Holistic Health Information About Allergies - Allergy Causes, Symptoms and Natural Allergy Relief Products

Hello, This is the first year that I have allergies. They started in late January. I tried everything I could over the counter, but I found that I still was sneezing. The swollen nasal passages were unbearable. In Feb. I went to my doc. He prescribed Methipredisone which had no impact on the allergies what so ever. He then called me in for a Z pack of antibiotics. I got relief for about 2 days. But after about 10 days, I was back to being uncomfortable with the exact same symptoms. I went back to the doc and they prescribed 2 Z packs to be taken one right after the other and a nasal spray. The nasal spray was Flonase. It did not work at all. I did try Zicam and it did work, but only when my nasal passages were somewhat clear which isn't often. Well, it has been about 12 days since the last antibiotic was taken, and today my allergies are back in full force again. The swollen nasal passages are the worse part of this. I tried a neti pot, got air purifiers, I also have a hepa vacuum and hardwood floors. I am at a loss. I need relief and am not sure what action to take at this point. The nearest holistic doc is about 1.5 hrs away. Do you have any suggestions?

Dear Coren, There is no reason for using antibiotics for allergic responses. Did you read the article above? Be sure to click on the links above to find out how to manage allergies naturally and to learn about natural antihistamines. Antihistamines will only temporarily help with your allergies, so it may be Ok to use until you get that chance to drive to your holistic doctor to be tested for your allergies. Then he or she could prescribe the correct homeopathic nosode to help with your allergies. Homeopathic nosodes are minute dilutions of the original substances which can cause the allergies. Used in such diluted doses, homeopathic nosodes can help to alleviate the cause of the problem by taking away all of your symptoms without any harmful side effects. Also, how about visiting a close-by Acupuncturist who has knowledge of Chinese herbs and who can use acupuncture needles to stimulate your own body's defenses to modulate the allergic responses?

Okay, I'm confused. In my understanding a holistic response to any symptom would be to find the root cause and fix it. As is mentioned above, allergic symptoms are an immune response. This response is generally mild at first, escalating suddenly or gradually, but seemingly inevitably. However, I think that if we look closer, we see that the allergy isn't inevitable and is reversible. It's less important what you're allergic to and more important why you're allergic. The allergic condition is not a permanent state, but rather one that our body enters into under stress. The response becomes a pattern that our immune systems learn because they're out of balance or unsupported. In order to break the cycle, you just have to figure out which system or systems needs adjustment. Are you eating what your body needs? Sleeping enough? Getting enough fresh air and exercise? Many common foods and practices require the body to function on unnatural fuel or in unnatural conditions, causing just enough low-level background stress to make the immune system go ever so slightly haywire. By experimenting with different maintenance routines for your body, you can figure out what's causing you to be in an allergic state. Then you can decide if you want to relieve the allergic condition without having to give up your favorite treats or your time outdoors or your best friend's cat den. If you decide to eat the cheese anyway, at least you'll know the consequences.

Hello, I think I have an allergy to mold spores, and I want to at least get rid of the effects if not the allergy. Until recently, I did not realize, but I cannot concentrate, and can be somewhat drowsy especially when doing school. I get plenty of sleep. I also find it harder to get up. When I moved from, New Jersey, where I lived in a house that had mold I constantly experienced these symptoms. Then in North Carolina a few months ago, I was mentally and physically better. However, my symptoms returned when the leaves began to fall. Could you tell me if it is really a mold allergy, and what I can do about it?

Dear Steve, Of course, it is impossible to determine what your individual allergies are over the internet, so if you suspect mold spores, you could visit your doctor to determine if this is one of the causes of your allergies. Both medical doctors and naturopathic doctors are capable of administering and ordering testing for determining allergies. If indeed it is a mold allergy, you might want to rid your environment of the cause or causes and strengthen and balance your immune system, as Rachel so aptly stated in her comment above. One of my favorite ways of balancing and strengthening the body's immune system is through Acupuncture and Naturopathic therapies. Taking care of your health through right diet, exercise, fresh air, stress reduction techniques, adequate rest, relaxation, sleep, removal of toxins from the environment, and a balanced mental and emotional attitude are important in modulating the body's allergy response. Sometimes, even when one does all of the above-mentioned actions, it can still be a challenge once the cascade of allergic response has been initiated. Here is where one could seek the help of a trained professional to further balance the organ systems in the body and to achieve optimum health.

For the last 4-5 days I had been having a slight scratchy throat, after about the 3rd day when I blew my nose, I had this horrible smell from blowing that smelled like bowels and was brown in color. As of now I don't seem to have the scratchy throat anymore but the odor from blowing my nose still smells like bowels.

Ray, usually, when an odoriferous discharge is noted from any orifice of the body, then it might mean that there is a bacterial infection present. So, my first advice to you would be to visit your Ear, Eye, Nose, and Throat medical doctor specialist and have a culture taken for the brown substance which is coming from your nose. Usually anaerobic bacteria can cause foul smelling discharges. Brown color can also indicate that there is blood present in your sinuses. When blood is oxidized by the air, then it will turn from bright red to brown in color. It is easy to have nasal bleeding because the capillaries of the nasal passages are fragile and can be easily damaged from blowing your nose with extreme and constant force. Please get your sinuses checked for infection or serious sinusitis.

My son is 4 years old. He has been suffering from a frequent cold for the past two years. The doctor told us it is an allergy. I couldn't find out the cause. Once he gets up from bed he sneezes continuously about 5-10 times. He always has a itchy nose and dark circles under eyes. He gets a fever frequently. What type of treatment can we go for?