Medical Health Fitness Articles Directory

Animals have interacted with humans for thousands of years.  But here’s some news to all you animal lovers: that sneezing, coughing, hacking, runny nose and those rashes that appear on your skin may be caused by small, furry creatures that you so love and admire.  Are you allergic to pets or other animals?  Here is a list of animals that commonly trigger allergies in humans:

Cats and dogs

Most dogs and cats that trigger allergy have fur.  Since these animals shed regularly, the tiny hairs eventually find themselves on the skin, in the nose and mouth.  When this does happen, allergic symptoms occur.  This can happen whether the animal is longhaired or shorthaired.

What about hairless breeds?  For people whose allergies are triggered by animal hair, keeping a hairless cat or dog seems to solve the problem.  That is, until the animal develops a skin problem and sheds dander or dead skin.  This can then trigger an allergy.

Horses

Like cats and dogs, horses can also trigger allergy through their saliva.  There are certain proteins in horse’s saliva that can be problematic to people who are hypersensitive.  Horse dander can also cause allergic reactions.

Rabbits

Rabbits have fine hair that when shed, can trigger allergies in people who have a sensitivity to them.  People who have allergies or asthma might suffer from wheezing, sneezing, watery eyes and runny nose.  Nasal congestion is also common.  Their urine also contains certain proteins that can cause itching or rashes upon direct contact.

Guinea pigs and hamsters

Guinea pigs and hamsters are quite cuddly and are low-maintenance animals.  Many of them have been domesticated and are found in many households as pets.  They are generally easy to care for, which makes them quite popular with children, young teens and even adults.

The problem with guinea pigs and hamsters is that their hair, dander and urine can trigger allergy.  To someone who has asthma or has hypersensitivity to the proteins in the animal’s urine, the animal can be a source of physical discomfort.  Symptoms can vary, ranging from skin rashes to sneezing and asthma.

Mice and rats

These are the guinea pig’s wilder cousins.  People who are hypersensitive or those who have not developed antibodies to certain allergy-causing proteins secreted by these animals can also suffer from allergic reactions to their hair, urine, feces and saliva.

Birds and poultry

Birds, ducks, chickens and their kind can also trigger allergies in humans.  Direct contact with their feces and the downy part of their feathers can cause certain physical discomfort.  Consumption of eggs can also cause certain allergic reactions in certain individuals.

Cows

Cows produce milk, which contains common allergy-causing substances.  Cows can, through their milk, cause the gastrointestinal discomfort associated with lactose intolerance.  Direct contact with their urine can also trigger allergies in certain individuals.

With so many allergy air purifiers on the market, finding one that can serve as an effective tool in your allergy management plan can be frustrating. Knowing the answers to the following 5 questions before you buy will mean having a cleaner that will help you feel better in your home or office.

Which technology is best? High efficiency particle arresting (or HEPA) filtration technology is used by hospitals to insure clean air, and is the best method for home and office filtration as well. By definition this process will remove airborne allergens down to .3 microns; with a micron being defined is one millionth of a meter.

How can I tell if it will remove the allergens that affect me? Different filters are designed to remove different allergens so this is critical information to have. HEPA filters with a multi-tiered filtration process will remove contaminants as small as .3 microns (household dust, mold and mildew spores, pet dander and hair, pollen, bacteria, and viruses) but a good one will also have an inner filter that targets other contaminants as well such as smoke and odor, or airborne volatile organic chemicals, and even pet odor. Check the technical specifications to pinpoint exactly what the cleaner’s filter is designed to remove, and if you don’t see it there, call and ask the company to make sure it will do what you need it to.

How much area should it be able to clean? It is always better to oversize your unit for the area rather than undersize it. Measure the space that you want to clean and add ceiling heights greater than 8 feet as additional area in your calculations. Then look for a purifier that has the ability to clean that square footage or slighter greater. Unless you close doors to your space, the cleaner will eventually pull air from all over, so be careful to measure accurately.   For instance, if you are buying an air purifier for a bedroom, unless you close the door, it will pull air from all over your house. If the area of your house is greater than the purifier is designed to clean, the results will be less than effective. Careful thought to issues such as these will insure effectiveness.

How often should I expect to have to change the filter? This is a great answer to have before you buy the purifier as the cost and frequency of replacing the filter will directly impact your out of pocket expenses. Look for a purifier that has a 5-year filter life, and a prorated filter warranty. Only having to change the filter once every five years greatly reduces your operating costs, which means you are more likely to use it without worrying about how much it will cost you when the filter fills up. Look for a purifier that has a prorated filter warranty as well. This gives you confidence that should anything go wrong with the filter before the 5 year warranty runs out, you still don’t pay full price for the replacement.

How long should it take to be effective? If you have sized the unit correctly for your space, and you run it on high for the first several hours, then turn it back to medium or low and leave it on 24 hours a day, you should see a difference fairly quickly. Again this will depend on what you are trying to remove from your air, and the amount of contaminants that have built up in your air. The key to success is to have the filtration be constant rather than turning it off and on.

If you suffer from spring allergy and live in a city that has been determined as being one of the worst because of high pollen count, you are probably looking for a way out. So this year, do just that. Plan a trip as your way out, and schedule it during the peak of allergy season as a way to get out of town. Then you can enjoy spring too-just not where you live. Here are 7 great cities to visit that tend to be low in pollen plus a short list of a few of their best attractions. Have a great trip, and happy spring!

Boston, Massachusetts-As capital of Massachusetts, it is one of the most glamorous cities on the east coast. A few of its most famous attractions include Faneuil Hall Marketplace, the Boston Common (50 acres) which is the oldest park in the United States and is the starting point of the Freedom Trail, the very elegant Copley Plaza Hotel, Trinity Church, Beacon Hill, the Boston Public Library, Paul Revere House, John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum, and the Boston Children’s Museum.

Fort Wayne, Indiana-Indiana’s second largest city is home to the Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo (named as one of the top 10 zoos), the Lincoln Museum, the Foellinger-Freimann Botanical Conservatory, Science Central Museum, and the History Center.

Chicago, Illinois-Most popular tourist attractions in Chicago include the Sears Tower Skydeck, Lincoln Park Zoo, Adler Planetarium, Du Page Children’s Museum, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Nay Pier Cruises, John G. Shedd Aquarium, Six Flags Great America, and a huge selection of hotels and restaurants to suit every price range and taste.

Toledo, Ohio-Toledo offers Sandpiper Boat Rides along Maumee River, the Toledo Botanical Gardens, African Safari Wildlife Park, and tickets can be obtained for symphony, jazz orchestra, ballet and theater performances. The Firefighters Museum, Zoo, and Glass Pavilion make it a fun destination for all in the family.

Grand Rapids, Michigan-Top attractions include Rosa Parks Circle Ice Rink (November-March), Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park (March 1-April 30), the Wee White House, and The Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum. The Grand Rapids Children’s Museum, the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel just to see or to stay, and the Grand Rapids Art Museum will make your trip a fun for all ages.

Colorado Springs, Colorado-Rated first by Money Magazine in 2006 as “Best Big City” in a best places to live feature, it sits at the base of Pike’s Peak, one of America’s most famous mountains. Popular attractions include Air Force Academy and Chapel, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, Olympic Training Center, Royal Gorge Bridge, Seven Falls, Pikes Peak, Garden of the Gods, and Pioneer Museum.

Des Moines, Iowa-Located in central Iowa, its most popular tourist’s spots include the Botanical Center, Art Center, and Science Center, White Water University Fun Park, Salisbury House, Iowa Historical Building, and an exquisite State Capitol building.

Spring is coming and nearly everyone else in the world is looking forward to shedding their winter coats, and taking to the outdoors to enjoy picnicking, gardening, or walks in the park. You, on the other hand, are dreading the arrival of the season that brings itchy eyes, sneezing, and congestion. And not just because of the physical symptoms, but because of feeling left out. Here are 4 things to do that will help you look forward to spring too.

Celebrate Spring Somewhere Else-If you live in a city that is a hotbed for spring allergies because of the trees and flowers native to your town, you don’t have to celebrate spring where you live. Plan a trip up north where spring has not yet sprung, and enjoy the last bit of snow, or skiing. Do some research, and plan a cruise so you and your family are gone for a couple of weeks during the height of the season. For a less costly trip, plan to use a friend or relative’s home (who lives in a more allergy friendly location) as a base for sightseeing, shopping, and exploring a new town.

Start Your Own Club-There are an estimated 10 million Americans who suffer from indoor and outdoor allergies, and if you live in a city that is known to have high pollen count in the spring, there are hundreds, perhaps thousands of others in your town in the same boat with you. A weekly book club, or lunch club can be done inside in a controlled environment and still allow you to look forward to socializing with others during the season. Talk with friends and neighbors about what you want to do, and you’ll be pleasantly surprised at how many others that you know have the same need.

Get Fit Indoors-Join a fitness center where you can run, swim, pump iron, and socialize with others who have fitness as a common goal. Use your time indoors to tone your muscles, build your endurance, and shed any extra pounds that have climbed aboard since the holidays. Come summer, you’ll be the envy of all you meet when you put on your bathing suit and head for the beach.

Volunteer-Even though living through allergy season can literally be a pain, set aside time each week to turn the focus from your problems to those of others-and sadly, there are plenty of people who are less fortunate these days. Choose a charity where you can work indoors and volunteer for several hours a week. Your job can be as simple as answering their phones, helping with mailings, working at a church, or preparing food for the homeless. There is no shortage of ways that your community can benefit from your help. (And there’s another club idea-a volunteer club!) After volunteering, it will be easy to dwell on how much you still have to be thankful for.

This article is about chest congestion symptoms. Allergens, bacteria, and fungi can all cause infections resulting in chest congestion.

You will find the following information very helpful in all situations whether you are dealing with an adult or a child.

This morning a close friend called and asked if she could speak to the ‘nurse’ in me. Her daughter had called to come home from school. That morning during Athletics the daughter had been running track and experienced some breathing difficulty. This it seems was not the first episode. A doctor’s appointment was scheduled for the afternoon but Mom was wondering if a trip to the Urgent Care Center would be better.

Since her daughter is nearly 14 I was able to ask her questions and get reasonable answers. Some of her symptoms were:

1. labored breathing
2. difficulty in talking
3. swallowing was difficult
4. tightness in her chest
5. deep, congested cough

Mom and I decided to try an over-the-counter antihistamine and if there was no improvement in 30 to 40 minutes, or if chest congestion symptoms became worse, then a trip to an Emergency Room or Urgent Care Center was necessary.

Mom would be watching for these chest congestion symptoms such as:

• tongue feeling thick
• lips swelling
• breathing became more labored
• swallowing became more difficult

It’s always a tough decision for a parent to make whether or not to go to the Emergency Room or Urgent Care Center because not all children can tell you just how they feel.

So here are some signs to look for to know when to seek care.

• Congestion you can hear.
• A fever you can feel,
• Bluish color to fingernails and around the mouth you can see.
• Watch chest movements.
• Is your child just nasally congested or does it go deeper?

My friend’s daughter had had a cold a couple of weeks back and she just wasn’t able to shake it. Running track aggravated her ability to breathe.

But are we looking at an infection from the earlier cold, allergies, asthma? These are things only a doctor can tell you. But you can help your child … calmness is contagious.

If you remain calm, your child will feel this and the old adage: monkey see monkey do applies here.

Here as some additional things you can do as you assess your child’s chest congestion symptoms:

• Feel the child’s head; is it warm or hot.
• Listen for nasal congestion or deep-coughing congestion.
• Is there any drainage?
• Is the child coughing up secretions?
• What color and consistency are the secretions (nasal and coughing)?

The difference in secretion coloring.

1. Clear and thin … okay
2. Yellow to grey or thick … need attention?

These are things you need to be able to tell your medical doctor.

If possible, save a sample of the thick or colored secretions. Your medical doctor may look at them and decide a culture needs to be taken in order to help determine which antibiotic to prescribe.

If an antibiotic is prescribed for the chest congestion symptoms, be sure to read the directions carefully.

1. Is it taken 3 times a day?
2. Every 6 hours?
3. With or without food?

Be sure to read the flyer the pharmacist gives you. Above all ask questions and be sure you understand the answers.

Three (3) times a day may mean with each meal. Every 6 hours may mean around the clock and you need to wake up the child to give it. But most importantly … take ALL the medicine.

If you stop taking the prescription too soon just because you feel better and then relapse, the same antibiotic may not work again. The germ (bug) may become resistant and the next antibiotic could be more expensive.

I’m glad to say the antihistamine worked. My friend’s daughter felt relief and was able to each lunch and will be seeing her doctor in the afternoon.

There are a lot of individuals that have allergies to irritants and allergens in the air such as second hand smoke, winter chimney smoke, dust mites, animal dander, parts of roaches, mold and pollen. They can have an allergic reaction at any time when they come in contact with these allergens. But wait, there are more allergens that you need to understand about.

Schools can be a perfect location where a student who has Asthma can have some serious problems trying to concentrate on their school work. A lot of students will wear perfumes and colognes to school and not realize that their fellow students can have a neurological allergy to their fragrances. I have several clients who have to Home School their children because of this phenomena in the Public and Private School Systems. Their childrens behavior was affected by these fragrances but changed dramatically when they were no longer in the School Systems.

America has a violence problem in the School Systems. Has anyone even looked at the possibility of the discipline problem being related to Perfumes and Cologne Allergies. Lab tests have been done on rats which when exposed to certain chemicals, they become very aggressive in their behaviors toward other rats in the same population. That is a pretty strong argument to have research funded to do this to help our children. Our children are the future and they need to be protected.

Parents who have children attending schools should request to see a copy of the MSDS Report, also known as the Manufacturers Safety Data Sheet from the Perfume and Cologne Distributors. They are required to have it available to all consumers. It will tell you exactly what is in the product. This can help you pinpoint the source of the allergy for your child. Parents need to be proactive and not reactive to violence in the School Systems.

In conclusion, chemicals such as acetone, ethanol, linalool and ethyl acetate have all been found in trace amounts in certain brands of Perfumes and Colognes. Do an Internet Search on Google or Yahoo for these chemicals. You will be surprised. It is important to check out what your children are wearing because of all the imitations that are sold in Flea Markets and elsewhere. Most of these products are from China and have not been tested properly to our standards here in the US. If your child is having a severe reaction to any fragrances, it is important that you consult with your Doctor immediately.

If you have any questions, feel free to call us or visit our website.