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General Information on Asthma, Allergies & Sinus

 

General Information on Asthma, Allergies and Sinus.

 

Allergies and asthma are a major cause of illness and disability, affecting allergic Americans from infants to seniors. Because allergies are cumulative, building in allergic symptom severity with each successive allergen exposure, minimizing exposure to all allergens is vital for all allergic individuals. Fortunately, information about allergies and allergy control products can help allergic people to live normal lives without incurring permanent damage to lungs or risking death from an asthma attack or life-threatening food allergies.
 

Some common allergies include: 

  • Airborne Pollen Allergies-allergies and asthma symptoms triggered by trees, grass, plants and flowers.
  • Dust Mite Allergies-allergies and asthma symptoms activated by microscopic bugs that live in carpets, upholstered furniture, bed linens, mattresses and box springs, animal dander and house dust.
  • Pet Allergies-allergies and asthma symptoms triggered by animal dander, old skin scales.
  • Mold Allergies-allergies and asthma symptoms set off by mold, mildew and fungi, inside and out. 
  • Food Allergies-allergies and asthma symptoms triggered by something eaten. 
  • Although any food can cause an allergy, life-threatening food allergies can be caused by allergic reactions to peanuts, shellfish, citrus and monosodium glutamate (MSG).

Allergy symptoms are caused by too much immunity. Everyone's system produces antibodies to fight infection. An allergic person's system produces an allergy antibody (IgE) in response to allergens. Allergens include substances in our environment such as pollen proteins. For an allergic individual, an allergy antibody is a fuse that ignites an allergy bomb-allergy cells that release histamine and other natural chemicals that cause allergic symptoms. Histamine can be released anywhere in the allergy-prone victim's body. Histamine released in the nose causes sneezing and a runny nose; in the lungs causes bronchial spasms or wheezing-asthma; in the skin causes itching or hives; in the stomach causes nausea. If histamine is released through the body, a life-threatening allergic reaction-anaphylaxis--can be produced causing death without immediate treatment.

 

Medical Supplies & Equipment is Your Best Resource for Allergy Prevention and Asthma Control. Medical Supplies & Equipment offers high-quality, physician-recommended allergy relief and allergy control products. Along with quality products at competitive prices, Medical Supplies & Equipment provides superior customer service and guaranteed customer satisfaction.

 

Since avoiding allergens is the best solution for allergy and asthma sufferers, Medical Supplies & Equipment offers these suggestions to make your home an allergen-free haven for the allergy and asthma sufferer:

 

Reduce your exposure to dust mite allergens:

  • Remove carpets and keep upholstered furniture to a minimum.
  • If you keep carpets and upholstered furniture in the home, regular use of Allersearch Spray, a tannic acid solution breaks down dust mite allergens, pollen allergens, mold spores and animal dander. 
  • Allersearch X-Mite, a moist powder, can be brushed into carpets, allow to dry for three hours, and then vacuumed. X-Mite safely deactivates allergens created by dust mites, pets and certain pollens. At the same time, X-Mite cleans and refreshes velvet, velour, corduroy, carpets and other textiles. Frequent cleaning is important-dust mites constantly produce the fecal matter that causes allergic reactions.
  • Use Taskmaster's Pristine brand products to encase your mattress, box springs and pillows in allergy-free, washable zippered encasings. Use a Taskmaster air purifier to control odors, dust, pollen, mold, animal dander, as well as some bacteria. Use Taskmaster Healthmate and Pleat-A-Static allergy-free Allergen Reduction filters.
  • Use a Taskmaster, Panasonic, Delonghi, Spring Air and Bionaire Air Purifiers in the bedroom of the allergy sufferer.
  • Hang clothes in your closet and shut the door, or put them in dresser drawers.
  • Wash all bedding with Allersearch Wash Detergent in hot water to reduce the dust mite population.
  • Keep pets out of the bedroom; they are a popular feeding source for dust mite allergens.
  • Cooler nighttime temperatures (between 68 and 72 degrees) promote better sleep for the allergic individual.

Reduce your exposure to house dust:

  • Leave the dusting and vacuuming to someone without house dust allergies or dust mite allergies.
  • If you must dust, wear a 3M-dust mask and use Allerdust Dusting Aid and Allergex Dust Control Spray to limit dust allergens and avoid making dust airborne.
  • If you must vacuum, wear a 3M-dust mask or pollen mask to avoid allergens and use a Taskmaster vacuum cleaner with an anti-allergen high-efficiency HEPA filter, with a Taskmaster Healthmate Vacuum Bag or a Taskmaster Healthmate Micro-Lined Anti-Bacterial Vacuum Bag.
  • Also available are dust mops, which attract and hold dust keeping it from becoming airborne.
  • Use a damp mop and damp cloth on floors, windowsills, under furniture, on window blind slats, bedsprings and other dust catchers.
  • Keep pets and pet dander allergens out of the house. Your family's allergy-free health is more important than the habits of your pet.
  • Install a high-performance Taskmaster Healthmate or Pleat-A-Static allergy-free electrostatic air filter in your central air conditioning and heating system to household dust.
  • Wipe kitchen counters with X-158 surface stabilizer.

Reduce your exposure to pollens:

  • Educate yourself and your family about the pollen allergy season and the local pollen allergen timetable.
  • Stay indoors during peak pollen allergy seasons.
  • Keep windows and doors closed. "Fresh air" is not "fresh" for allergic individuals.
  • Caulk and seal windows to stop pollen and dust infiltration.
  • Wear a 3M-pollen mask when working outside, doing household tasks or grooming pets.
  • Bathe pets frequently with Allerpet and keep pets outdoors. Pets bring pollen inside on their fur and dust mite feast on pet dander.
  • Replace regular filters on air conditioning system air returns with a Taskmaster Healthmate or Pleat-A-Static allergy-free electrostatic air filter.

Medical Supplies & Equipment Allergy Reduction products:

Allergy News From Medical News Today 
  • Finding That Could Shed Light On Golden Staph, Candida And Allergies Recent scientific findings explain why patients with a rare immunodeficiency disorder are unusually susceptible to certain common infections. By revealing the exact molecular mechanisms involved, they also give us clues as to why some 'healthy' people are more prone to these infections than others, and suggest potential treatments.
  • Greer Completes Enrollment For Pivotal Phase III Trial Evaluating The Efficacy Of Sublingual-Oral Immunotherapy For Treating Short Ragweed Allergies Greer, a leading developer and provider of allergy immunotherapy products and services, has completed enrollment for its pivotal Phase III clinical trial designed to study the efficacy of sublingual-oral immunotherapy (SLIT) as a treatment for adults with allergic rhinoconjunctivitis caused by short ragweed pollen. It is estimated that 30 million Americans are allergic to short ragweed pollen, making it one of the most common allergens.
  • Silencing Of Molecular 'conversation' May Help Curb Severe Allergies Scientists in Sydney have identified a process, a synergistic encounter between two molecules, that may account for the extreme allergic reactions some people experience. By silencing at least one of these molecules, it may be possible to treat allergies. The molecules, IL-4 and IL-21, are cytokines or 'chemical messengers' produced by immune cells known as T cells. T cells use cytokines to communicate with B cells, which then make antibodies.
  • Morria Biopharmaceuticals Plc Announces The Initiation Of A Phase II Clinical Multi-dose Study Of MRX-4 In Allergic Rhinitis Morria Biopharmaceuticals Plc, a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development of novel anti-inflammatory drugs, today announced that it has initiated a Phase II equivalent study of MRX-4, in a nasal aerosol formulation, in 105 patients suffering from allergic rhinitis (AR). The two-arm, randomized, multi-dose, double-blind, placebo-controlled study includes Rhinocort(R) as the steroid comparator arm. The study is expected to be completed by the end of Q3 2008.
  • Food-Allergic Children With Asthma May Require Extra Emergency Medication  New research findings suggest that some food-allergic children may not be equipped with enough potentially life-saving medication to reverse a severe allergic reaction. According to research to be published in an upcoming issue of the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, a second dose of epinephrine - the drug of choice for treating severe allergic reactions - was needed in nearly 1-of-5 cases of food-induced anaphylaxis in children.
  • Invivodata Captures Primary Efficacy Data In Largest Controlled Allergy Vaccine Trial invivodata inc., the industry leader in electronic patient reported outcomes (ePRO) solutions and services for global clinical research, today announced that its DiaryPRO® field-based ePRO system was used to capture primary efficacy endpoint data in the recently unblinded Phase III study of Pollinex® Quattro, a vaccine being developed by Allergy Therapeutics® plc (AIM:AGY) to treat the symptoms of seasonal allergic rhinoconjunctivitis (SAR).
  • Stress During Childhood Increases The Risk Of Allergies Moving house or the separation of parents can significantly increase the risk of children developing allergies later on. These are the results from a long-term study correlating life-style, immune system development and allergies, led by the Helmholtz Center for Environmental Research in Leipzig (UFZ), the Helmholtz Zentrum Munchen and the "Institut für Umweltmedizinische Forschung" (IUF) in Duesseldorf.
  • Asthma Rates Soaring Among Adult Hospital Patients, USA Hospitals are finding that increasing numbers of adults who are admitted to the hospital for other conditions also have asthma, according to the latest News and Numbers from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. Asthma is a chronic disease that causes wheezing, coughing, chest tightness, and difficulty breathing. Causes of the disease are unclear, but the number of Americans diagnosed with asthma is rising.
  • As Floodwaters Recede, Mold Danger Swells For Asthma Sufferers  As homeowners across the Midwest begin to recover from recent flooding, a new threat may be looming. Wet walls, damp carpet and other porous materials can serve as breeding grounds for mold, putting many at increased risk for asthma attacks, according to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI). Exposure to mold spores can trigger asthma in sensitive people, resulting in wheezing, coughing and shortness of breath.
  • First World Allergy Report Calls For Urgent Worldwide Collaboration ToTackle Global Increase In Allergies And Allergic Diseases The World Allergy Organization (WAO) will publish its first Report on the extent of allergy and chronic respiratory diseases worldwide on the 18 June 2008 and has called for immediate collaboration to tackle the current escalation in allergy cases. In the last 20-30 years, the prevalence of allergic diseases has increased significantly - a trend that shows no signs of abating.
  • Boehringer Ingelheim To Acquire Actimis Pharmaceuticals Boehringer Ingelheim GmbH announced an agreement to acquire Actimis Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a privately owned biotech company based in San Diego. The acquisition will occur through a structured buyout in which Boehringer Ingelheim will acquire shares of Actimis depending on the achievement of several successive milestones with Actimis' leading asthma compound AP768.
  • Higher Allergy Risk In Kids Due To Traffic Pollution New evidence blames traffic-related pollution for increasing the risk of allergy and atopic diseases among children by more than fifty percent. What's more, the closer children live to roads, the higher their risk. "[Children] living very close to a major road are likely to be exposed not only to a higher amount of traffic-derived particles and gases but also to a more freshly emitted aerosols which may be more toxic," wrote lead author of the research, Joachim Heinrich, Ph.D.
  • Reducing The Sting Of Summer Bug Bites The arrival of summer brings with it an alarming increase of honey bees, wasps, yellow jackets and hornets, especially dreadful for those who experience severe allergic reactions to insect venom. Many who have reactions like hives, breathing difficulty, coughing or a drop in blood pressure are unaware that Epipens, self-injected epinephrine, are no longer the only way to treat insect venom allergies.
  • Don't Scratch And Other Summer Tips Warm weather is here and so are the bugs. If you forget to apply insect repellant and get an itchy welt, Ken Haller, M.D., associate professor of pediatrics at Saint Louis University School of Medicine, has a simple solution to end your suffering: Dab a bit of roll-on antiperspirant directly on the bug bite. "The aluminum salts in the antiperspirant help the body to reabsorb the fluid in the bug bite," Haller says. "The swelling goes down and the itching stops.
  • Clues To How Humans Evolved Allergies Offered By Ancient Antibody Molecule Scientists funded by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) have discovered how evolution may have lumbered humans with allergy problems. The team from the Randall Division of Cell & Molecular Biophysics, King's College London are working on a molecule vital to a chicken's immune system which represents the evolutionary ancestor of the human antibodies that cause allergic reactions.
  • Morria Biopharmaceuticals Plc Announces Regulatory Approval To Commence Phase II Clinical Study Of MRX-4 In Allergic Rhinitis Morria Biopharmaceuticals Plc, a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development of novel anti-inflammatory drugs, announced that it has obtained regulatory approval from the South African Medicines Control Council (MCC) to initiate a Phase II study of MRX-4 in 105 patients suffering from allergic rhinitis (AR). The two-arm, randomized, multi-dose, double-blind, placebo-controlled study includes a steroid comparator arm.
  • Specific Immune Therapy Works For Many People And It Is Becoming Increasingly Popular In Europe The German Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care has assessed recent evidence on allergies. It found that the once controversial immune therapy against allergy symptoms can definitely help many people with allergies. When it is green and the flowers have returned, the allergy season has hit its peak. And the number of people affected is still rising.
  • Treatment Costs Nearly Double For Hay Fever And Other Allergies Americans spent $11 billion on doctors' bills, prescription drugs, and other medical care to relieve allergy symptoms such as itchy or watery eyes, stuffy noses, wheezing, coughing, and headaches in 2005, according to the latest News and Numbers from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. The cost is nearly double the $6 billion spent in 2000.
  • New Data Demonstrate Efficacy Of Aerius(R) (Desloratadine) In Reducing Allergy Symptoms In Patients With Intermittent Allergic Rhinitis New data presented at the XXVII Congress of the European Academy of Allergology and Clinical Immunology (EAACI) in Barcelona, Spain, demonstrate AERIUS® (desloratadine) significantly reduces allergy symptoms, including nasal congestion, sneezing, rhinorrhea, nasal pruritus and ocular pruritus, in patients with intermittent allergic rhinitis (IAR) who experience symptoms lasting less than four days per week or less than four weeks per year.
  • $12 Million Invested In Improving The Health Of Children Suffering From Asthma And Allergies Mike Wallace, Member of Parliament for Burlington, has announced, on behalf of the Honourable Tony Clement, Minister of Health, a joint investment of $12 million over six years for a research project that will investigate the genetic and environmental factors that influence the development of asthma and allergies in children. This project, known as the CHILD study, is co-funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) and AllerGen NCE Inc.
  • Pollen.com Introduces New Features To Help Allergy Sufferers Responding to numerous user requests, Pollen.com, one of the most visited allergy web sites, announced the addition of two new features, Pollen History and Two-City Comparison, to its popular site for people who suffer from seasonal allergies.
  • Hope For Hayfever Sufferers With the peak grass pollen season approaching, scientists can reveal that a daily dose of probiotic can change the immune status of people with hay fever. In the first human study of its kind, scientists at the Institute of Food Research found that probiotic bacteria in a daily drink can modify the immune system's response to grass pollen, a common cause of seasonal hay fever. But they are not recommending that sufferers rush to the supermarket shelves just yet.
  • Food Allergies On A Stick: The Risks Of Summer Eating  Most people would rather not know what goes into the corndog they consume at the summer carnival. But for the 12 million Americans with food allergies, awareness of ingredients is a must for safely eating their way through summer events, according to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI). "People with food allergies must be extra vigilant when eating at summer fairs and festivals," said Amal H.
  • Food Allergies: A One Day Course For Food Safety Professionals, London, September 2008 A food allergy occurs when the immune system reacts to a certain food, believing it to be harmful. Allergic symptoms can affect the respiratory system, gastrointestinal tract, skin or cardiovascular system. Frail, older people can be at increased consequential risk. The Royal Institute of Public Health (RIPH) has asked us to advise details of its one day Food Allergies course - to be held in central London on Monday, September 29th this year.
  • Under-Trained Primary Care Nurses 'Uncomfortable' Treating Allergy, UK  Three-quarters of primary care nurses have admitted to lacking even basic training in treating allergies, and more than half say they feel "uncomfortable" seeing patients with allergy-related conditions. This is despite the fact that in the UK the incidence of common allergic diseases has trebled in the last 20 years, to become one of the highest in the world - one in three of the UK population will be affected by allergic disease at some time in their life.

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