Natural Allergy Relief
An allergy occurs when the body overreacts to the things which don’t typically cause problems for most people. These things are called allergens and the body overreacts to the allergens which causes the symptoms of allergies. The most common allergens include pollen from trees, grass, and weeds. Most allergies occur in the spring, typically late April and May, and are often due to tree pollen. Allergies that occur in the fall, late August to the first hard frost, are often due to ragweed. Mold is a common cause of allergies and is common where water tends to collect, such as shower curtains, damp basements, and window moldings. It may also be found in rotting logs, hay, mulches, compost piles, and leaf piles. This allergy is typically worse during humid or rainy weather.
With so many substances potentially causing problems, it’s logical that allergic diseases are among the major causes of illness and disability in the United States. Thirty-five million people suffer from upper respiratory symptoms that are allergic to airborne pollen. An allergy is a reaction of a person’s immune system to a normally harmless substance. Allergies can be more than just bothersome. While some allergies cause symptoms of rhinitis like sneezing, watery eyes, and runny nose, some may also cause skin irritations like itching, hives, or eczema.
Many people do not know that allergic reactions are a result of the immune system working too hard. Allergies are one of a group of conditions including lupus, arthritis, and pernicious anemia that are known as autoimmune disorders. This condition happen with the body generates a strong immune response toward an inappropriate target. For allergy sufferers, this occurs when the body becomes confused about substances such as pollen, dust mites, animal dander, common molds, and foods or medications and treats them as intruders. The body responds with a stuffy nose, itchy and watery eyes, and headaches. The immune systems major functions are to recognize and react against foreign substances in the body. The immune system permeates every inch of the body to constantly defend itself against anything foreign using both specific and non-specific defenses.
Many people turn to alternative treatments to get away from expensive prescription medications or to treat symptoms that have proved to be resistant to established medical treatments. Most medical experts tend to be skeptical of the claims made by proponents of alternative allergy treatments. Before any treatment or procedure is accepted as scientifically valid, it must undergo testing, clinical trials, and peer review. Alternative treatments generally have not met these standards and many rely on claims of success on the part of physicians and patients.
Most medical experts urge patients to avoid alternative therapies in the absence of scientific proof confirming the effectiveness and safety of these treatments. If a physician recommends an alternative treatment, the patient should get a second opinion from a board certified allergist or immunologist. Alternative allergy treatments include therapies that fall outside the boundaries of traditional allergy medicine. These treatments include homeopathy, acupuncture, herbs and dietary supplements, and hypnosis.
