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Posted on July 28, 2009 by Raily Arena | Posted under   Allergies


Hay Fever: Nature, Causes and Management



Hayfever, also known as Allergic Rhinitis, is a common form of allergythat people have been suffering from for many decades.  Health expertsestimate that about 50 million people chronically suffer from this typeof nasal allergy.  If you frequently experience symptoms such as nasalcongestion, sneezing, runny nose, postnasal drip, red, swollen eyes andfrequent colds, you could have Allergic Rhinitis.  Oftentimes, it takesonly small particles such as pollen to affect the human body in manyways.  Some of these effects include:

- Throat itchiness that may be intermittent or continuous
- Laryngitis or hoarseness due to pollen affecting the larynx
-RAD or Reactive Airway Disease, a prolonged respiratory irritationcharacterized by difficulty breathing, chest tightness, wheezing andcoughing
- Asthma attacks - often times, your doctor will diagnose RAD before he diagnoses asthma
- Postnasal drainage, which could lead to sore throat because of fluids flowing into and irritating the throat
-Nasal salute, particularly in young children; characterized by a redcrease across the nose due to constant rubbing, wiping and scratching
- Allergic conjunctivitis, which can lead to redness, itchiness and teary eyes
- Darkened areas around the eyes
- Headaches
- General fatigue

Why symptoms occur
Whenexposed to foreign substances such as allergens, the immune systembecomes hyper-sensitive and the body reacts.  This is the same kind ofreaction that happens when the human body is invaded by microorganismssuch as bacteria and viruses.  Once the body is exposed to these typesof allergens, it produces substances called histamines which causesinflammation, production of mucus and other symptoms associated withhay fever.

Causes of hay fever
Althoughpollen is the most common cause of allergies that lead to hay fever,there are other substances that can trigger symptoms as well.  Theseinclude dust, molds, pet dander, insects and food.  Although hay feversymptoms can easily be detected, proper diagnosis by a qualifiedphysician is the best way for correct assessment of the condition.

Testing for hay fever allergies
Themost common method of determining allergies is skin testing, wherein aminuscule amount of allergen is introduced into the skin to produce areaction.  The doctor will then try to determine if cross-sensitivityis present, such as when allergies are caused by varying substanceswith similar protein structures.

Controlling symptoms
Asa first step, people with allergies are adviced to avoid or at leastminimize contact with substances and items that may trigger an attack. It's also important to be aware of your environment and to performtasks necessary to reduce allergens, avoid work that might aggravateyour sensitive skin and protect your body.  With the correct knowledgeand treatment regarding Allergic Rhinitis, there is no reason why itcannot be managed efficiently.



About The Author:
The Allergy Associates of Utah has the best hay fever doctors in Utah.


Tags: HAY FEVER ALLERGIES, HAY FEVER, ALLERGIES UTAH, SALT LAKE ALLERGY, UTAH CLINIC, UTAH DOCTOR, SKIN ALLERGIES
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