Learn About Allergy Medications and Treatments
What is Allergy?
Lately it had been also discovered that some allergens can be agents formed inside the human body. These allergens are collectively called endo-allergens, or auto-allergens. Such allergens can develop naturally, for example, proteins of unchanged tissues isolated from the system responsible for immunity, or acquired -natural proteins that develop foreign properties from thermal, radiation, chemical, bacterial, viral and other exposures. For instance, such conditions as rheumatism, arthritis, and hypothyroidism contribute to the allergy caused by auto-allergens.
Based on the statistics, over 85% of the world’s population suffers from a certain form of allergy or even a variety of allergies. In the majority of cases, allergies cannot be cured. The treatment implies the identification of an allergen, its complete isolation or symptomatic treatment.
During the last decades, an enormous growth of allergy is observed. There are several theories trying to explain these statistics. For instance, there is a theory that increased level of hygiene divests human organisms from the contact with many antigens which leads to the weak immune system, especially in children. Another theory suggests that the increasing number of people who suffer from an allergy is due to the increased use of chemical industry goods which can both act as allergens themselves and also cause inadequate body reaction to other agents through the violation of the nervous and endocrine systems’ functions.
In order to prevent severe allergic reactions development, it is important to know your allergies and understand what factors contribute to their exacerbations and aggravations.
Allergy is a very particular disease, i.e. some individuals suffer from an allergy to pollen, others to dust and other people can be allergic to eggs only. It is a basis for the advancement of such diseases as bronchial asthma, hives, and dermatitis. The occurrence of an infectious infection can be followed by an allergy. In this case, the condition is referred to as infectious allergy.
Moreover, the same allergens can provoke different symptoms in different people at different times.
Allergy symptoms
Taking into account that there is a wide variety of allergies and the same allergy, i.e. allergy to the same product can manifest differently in different people, the symptoms of allergy can also differ greatly. Moreover, it is quite easy to misdiagnose allergy especially if you do it yourself as the symptoms can be quite similar to the symptoms of other conditions. In this section, we separate the symptoms by the types of allergy. If you suffer from any of these types of allergy, you may suffer from all of the symptoms, a few of them, or other symptoms.
Respiratory allergy symptoms
The response occurs after the allergen penetrates the body during breathing. The most widespread causes of the condition are pollen, pets’ fur and dandruff, dust, and various gases. Such allergens are called aeroallergens. The most usual manifestations are sneezing, itching in the nose, runny or stuffy nose, coughing, wheezes in the lungs, and in some cases, and asphyxiation.
The condition can be of two forms- allergic rhinitis and asthma.
Allergic conjunctivitis symptoms
The condition manifests in intense flaming sensation in the eyes, itching, increased eye watering, and swelling of the eyelids.
Cutaneous allergic condition symptoms
For this kind of allergy, the typical signs are the occurrence of various rashes and irritations on the skin. It can be caused by various types of allergens such as foodstuffs, aeroallergens, cosmetics, detergents, drugs, and so on. Usually, this type of allergy is manifested in reddening of the skin, itching, burning sensation, dry skin, skin rash similar to eczema, blisters, skin peeling, swelling, and so on.
Enteropathy signs and symptoms
It is quite a frequent type of allergy which occurs as a result of certain foodstuffs or medications consumption.
Enteropathy is an allergic reaction of the:
— gastrointestinal tract which is manifested in nausea;
— vomiting;
— diarrhea or constipation;
— swelling of the lips;
— tongue;
— throat (Quincke’s edema);
— intestinal colic.
Anaphylaxis symptoms
It is the most dangerous type of allergy as it can develop in just a few seconds or several hours after an allergen impact and can lead to serious health complications or even death. The reaction occurs approximately in 5 in 100,000 people and can develop as a reaction to the insect bite. The most pronounced symptoms that are a severe local reaction of the body such as unusually intense pain, edema (swelling), reddening of the skin at the place of bite or injection, severe itching of the skin spreading from the place of contact with the allergen to other skin, sharp drop of arterial pressure, shortness of breath, seizures, involuntary urination or defecation, vomiting, and others.
In the occurrence of one or several symptoms listed above, it is crucial to seek emergency help immediately as any delay can lead to death.
Diagnosis of an allergy
Quite often, the manifestations of an allergy are confused with common cold or flu. However, there are obvious differences that can be noticed.
— First of all, during an allergy exacerbation, usually the body temperature do not raise, i.e. no fever occurs.
— Secondly, the nasal discharges are mostly watery and clear.
— Thirdly, sneezing caused by allergy usually happens in a series, i.e. not a single but multiple urges to sneeze occur within a short period of time.
— And finally, common cold symptoms are commonly going away in a week while the symptoms of allergy can persist for the much longer time.
If you start suffering from any of the above-listed symptoms but do not know what has caused them, you should go to see a doctor for a precise diagnosis. In order to find out what allergen you are sensitive to, you would need to undergo one of the currently used tests such as skin prick testing, patch testing, or blood testing. There are also other types of tests but they are considered less precise and safe.
How to treat allergy?
Unfortunately, currently, allergies are not treated. In order to guard yourself against any future manifestations of allergy, you need to avoid any contact with an allergen or use symptomatic medications, antihistamine drugs that suppress the response of the receptors responsible for the progressing of allergic response. In case you cannot completely avoid contact with an allergen, for example, if you are allergic to pollen, it is recommended to follow prevention measures such as go outside as little as possible and keep the door and windows closed take showers and wash your clothes right after you got home during the blossoming season, rinse your nose with salty water, purchase air filtering systems, buy anti-allergy medications and use them at the first signs of allergy, and so on.
What medications to use to cope with an allergy?
Nowadays almost every pharmaceutical company that exists in the world manufactures its own antihistamine, i.e. anti-allergy, medications. In fact, they do the same drugs but market them under different trade names in order not to violate each others’ copyrights.
All of the medicines render basically the same effect; they suppress the H1 receptors response to allergens. However, some of the preparations are more potent and respectively require more caution in use than others and are mostly sold with a prescription only. Others are sold over-the-counter.
Where to buy anti-allergy medications?
The over-the-counter preparations can be bought without a prescription at any nearby drugstore.
The medicines sold with a prescription only can be also bought over-the-counter in other countries and from online pharmacies situated in those countries that ship medicines internationally like, for example, our pharmacy.
The advantage of buying over-the-counter and prescription antihistamine medications from our online pharmacy is that you can purchase the medications several times cheaper than at your local pharmacies.