Category: Allergy

Allergy Skin By Dr. Shailesh Yadav 0 Comments

Recurrent red hives (urticaria)

Do you have a recurrent history of red swollen/raised-like eruption with itching and burning pain that appears suddenly lasting from a few hours to days/months? 

 

You may have hives or termed as urticaria.

 

Urticaria is known to affect up to 20 percent of the population and strikes people irrespective of age, race, or gender.

 

Hives most often appear in the evening or early morning just after waking. Itching is typically worse at night, often interfering with sleep.

 

Causes

  1. Hives can occur when too much histamine is released in the body by the immune system in response to allergens. Histamines are chemicals your body produces in an attempt to defend itself against infection and other outside intruders. Unfortunately, in some people, histamines can cause swelling, itching, and many of the symptoms that are experienced with hives. 
  2. Common allergen 
  • Dust
  • Food allergen:- 
  • Stress
  • Drug allergy
  • Insect bite
  • Sunlight




Types of hives

  1. Acute /allergic reaction:- episode occurring of less than six weeks. The most common causes of hives are allergic reactions. These can be caused by any allergen you might be sensitive to, including foods (such as nuts, milk, and eggs), pet dander, pollen, dust mites, insect bites, or stings, medications (primarily antibiotics, cancer drugs, and ibuprofen)

 

  1. Anaphylaxis is a severe, life-threatening allergic reaction. In this condition, hives are often accompanied by breathing difficulties, nausea or vomiting, severe swelling, and dizziness. This type of case needs immediate attention/hospitalization.
  2. Chronic hive:- This is the case in which urticaria is from more than six weeks of time and is of recurring nature, due consideration should be given to rule out following underlying pathology.

  • celiac disease

  • lupus
  • type 1 diabetes
  • rheumatoid arthritis
  • thyroid disease
  1. Dermatographism:- these are the cases wherein general scratching/stroking on the skin creates a red hive-like eruption. 
  2. Temperature-induced hives Sometimes change in temperature can induce hives in people who are sensitive to such changes. Cold-induced hives may occur from cold water or air exposure, while body heat from physical activity may cause exercise-induced hives. Exposure to sunlight or tanning beds may also bring about solar hives in some people.
  3. Infection-induced hives Both viral and bacterial can cause hives. Common bacterial infections causing hives include urinary tract infections and streptococcal throat. Viruses that cause infectious mononucleosis, hepatitis, and colds often cause hives.
  4. Angioedema:- In this type of case swelling happens under the skin, seen around the eye & lips occasionally genitals, hands, and feet.

 


Management:-

  • Identifying the cause and possible refrain and avoid consuming such food/ allergens.
  • Avoid using steroids in such cases, steroid-dependent cases take a little longer to heal in the long run.
  • Although urticaria manifestation is visible on the skin, the problem is the system disorder( immune system), which needs to address deeper error. Addressing the local issue will only give temporary results, with recurrence on withdrawal of medicine.
  • Homeopathy plays a crucial role to address the cure from the root cause. Rather than just suppressing outward manifestation of symptoms.
  • Homeopathic treatment for urticaria is more beneficial because, with conventional medicines, there are chances of long-term dependency on anti-allergic medicines. While Homoeopathic treatment involves analyzing complete and detailed information from the patient to select the right constitutional medicine for providing marked improvement with long-term relief.
  • Homeopathic medicines reduce both the intensity and frequency of attacks of urticaria and help in improving the quality of life of patients. Individualized homeopathic treatment is associated with significant alleviation of urticaria symptoms, thus also leading to a reduction in the use of conventional anti-allergic medication.

 

Can I prevent hives? 

If you know what triggers your hives, you may be able to prevent an outbreak by avoiding certain situations or making small changes to your diet.

If you’re not sure what triggers your hives, you may find it helpful to try:

  • Keeping a food diary — to help you identify and keep track of foods that might trigger your condition. Peanuts, eggs, or shellfish can be triggers for some people
  • Wearing loose, light clothing — if heat or physical pressure trigger your hives
  • Avoiding excessive heat, spicy foods, or intense physical exercise — if getting hot or sweating makes you break out in hives
  • Avoiding aspirin and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications — these medications can make hives worse, or trigger an outbreak if you are sensitive to them
  • Avoiding alcohol — can trigger an immune response that causes hives in some people

It’s important to remember that you won’t be able to prevent all cases of hives, but the prevention above may help provide relief if they do occur.



 A common question asked by the patient in the clinic

 

Are urticaria hives contagious?

Urticaria hives aren’t contagious, meaning you won’t develop them on your skin by touching hives on another person. However, the trigger that causes this skin reaction can be contagious.

How is urticaria diagnosed?

Diagnosis is typically reached using the patient’s history along with a physical examination. Laboratory workup is based on clinical suspicion and is used to exclude underlying causes, although most cases constitute unknown or spontaneous causes.

 

Are the hives and urticaria the same?

Yes, urticaria is the medical terminology name for hives.

 

Urticaria how long does it last?

In acute cases, it all depends upon the causative /trigger factor, the earlier we remove or stop it the episode of recurrence if ints intensity and frequency may stop.

Chronic hives last a longer time. Most often more than 50% of the time it is autoimmune. The analyzing of homeopathic constitutional medicine and continuing for six months to two years have shown a considerable decrease in its frequency and intensity with complete remission of symptoms.

 

Why urticaria occurs at the night?

Urticaria can be triggered at any time, there is no time preference noted as such.

Another reason may be possible that you are exposing yourself to the irritant causing the hives more in the evening, resulting in a more severe reaction/renewed reaction.

 

What is cholinergic urticaria?

Cholinergic urticaria is a type of hives brought on by raised body temperature. It typically develops when you exercise or sweat. More often than not, Cholinergic urticaria appears and disappears on its own within a few hours.

Allergy Asthma By Dr. Shailesh Yadav 0 Comments

Asthma and Allergy

Asthma and Allergy It’s Cause and Prevention

In practise we see common allergic and asthma cases in clinic more frequently, parents of children
and adult patient have whole lot of query as to

  • What food should be avoided in asthma?
  • What food can cure asthma?
  • What triggers asthma?
  • Which fruits are bad for asthma?
  • What foods aggravate asthma?
  • What are the most common allergies?
  • Can you live with asthma without an inhaler?
  • Is exercise good for asthma?
  • Is cheese bad for asthma?
  • Is asthma worse in winter?
  • Why to my child get frequent attacks?
  • What can trigger allergies?
  • Do allergies come from Mom or Dad?

Cause
An allergy is an abnormal/hypersensitive reaction to certain substances termed all these substances are well tolerated by most people, but others may react adversely these agents. These individuals would be termed allergic to those substances.

Common allergens

  • foods like eggs, fish, wheat, corn, artificial milk liquid and powder form, milk products, soya
    preparations, nuts, peanut butter, chocolates, tomatoes, pork, citrus fruits, and coconut
  • certain drug like penicillin and sulpha;
  • Pollen of some flowers; house dust; animal hair and feather Cockroaches, cats and dogs are
    dominant sources of indoor allergens.
  • Children born into families with a history of allergy
  • Children who consume animal milk in the first year of life are more prone to get allergic disorders Babies exclusively breastfed for the first 6 months of life are less prone to it

The symptoms of allergy are as follows

  • Nose: itchy or running nose
  • Skin: small reddish rashes which itch
  • Digestive system: tingling in the mouth, swelling of lips, tongue, face and throat.
  • Chest: Cough tightness in chest, wheezing and shortness of breath.

In asthma cases there is wheezing, breathing is faster than usual. When child breathes he sometimes to take the help of his neck muscles. The normal gap between two clavicles (collarbones) tends to dip during inspiration (breathing in). While breathing out, the child makes a musical hissing sound termed wheezing expiration (breathing out) is more prolonged than usual. The child finds it to breathe sitting up or wants a pillow or two on the lap to put his head for comfort. If the child has had eczema before or has had similar attacks before this episode or has a strong family history of allergy or was artificially fed (not breastfed), the diagnosis is more or less confirmed. It does not mean a breastfed child cannot get asthma. It is just that artificially fed children are at much higher risk. Thunderstorms can precipitate an attack in those who suffer from seasonal asthma to an increase in the amount of airborne pollen. Recent evidence also shows infants living near a highway are more
likely to have attacks of wheezing.

Prevention

  • Besides a familial tendency, passive smoking, allergy to certain foods, sudden exertion in the form of unaccustomed exercise or sports, anxiety or unresolved conflict at home or school, and respiratory infections may precipitate an attack.

  • However, sports should be encouraged. Children who get exercise-induced asthma are given medication for their asthma immediately before the activity.

  • House dust mixed with mites in the room in which the child sleeps should be specially taken care of. Keep cockroaches away.

  • The room should be kept scrupulously clean and have minimum furniture in it. Old books,
    clothes blankets and musty bedding may trigger the attacks.

  • Expose them to the sun frequently.

  • Make sure no dust remains on fans, in corners, behind or underneath the furniture or on curtains. Thin curtains, which can be washed frequently, are better than thick or heavy curtains.

  • Mop the room with a wet cloth rather than dust it. Avoid using wool blankets and carpets in the bedroom

  • Also avoid keeping stuffed toys and plants in the room. Hairy pets can also be a source of allergy. If your child has asthma, do consult your doctor before you get a pet.

  • If you have a vacuum cleaner, use it only while the child is away from home.

  • Let the child avoid all types of talcum powder, strong perfumes, scented soaps cold drinks, as well as sudden variations of temperature (for instance, entering a very cold air conditioned room from outside where the temperature was very hash), sudden exertion and foods that he is allergic to (eg cold drinks, peanuts, packaged drinks and wafers etc.)

  • To find out whether a child is allergic to the foods listed above, first introduce an item into the diet when he is perfectly well. Watch for a week. If the child remains well (without medication), he is probably not allergic to that item of food.

  • Avoid offering any suspicious item for 6 months and then try again. If the child reacts severely to any food, do not offer it for at least a year.

  • Bananas are often blamed for bringing on attacks of cold and asthma. This is probably not true. If the child who is given a banana gets an attack on certain occasions and not on others, he is probably not allergic to it. A banana, especially when given on an empty stomach at least half an hour to one hour before meals is a healthy fruit and should not be easily discarded from the child’s diet.

  • Finally I understand the concern and anxiety as a parents, do not overact if your child gets an
    attack of asthma. You may pass your anxiety on to child and so worsen the attack.

The good news about asthma is that if the attacks start in early childhood, they are more likely to disappear with age. Also, in children without a history of heredity and other factors mentioned above, and in whom the attacks always start with a viral cold rather than coming up suddenly, the diagnosis of asthma should never be made in a hurry. Such children may temporarily react to a cold with a wheeze but may not have asthma. Half the children with definite attacks of asthma are likely to be free of symptoms within 10 to 20 years. However, recurrences are known in adulthood. Also, those who have severe attacks in early childhood are more often found to continue getting attacks in adulthood.

Homeopathy has a huge potential to tackle this illness. It is arguably the only therapy with no negative side effects or after effects. It not only addresses the symptom, the disease, the cause thereof but the whole totality of the patient. It touches not only the body, the function of the body, the mind but also the aura of the spirit which animates the entire individuality.

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