Older teens are more likely to be allergic to the same things as one or both of their parents, results of a new study suggest.

A child’s development of allergies to specific things like cats, dogs and grass is likely to reflect both exposure to common allergens and a degree of added risk determined by their parent’s specific allergies, the researchers suggest.

It is well accepted that a family history of allergy is a risk factor for allergy in children. However, it is unclear whether children will be allergic to the same things as their parents or whether they will just be more prone to allergies in general.

To find out, Dr. Rana Tawil Misiak from Henry Ford Hospital, Detroit and colleagues studied 316 teenagers, who were 18 years old, and their parents. They found that having one or both parents with a specific allergy to any of six offending agents (such as dog, cat, ragweed, or grass) boosted the likelihood of the teenage son or daughter having that same allergy.

Teens whose mothers were allergic to cats were roughly two times more likely to be allergic to cats compared to teens whose mothers did not sneeze at cats. This was also true for grass and mold.

Likewise, teens whose fathers were allergic to dogs were nearly three times more likely to be allergic to dogs compared with teens whose fathers were not allergic to dogs. This was also true for grass and dust mites.

These results, reported in the latest issue of the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, suggest that it is possible to pass on specific allergies to your kids, the researchers say.

Doctors could use this information, they point out, in counseling. “Parents often inquire about whether their children will have the same allergies that they do, especially when making decisions about a family pet or another aspect of their home environment,” Misiak and colleagues explain.

Here are the common allergies:

Allergic Rhinitis, Sinusitis, and Rhinosinusitis

Inflammation of the nasal mucous membrane is called rhinitis. The symptoms include sneezing and runny and/or itchy nose, caused by irritation and congestion in the nose. There are two types: allergic rhinitis and non-allergic rhinitis.

Allergic rhinitis: This condition occurs when the body’s immune system over-responds to specific, non-infectious particles such as plant pollens, molds, dust mites, animal hair, industrial chemicals (including tobacco smoke), foods, medicines, and insect venom. During an allergic attack, antibodies, primarily immunoglobin E (IgE), attach to mast cells (cells that release histamine) in the lungs, skin, and mucous membranes. Once IgE connects with the mast cells, a number of chemicals are released. One of the chemicals, histamine, opens the blood vessels and causes skin redness and swollen membranes. When this occurs in the nose, sneezing and congestion are the result.
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House Dust Mite

Seasonal allergic rhinitis or hayfever occurs in late summer or spring. Hypersensitivity to ragweed, not hay, is the primary cause of seasonal allergic rhinitis in 75 percent of all Americans who suffer from this seasonal disorder. People with sensitivity to tree pollen have symptoms in late March or early April; an allergic reaction to mold spores occurs in October and November as a consequence of falling leaves.
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Pollen from flowers

Perennial allergic rhinitis occurs year-round and can result from sensitivity to pet hair, mold on wallpaper, houseplants, carpeting, and upholstery. Some studies suggest that air pollution such as automobile engine emissions can aggravate allergic rhinitis. Although bacteria is not the cause of allergic rhinitis, one medical study found a significant number of the bacteria Staphylococcus aureus in the nasal passages of patients with year-round allergic rhinitis, concluding that the allergic condition may lead to higher bacterial levels, thereby creating a condition that worsens the allergies.

Patients who suffer from recurring bouts of allergic rhinitis should observe their symptoms on a continuous basis. If facial pain or a greenish-yellow nasal discharge occurs, a qualified ear, nose, and throat specialist can provide appropriate sinusitis treatment.

Non-allergic rhinitis: This form of rhinitis does not depend on the presence of IgE and is not due to an allergic reaction. The symptoms can be triggered by cigarette smoke and other pollutants as well as strong odors, alcoholic beverages, and cold. Other causes may include blockages in the nose, a deviated septum, infections, and over-use of medications such as decongestants.

Rhinosinusitis: Clarifying the Relationship between the Sinuses and Rhinitis

Recent studies by otolaryngologist-head and neck surgeons have better defined the association between rhinitis and sinusitis. They have concluded that sinusitis is often preceded by rhinitis and rarely occurs without concurrent rhinitis. The symptoms, nasal obstruction/discharge and loss of smell, occur in both disorders. Most importantly, computed tomography (CT scan) findings have established that the mucosal linings of the nose and sinuses are simultaneously involved in the common cold (previously, thought to affect only the nasal passages). Ear Nose Throat Surgeons, acknowledging the inter-relationship between the nasal and sinus passages, now refer to sinusitis as rhinosinusitis.

The catalyst relating the two disorders is thought to involve nasal sinus overflow obstruction, followed by bacterial colonization and infection leading to acute, recurrent, or chronic sinusitis. Likewise, chronic inflammation due to allergies can lead to obstruction and subsequent sinusitis.

Other medical research has supported the close relationship between allergic rhinitis and sinusitis. In a retrospective study on sinus abnormalities in 1,120 patients (from two to 87 years of age), thickening of the sinus mucosa was more commonly found in sinusitis patients during July, August, September, and December, months in which pollen, mold, and viral epidemics are prominent. A review of patients (four to 83 years of age) who had surgery to treat their chronic sinus conditions revealed that those with seasonal allergy and nasal polyps are more likely to experience a recurrence of their sinusitis

One reason for the development of allergy may be malfunction of the respiratory epithelium, which allows allergens to bind to, enter and travel through the epithelium. Two studies by Finnish research groups on this subject have recently been published in two international biomedical journals (1) Allergy, and (2) Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology.

Research on the mechanisms of allergy has focused on the understanding of aberrant immunoresponses. Only lately the role of epithelium as the first line of defense against allergens has been realized. So far, we do not know why and how allergens are transported through the epithelium.

The research groups of the Helsinki University and Helsinki University Central Hospital in collaboration with several other Finnish research groups aimed to clarify what happens in the epithelium immediately after allergen exposure, before the allergic reaction develops. They used birch pollen allergen (Bet v 1) exposure and showed that this allergen binds to, enters and travels through conjunctival and nasal epithelium of allergic patients but not of healthy subjects within one minute after the exposure. An allergic reaction developed when the allergen reached mast cells under the basement membrane.

During the research it became evident that during spring, in allergic patients the birch pollen allergen Bet v 1 changed the expression of hundreds of genes of the nasal epithelium compared to samples taken during winter; and of these genes several were connected with protein transport and regulation of cytoskeleton. An astonishing finding was that the immune response of in healthy controls to pollen exposure was strong, and hundreds of genes changed their expression during winter and spring; however, many of these genes were related to the function of the immune response.

“We were able to describe a mechanism whereby birch pollen allergen Bet v 1 travels through the epithelium of allergic patients but not of healthy subjects. This kind of transport mechanisms are used by several viruses and bacteria when invading the epithelium and infecting patients”, explains Professor Risto Renkonen (Haartman Institute, University of Helsinki and HUSLAB, Helsinki, Finland).

A systems biological approach was used in these studies, where data obtained concomitantly by several different methods is collected into a massive data warehouse allowing one to start analyzing the roles of different proteins and their networks in the pathogenesis of allergic reactions.

Reductionistic analyses, i.e., work focusing on one or only a few molecules are gradually replaced by systems approaches. The ability to discover new, etiologically relevant disease mechanisms is the major motivation for unbiased explorative approaches. The drawback of such top-down experiments is that they are very expensive and produce much more raw data than hypothesis-derived approaches thus generating an overflow of data. However, the urgent need to develop in silico data managing and analysis environments has been recognized by several research groups and biocompanies.

There are tons of allergy medicines available, both over the counter and by prescription. So, how can you know which is one is best?

The answer to this question is not a simple one. First, it will be helpful to explore the main type of medicine used to treat allergies, which is an antihistamine.

What is Antihistamine?

Antihistamine is a drug that blocks a receptor for histamine. Histamine is a chemical in your body that over-reacts to certain triggers, or allergens, such as pollen, mold, dust mites or pet dander and produces allergy symptoms. These symptoms can include sneezing, nasal stuffiness, sniffling, and itching.Histamine is one of the chemicals released when antibodies overreact to allergens. It is the cause of many symptoms of allergic rhinitis. Anti histamines can help relieve:

* Itching, sneezing, and nasal discharge
* Other allergy symptoms unrelated to rhinitis, including hives and some rashes
* Nasal congestion, for some of the newer antihistamines, such as cetirizine (Zyrtec) and desloratadine (Clarinex)

If possible, patients should take antihistamines before an anticipated allergy attack.

Many antihistamines are available. They include short-acting and long-acting forms and are available as tablets, nasal-inhalers, eye drops, and syrups. Antihistamines are generally categorized as first- and second-generation. First-generation antihistamines may cause more side effects than newer second-generation ones. This drug prevents or helps in preventing these symptoms.
There are different choices you can choose for your allergy medication.
First-Generation Antihistamines
These are the original medicines developed to treat allergy symptoms and are available over the counter. These medications are generally effective, but have some bothersome side effects, especially drowsiness, which makes it difficult to take them on regular basis. Best examples for this are Benadryl and Chlortrimeton.
Second-Generation Antihistmines.
These medicines don’t cause the same level of drowsiness as their predecessors, though some of them can still cause mild sedation in some people. However, they are all highly effective and can be taken on a regular basis with very few side effects. They also come in long-lasting versions, so you only need to take them once a day. Examples are Allegra, Zyrtec, and Claritin. Claritin has been sold over the counter for a couple of years, and also has a number of generic versions (loratidine).

Leukotriene modifiers. Singulair falls into this category and it is used for both allergies and asthma. It blocks leukotrienes, another body chemical that is involved in the allergic response.
Homeopathic medicines. This is an alternative treatment for allergies, whereby you take tiny amounts of allergens by mouth to slowly de-sensitize you over time to allergens (it’s also known as sublingual immunotherapy).

Which Treatments are Best for You?
Since the arrival of the second-generation, non-sedating antihistamines a decade or more ago, the first-generation drugs have fallen out of favor. Why take something that causes such bothersome side effects when you can take something just as effective that doesn’t? Probably the main reason why anyone would take one of them now is the fact that you can buy them without a doctor’s prescription and that they don’t usually cost as much.

The jury is still out on whether homeopathic medicines are actually effective, though some people swear by them. They are definitely not proven through reliable research, however.

So, that leaves the second-generation antihistamines as the most common choice for treating allergies today. But among those, which is best? There are studies proving the effectiveness of one over the other in regards to various criteria, including length of action, quickness of action and level of relief. However, most of these studies were sponsored by the drug companies that make the medicines, so you have to look at those results with some caution and skepticism.

The increased attention on the H1N1 (swine) flu is coming at an interesting time in Maine. We are wrapping up our flu season, and are still seeing occasional reports of Influenza A and B in the area, while budding trees and blooming flowers are also wreaking havoc on the sinuses of Mainers across the state.

The following listed are symptoms for each:

Symptoms of Skin Allergies

People suffering from skin allergies may experience the following symptoms during an allergy attack:

• Skin rashes
• Blisters on the skin
• A sudden immobility (only in rare cases of extreme allergies of the skin)
• Scaling of the skin
• Hives (a rash looking like raised welts on the skin that itch and occur in batches

The symptoms are mostly experienced on the hands as they get in contact with items and substances all day long, during work or at home.

Types of Skin Allergies

The term eczema is sometimes interchanged with another skin allergy condition; dermatitis. Eczema is actually an advanced type of dermatitis with more serious results.

Allergic contact dermatitis

This skin allergy rash occurs when the skin touches an object or substance that it is allergic to. The symptom (a rash or itch) usually occurs within 30 minutes after touching the object. Inflammation of the skin can occur and the skin must not be scratched or covered with anything when this happens.

Eczema

This is a skin condition causing a red rash and itching on the skin. Eczema skin symptoms can cause a lot of discomfort and the disease is most likely to affect children. Eczema affects approximately seven in a thousand people and most of these patients are children aged between two months and five years old.

Eczema is a form of dermatitis in an advanced stage and can cause blisters and scabs and oozing liquid from the skin. A cure for eczema must be determined by a doctor and experimenting with over the counter treatments that offer relief is not advised when the condition has been diagnosed, especially not with children. Conventional allergy therapies seem to have no to little effect on eczema.

Hives

Skin hives are a type of skin rash that is usually harmless. Caused most of the time by an allergy this rash looks like circular raised welts on the skin that can go red and itchy. The hives will show up in batches and can appear all over the body. Hives can be different in size, ranging from very small to a few centimetres in diameter.

Some Hidden Sources of Tree Nuts

* Artificial nuts can be peanuts that have been deflavored and reflavored with a nut, such as pecan or walnut. Mandelonas are peanuts soaked in almond flavoring.
* Mortadella may contain pistachios.
* Tree nuts have been used in many foods, including barbecue sauce, cereals, crackers, and ice cream.
* Kick sacks, or hacky sacks, bean bags, and draftdodgers are sometimes filled with crushed nut shells.

Commonly Asked Questions

Should coconut be avoided by someone with a tree nut allergy?

Discuss this with your doctor. Coconut, the seed of a drupaceous fruit, has typically not been restricted in the diets of people with tree nut allergy. However, in October of 2006, the FDA began identifying coconut as a tree nut. The available medical literature contains documentation of a small number of allergic reactions to coconut; most occurred in people who were not allergic to other tree nuts. Ask your doctor if you need to avoid coconut.

Is nutmeg safe?

Nutmeg is obtained from the seeds of the tropical tree species Myristica fragrans. It is safe for an individual with a tree nut allergy.

Should water chestnuts be avoided?
The water chestnut is not a nut; it is an edible portion of a plant root known as a “corm.” It is safe for someone who is allergic to tree nuts.
Keep in Mind

* Tree nuts can cause severe allergic reactions. If your doctor has prescribed epinephrine, be sure to always carry it with you.
* Most experts advise tree nut-allergic patients to avoid peanuts as well.
* Most experts advise patients who have been diagnosed with an allergy to specific tree nuts to avoid all tree nuts.

(Allergic Eye Disease)

Eye allergy introduction

The eyes are the windows to the soul because they reflect our state of mind. This certainly can’t be true if our eyes are red, swollen, watery, and itchy from an allergic reaction. Severe allergic eye symptoms can be very distressing and are a common reason for visits to the allergist, ophthalmologist, and even the emergency room. Occasionally, severe eye allergies cause serious damage that can threaten eyesight.

Eye allergies usually are associated with other allergic conditions, particularly hay fever (allergic rhinitis) and atopic eczema (dermatitis). The causes of eye allergies are similar to those of allergic asthma and hay fever. Medications and cosmetics can play a significant role in causing eye allergies. Reactions to eye irritants and other eye conditions (for example, infections such as pinkeye) are often confused with eye allergy.

What is the basic anatomy of the outer eye?

Eye allergies mainly involve the conjunctiva, which is the tissue lining (mucus membrane) that covers the white surface of the eyeball and the inner folds of the eyelids. The conjunctiva is a barrier structure that is exposed to the environment and the many different allergens (substances that stimulate an allergic response) that become airborne. It is rich in blood vessels and contains more mast cells (histamine-releasing cells) than the lungs.

The lacrimal (tear) glands are located in the upper and outer portions of the eye. They are responsible for producing the watery component of tears, which keeps the eye moist and washes away irritants. The tears also contain important components of the immune defense such as immunoglobulin (antibodies), lymphocytes (specialized white blood cells), and enzymes.

The cornea is the transparent sheath in front of the lens of the eye. The cornea has no blood vessels and very little immune activity.

Before allergy tests of any kind are conducted you will be asked to provide a detailed medical history. The questions will ask about previous illnesses, your emotional condition, elements of your environment (home, work and social), your lifestyle, and eating habits among other topics.

Before a skin-based procedure you must no take antihistamines before you go in for the allergy test. The use of antihistamines will lead to false-negative results. Before your test your doctor will review your prescriptions and indicate which ones you should not take before your allergy test. Skin tests also cause mild discomfort and there may be some itching afterwards.

Why would I Need an Allergy Test?

Allergy testing is not just conducted to identify the presence of specific substances causing an adverse reaction in an individual. A group of symptoms may involve antibodies and histamine release but not be an allergy at all. Some food intolerances, conditions in which a specific food cannot be digested due to a lack of enzymes, mimic allergic reactions. Also, the use of some drugs - aspirin, for instance - cause allergy-like symptoms. The tests are important to figure out the real cause of the adverse reactions and to treat them accordingly.

Do Allergy Tests Give Rise To Further Complications?

There are some risks in agreeing to skin and allergy tests. Some especially sensitive individuals may experience life-threatening episodes of anaphylactic shock characterized by distressed, difficult breathing as well as confusion, rapid pulse, fainting, palpitations, nausea, nasal congestion, and cough. Some people who have gone through this experience describe the feeling that their throats are closing up and they are unable to breathe.

Also, be aware that only penicillin and closely related medications can be tested via the skin method. Attempting this same procedure with other drugs will not offer informative results and can be dangerous.

There are also tests being offered that have no proven scientific validity. One of these is cytotoxic testing in which foods are blended in a test tube with a blood sample so the white blood cells can be observed for changes. A second unproven method is “provocation and neutralization” in which the person receives an injection of a suspected allergen and then, if a reaction occurs, is given more of the substance to “neutralize” the reaction. For obvious reasons, this latter method can be quite dangerous.

What To Do After The Test?

Whether you’ve had mold allergy testing or food allergy testing, observe yourselves in the period after the test and report any abnormal reactions to your doctor. If you’ve had a skin test, don’t scratch! Allergy testing and treatment involves active participation by the patient. The more your doctor knows about how you react to substances in real life the better that information with your allergy test will lead to successful treatment.

An allergy is an immune system malfunction that causes the body to have a hypersensitive reaction to a normally benign substance.

An allergy test of one form or another is often needed to determine which substance is causing the adverse reaction, especially if the problem seems to be originating from a food allergy. Testing may reveal that the individual is not allergic to the suspect food but rather to an ingredient in the food. Peanut oil, for instance, is a common culprit.

Although there are many allergy testing methods used to determine the presence of allergens, but the three most common allergy testing procedures are skin tests, elimination tests, and the radioallergosorbent test (RAST). It should be noted, however, that the accuracy of these tests varies widely and even the same test performed at different times may yield different results. It is also possible for a person to react to a substance during testing but not under normal exposure. False negatives occur often.

SKIN TESTS

Allergy skin testing is by far the most used of the three methods but it too varies in methodology. With the scratch test a small amount of the suspected allergen is placed on the forearm or upper arm (or on the back) and then introduced under the surface by scratching or pricking. The skin is then observed for swelling or redness. Results normally appear in about 20 minutes and the test can be conducted with a number of suspected allergens at one time. Skin tests are useful in detecting respiratory allergies, penicillin allergy, insect allergies, and food based allergies.

ELIMINATION TESTS

Food allergies are also often investigated via an elimination diet. Suspect foods are removed from the diet for several weeks and then re-introduced one at a time with the person monitoring their reactions. Because some people become convinced that they are allergic to a given food, double blind tests are sometimes required in which suspect foods and harmless placebos are disguised and given to the patient.

RADIOALLERGOSORBENT TEST (RAST)

Food allergies can be extremely severe however and given the potential for a life-threatening reaction, an allergy blood test is often a safer approach. The radioallergosorbent or RAST test is performed in a laboratory and tests for specific amounts of IgE antibodies that will be present in the blood during a true allergic reaction.

BROADVIEW, Ill., April 30 /PRNewswire/ — If you are among the 60 million Americans who suffer from asthma or seasonal allergies (according to the Asthma And Allergy Foundation of America) and are dreading an upcoming long drive, you have better chances of enjoying a comfortable ride than you may know.

Most cars built since 2001 come factory-equipped with a cabin air filter that is designed to clean and protect the air inside the vehicle. It prevents pollutants such as ozone, particulates, pollen, dirt, dust and soot — that aggravate any respiratory condition — from entering the car through the heating and air conditioning vents.

“Over time, however, cabin air filters can get clogged and actually multiply the dangers from these pollutants when the heating and air conditioning system blows them around inside the car with no avenue for escape,” said Ramon Nunez, spokesman for Purolator Filters NA LLC. Purolator supplies high quality automotive filters to the North American aftermarket.

Simply checking and replacing your car’s cabin air filter every 12,000 to 18,000 miles is the easiest and least expensive way to ensure that you are not inhaling irritants and allergens that will compromise your driving comfort or that of your passengers.

A cabin air filter may also be called a pollen filter, air-conditioning filter, passenger compartment air filter, interior ventilation filter or dust filter.

Normally, the cabin air filter is located in the cabin air intake, under the dash or even behind the glove box. Replacing it can take anywhere from 10 minutes to an hour, depending on its location and how difficult it is for a do-it-yourselfer or a technician to reach, Nunez said.

Approximately 45 million vehicles in the United States have cabin air filters, according to Nunez. Refer to your owner’s manual or check with your technician to see if your vehicle has one.