she showed positive to eggs, milk, oats and beef. No wonder, she drank 6 bottles of milk a day! We took these results at face value (only later finding out that these tests are not always 100%) and began to learn to read labels and watch what she ate. She did improve, her face and eyes looked healthier…but her skin, it was dry, itchy and red. We discovered she had eczema. Was it a result of what she ate? Or was it a separate condition? The next two years we spent going from pediatric dermatologists, to top pediatric allergists. We did allergy blood work tests followed by skin tests. Results showed positive to tens of foods, including eggs, milk, fish, chicken, potato, banana, sesame, soy, and legumes; and now showed negative to beef and oats that were originally positive. Continue reading ‘Kid's Allergy – Helping Parents of Children With Allergies’ »

The way in which many celiacs cope with having to learn to live gluten free is:

plan ahead with your meals. Shopping my become a little longer affair to begin with, but it does get easier with more knowledge, and
prepare meals in advance. This takes pressure off of you, especially if your mornings are a little hectic (as in my own home!)
Learn which items contain ‘hidden gluten’ so you can avoid them
Shop at farmers markets and health food shops. This is something that you may need to get used to, as the majority of food items sold in these places are gluten free but with a little creativity, it does not have to get expensive.
If you share a kitchen with non gluten free items, it can be a challenge but it need not be difficult.

find a dedicated space to prepare your food, and some dedicated storage too.
Again it doesn’t have to be difficult once you have established you cannot eat gluten. Continue reading ‘Gluten Free Diet – Six Ground Rules’ »

Everyone knows that allergies cause sneezing, itchy, watery eyes, and nasal congestion and that for some people these symptoms can be more severe than for others. For these people allergies can feel like a curse, making them feel sleepy, irritable and downright miserable. There are many medical explanations for allergies, including the theory that the body is overreacting to the typical allergens.

But there’s one other reason why some people with allergies are more affected than others, and this has to do with their jaw size. If you had normal-sized jaw anatomy, then it’s less likely an allergy attack would bother you; in fact, it’s less likely you’ll even have allergies in the first place. Let me explain. Continue reading ‘The Hidden Truth About Allergies Revealed’ »

Sinusitis and nose functions are in constant conflict.The nose is a delicate organ performing a host of functions. This includes constantly filtering the air that is about to pass through to the lungs. Sinusitis symptoms keep the nose, the mucous membrane, cilia and the turbinates from fulfilling their designed functions. The mucous membrane moistens the nasal passages all day and secretes the mucus discharge which washes the lining and collects all the foreign particles and micro organisms trapped inside the nasal hairs. The cilia, which are delicate, slender projections of the lining in the nasal chambers constantly move and push the mucus into the throat, where the final objective is to send it to the stomach where, needless to say the harmful substances are destroyed by acids.

The turbinates perform multiple functions. These are numerous folds which create a vast surface area for maximum contact of the air with the nasal passage. This is to ensure the air is properly filtered and cleaned thoroughly before it reaches the lungs. Since the nasal passages are very small, the folds provide a great advantage by increasing the surface area through curves. The other function is that these turbinates are in contact will blood vessels. When blood vessels expand, the turbinates are clogged preventing passage of air. The design of the nose is such that the delicate cartilage called nasal septum divides the nasal passage into two airways. It is very normal functioning of the nose when air passes alternately through either passage. While cleaned air is passing through one passage, the other side is cleaning up the air and filtering it, which is done by expansion of blood vessels. The signal for blood vessels to expand is given by nerve cells present in the turbinates. Continue reading ‘Sinusitis and Its Effects on the Nose’ »