Illness and Allergies
One of the leading causes of illnesses today is allergies. Millions of people suffer from some sort of allergy or other whether it's to particular foods, smoke, drinks, plants, dust or animals; the list is endless. It is hard to keep a pet cat, for instance, if someone in the household is allergic to animals or fur. The increase in air pollution is also a leading cause of allergies and quite a few people even have allergic reactions to certain food types such as dairy products, chocolate, fish, and even fruit!
Allergy symptoms can include excessive sneezing, a runny nose, coughing, headaches, wheezing, an itchy throat, rashes and congestion, and can also cause respiratory problems. The smoke from cigarettes and incense can cause a person with allergies to have trouble breathing and they could go on to develop upper respiratory illnesses such as bronchitis. Some allergies can even trigger asthma attacks for those who suffer from asthma; they would then need allergy relief as well as inhalers for treating their asthma.
The market for allergy medicine today is a multibillion dollar one in the United States and the rest of the world in general. Benadryl, Sudafed and Nyquil are the most popular over the counter allergy relief and cold medicines available but Benadryl and Nyquil are both known to cause drowsiness, although some people find them relaxing and can become addicted to them. Children shouldn't be given an adult Benadryl though as it is too strong but there is a children's Benadryl available.
Sudafed unfortunately is being used by many people to make crystal meth, a very dangerous illegal drug that is widespread in many parts of the United States. Because of this, a person must now show id before purchasing Sudafed at the drug store. The makers of Sudafed are also working on a new type of product that doesn't have the "crystal meth" ingredient.
Allergy medicine prescribed by a doctor can include Allegra, Claritin, Vasoncon and Patonol but are only usually prescribed for patients who suffer severe allergies. Allegra and Claritin especially, are used for nasal decongestion and will help the patient breathe easier.
Believe it or not, there is also help available for animals that suffer from allergies. A veterinarian will give shots and medicine to cats, dogs, and other animals that show signs of allergies. One major cause of animals having allergies is fleas and the poor animals that are allergic to fleas develop horrible rashes all over their skin and their fur becomes dry and coarse. Their eyes will very often become runny and they will need constant attention as their eyes can become glued shut! Animals can also be allergic to pollen and certain types of pet food. Thankfully, medicine and shots can help treat their allergies no matter what is causing them to suffer.
Easy and affordable allergy relief is out there for any adult, child, cat or dog that needs it. There is no need to let allergies cause any unnecessary suffering.
Four Common Causes of Feline Sneezing
In most cases, feline sneezing is a result of your cat's respiratory system functioning properly. However, your cat may possibly be sick if he starts to sneeze a lot. There are various things that can cause an episode of feline sneezing. Let's take a look at some of the most common causes.
Infection
An upper respiratory infection is one of the most common causes of feline sneezing. Infections that cause sneezing episodes are usually caused by the Adenovirus or the Parainfluenza virus. These viruses are highly contagious and can easily infect your cat after he comes into contact with other animals. The infections produce other symptoms besides sneezing such as swollen glands, coughing, and mucus discharge.
Rhinotracheitis
Another common cause of feline sneezing is the rhinotracheitis virus. This virus is responsible for causing herpes-1 in cats. Feline sneezing can be a difficult condition to treat if it is caused by this virus. Kittens infected with this virus can suffer permanent damage to the linings in their nose.
Allergies
Feline sneezing can also be caused by allergies. Your cat can be allergic to household cleaning chemicals, smoke, or even perfume or cologne that you wear. Similar to people, some cats also have episodes of feline sneezing at certain times of the year. This is likely due to the fact that the cat is allergic to something in the air.
Airways
One of the final causes of feline sneezing is a change in your cat's airways. Fungal infections can occur in your cat's nasal passages and cause problems. Also, tumors or nasal polyps can form and cause feline sneezing. This usually affects only one nostril and commonly occurs in older cats.
Cold, Flu Or Allergies?
Winter is my favorite time of year. It might help that I've lived in Southern California for the last 28 years, and winter here doesn't usually involve a lot of ice and snow. However, no matter where you are for winter, allergens are waiting to trip you up. Unfortunately most people don't think of allergies when the sneezing starts.
A virus will usually present at least a low grade fever, while many times allergies do not. That's one good way to narrow down what is going on. Allergies do present a lot of the same symptoms over and above the fever.
Unless the allergen is obvious, it may take a doctor to pin down exactly what is going on. Some hints as to a cause may include the time of year, the weather and even the number/type of pets you have.
Because we send more time indoors with windows and doors tightly closed, allergens that might have been minor in milder weather can really kick up their heads. For instance, when you turn on your heater, accumulated debris in the ducts and whatever has landed on the filter over the warm weather is now being blown out into every room in your house.
Mold and mildew can also be in this mix, particularly in an older house or if there are known problems with leaks. Mold can do more than cause allergic reactions, some molds can be deadly. If you do know of a leak, make sure someone checks for mold near it.
Pets also spend more time indoors in winter. Pet fur and pet dander are prime causes of allergic reactions in sensitive people. If you live in a warmer climate (like I do), fleas cannot be ruled out. They can also cause allergic reactions, but usually of the itchy kind rather than the sneezy sort.
So, what can you do? Some of it is obvious: replace your heater filter before turning it on. Make sure you check the ducts for icky stuff...there are services that will do this for you if it is a particular health issue. Regular grooming sessions for the pets (preferably where it is easy to clean up afterwards) is a good idea. When it comes to giving a cat a bath, you might want to leave it to the professionals unless you know yours will not claw you up one side and down the other to get away. (Mine does the claw thing real fast)
If there is a lot of mold, you may want to hire someone who knows how to do it to clean it up. This is especially true if you have young children in the house. They are more susceptible to some types of molds than older folks are.
Herbal allergy remedies do exist, but they are more subtle. For a serious reaction, don't start with lemon balm, see your doctor. That means that if someone is having trouble breathing, seems dazed or is otherwise obviously in distress, the emergency room is the best option.
For milder reactions, lemon balm may act as a mild antihistamine, and may slow the sneezing down. It should not be given to young children without the advice and consent of the doctor. If aching is involved, willow bark or yarrow can be used. As these contain the same constituent found in aspirin, they cannot be given to children under 15.
For itchy allergies, aloe may come in handy. A bath with corn starch or baking powder can also be useful. Even oats (placed in cheesecloth to prevent the need for the plumber to visit) in a warm bath can be soothing.
Sinus Infection Vs Allergies
Sinus infection means inflammation of sinus nasal passages. On the contrary, Allergies are caused by the over exposure of immune system to harmless substances like pollen or rage wood. Sinus infections and allergies are two sides of a same coin. They are similar but still different in many ways. Both diseases affect millions of people. Researchers estimated that 37 million people of America suffer from sinus infection every year and about 32 million from allergies. Let's have a look over the differences of sinus infections and allergies.
Many of the symptoms of sinus infection and allergies are same like stuffy or runny nose and watery eyes. But there are few symptoms that are different. Fever, sore throat, muscle aches and colored mucus generally indicate sinus infection. On the other hand, itching and sneezing occurs due to the exposure of particles like dust, flower's pollen, rage wood suggest allergy.
Sinus infection symptoms persist for longer period. It can be cured after a complete check up from a specialized doctor. Whereas, allergy symptoms tend to disappear when a person is away from the irritants like animals, flowers, rage wood etc.
Sinus infection can occur at any time and in any season. Once a person is affected from it, then he should try to cure it immediately. But it is not so in allergies. Allergies would come to an end automatically after the fall of a particular season.
The next difference is the color of mucus. In sinus infection, the mucus is usually thick and colored. Whereas, thin and white mucus present in allergies.
People with allergies can often control their symptoms with antihistamines. They even can get an allergy test that would perfectly tell about the causes of reactions. This would help them in avoiding the irritants. With sinus infection, people have to take prescribed medicines and other home made treatments to cure the infection completely.
These are some of the differences between sinus infections and allergies. This could eliminate the confusion from people's mind. If sufferers still have some doubts regarding these diseases, then they must seek the help of professionals.
Cat Allergy Symptoms and Treatments
There are different types of cat allergy treatment available, but before addressing any treatment, we must first discuss what causes a cat allergy and what the symptoms are.
An allergic reaction to a cat is caused by the human body's immune system mistaking cat hair & dander as a "dangerous substance". The immune system is attempting to ward off these "dangerous substances". This causes symptoms like that of hay fever.
Symptoms
There are many different allergy symptoms, but they mostly depend on what type of cat allergy you are diagnosed with: cat hair, cat dander, cat flea, or cat skin allergy. Also, there are many different types of cat allergy treatment, so different symptoms require different treatments.
Swollen and Watery Eyes
This is usually caused by tiny pieces of cat dust and dander traveling from the cat's skin through the air and into your eyes. You will usually have itchy eyes and they will be red at times. You can get rid of the swelling and watery eyes by either removing the cat or by taking eye drops.
Wheezing and Coughing
Just as in the cause of the itchy, watery, swollen eyes, cat dust and dander can travel through the air and be breathed in through the mouth. The muscles in the airways will contract in a reaction to the dander coming in contact with your airways, resulting in difficulty breathing, coughing, and wheezing.
Excema
Sometimes cat dander will come in contact with the skin and cause itchy, red, dry sections. To remedy this, minimize scratching and moisturize the area.
Other symptoms include sneezing and running/stuffy nose.
Treatments
A cat allergy treatment is available in pill form, so your doctor may be able to subscribe something if you have symptoms of cat allergy. Another cat allergy treatment is available in the form of antihistamine nasal sprays. However, these methods provide only temporary relief. Here are some tips to minimize your cat allergies:
Keep the cat out of certain rooms.
Keep the house well-ventilated.
Vacuum often.
By knowing what the symptoms and causes for you cat allergies are, it is much easier to identify treatments. By using the information in this article, you should be able to ease your allergies quite well.
Got Allergies? 5 Practical Cures
Allergies arise when you come in contact with a foreign substance that sets off a reaction from your body. Inhalant allergies, which we experience when we breathe in irritants, cause your nose to get congested. You'll start to sneeze. Your eyes may also get itchy and you can develop a cough.
The four most common airborne allergens are dust, pollen, pet dander (dead skin cells shed by animals) and mold. If your home is clean, there are fewer chances of you encountering these substances. But since your home isn't hermetically sealed and you go to many places, there are times when these substances find their way to you. If you're allergic to any of them, then you're in trouble.
To help you fight your allergies, here are some of the practical moves you can make to deal with them:
1. See your doctor.
This would be the most logical move to make -- but so many people put off going to the doctor unless the ailment is "serious." However, if you don't want to suffer anymore, take note of your symptoms and record all the details about your allergic reaction. Share all the useful information to your doctor to help him or her determine the cause of your allergic reactions. He or she will then prescribe you with the necessary antihistamines. Make sure that you always have a ready supply of the prescribed medication.
2. Invest in air conditioners.
This will help alleviate pollen, mold and dust. Air conditioners keep the humidity level low, which prevents the development of molds, the accumulation of dust and the transfer of pollen. You should also make sure that your car's air conditioning is working well.
3. Wear a face mask.
To prevent allergic attacks, make sure that you wear a face mask whenever you're doing anything that will expose you to allergens. It's advisable for you to wear it when you're doing chores or when you're going to be outdoors for hours.
4. Disinfect dark and damp areas.
Make sure that ever corner of your home is clean. Pay attention to inaccessible corners and areas where moisture easily develops such as the bathroom, kitchen, and laundry area. Your garage and your basement should also be kept uncluttered and clean. If you have carpets, you should replace them with throw rugs, which are easier to clean.
5. Isolate your pets.
If you can't stay away from your pets, make sure that they're restricted to certain areas of your house. They should not be allowed to wander around everywhere so that you can easily seek refuge in the uncontaminated areas each time you feel your allergies acting up.
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