Common Illnesses

• Allergies

• Colds and Flu

• Conjunctivitis, A.K.A. “Pink Eye“

• Diarrhea

• Headaches

• Mononucleosis

• Stomach Aches

Allergies Causes

Allergies can be caused by a vast number of things, including food, pollen, and pet dander. The job of immune system cells is to find foreign substances such as viruses and bacteria and get rid of them. Normally, this response protects us from dangerous diseases, but people with allergies have especially sensitive immune systems that react when they contact certain harmless substances called allergens. For example, when people who are allergic to ragweed pollen inhale the substance from the air, common hay fever symptoms develop.

Come late summer, some 10 to 20 percent of Americans begin to suffer from ragweed allergy, or hay fever. Ragweed plants usually grow in rural areas. Near the plants, the pollen counts are highest shortly after dawn. The amount of pollen peaks in many urban areas between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m., depending on the weather. Rain and low morning temperatures (below 50 degrees Fahrenheit) mean slow pollen release. Ragweed pollen can travel far. In fact, it has been measured in the air 400 miles out to sea and two miles up in the atmosphere, but most pollen falls out of the air close to its source. These annual plants are easily overgrown by turf grasses and other perennial plants. Despite the presence of streams, other plants, and chemicals (such as winter salting of roads), ragweed will grow. It is often found along roadsides and riverbanks, in vacant lots and fields. Seeds that remain in the soil for many decades will grow when conditions are right.

Symptoms

Because there are so many possible causes, the symptoms of allergies vary widely. Airborne allergens, like pollen and pet dander, are likely to cause…

• Eye irritation

• Runny nose

• Stuffy nose

• Puffy, watery eyes

• Sneezing

• Inflamed, itchy nose and throat

Treatment

The easiest and most effective way to treat allergies is to get rid of the cause. Unfortunately this is not always possible, but there are some lifestyle changes you can make to reduce your allergies. If you are allergic to dust mites, make an effort to keep your room clean and free of dust by frequent vacuuming, dusting, and washing of bedding. You can also cover your mattress and furniture with allergen proof plastic, and get rid of carpeting (if possible). If you are allergic to pollen, spend more time indoors when pollen counts are high and keep the windows to your room shut.

Because it is very difficult to avoid certain allergens, medication may be necessary to lessen symptoms caused by allergens other than food and drugs.

• Antihistamines work by blocking the action of histamine, an inflammatory substance produced by your body when the immune system encounters an allergen. Sold in many forms (i.e., pills, nasal sprays, liquids, etc.), antihistamines help relieve or prevent the sneezing, itchy eyes and throat, and postnasal drip that histamine may cause. Drawbacks: usually they’re not very effective for a stuffy nose, and some may cause drowsiness, dry mouth, headache, difficult urination, and constipation.   

• Decongestants help reduce congestion in your nasal membranes by narrowing the blood vessels that supply those membranes. They can be purchased in several forms ? liquid, pill or nasal spray ? and may be used with an antihistamine or alone to treat nasal swelling related to allergies. Unfortunately, decongestants can cause anxiety, sleeping problems and increased blood pressure. Nasal sprays shouldn’t be used more than two to three days in a row because prolonged use can cause a rebound condition in which the nasal membrane swells, causing severe nasal obstruction.   

• Anti-inflammatory agents (e.g. corticosteroids) are used for severe inflammation of the airways. Typically taken as a nasal spray, they can help you breathe better by reducing swelling of the airways, nasal congestion and sneezing. Some people report that corticosteroids irritate nasal passages.

Serious allergy sufferers may look into allergy shots. Administered by doctors, this series of shots contains small amounts of the allergens that cause you discomfort. The goal of allergy shots is to enable your immune system to build better defenses against allergens.