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Allergic Reaction treatment

Description

When the body needs to respond to a potential “invader” it triggers the immune system thereby causing an allergic reaction. The “invader” is any foreign body/substance called an antigen, in the presence of which the immune system is geared to protect the body from such attacks; these harmful agents can be bacteria, viruses, toxins, etc. If the immune system is triggered by a not so harmful subst View more...

Causes

Allergic reactions have a varied spectrum of causes. The white blood cells of the immune system produce antibodies which commence a complex set of reactions when the body is exposed to an antigen. They produce antibodies that can tackle the specific antigen and this process is called sensitization. The antibodies are designed to destroy the antigen that may lead to sickness or even death rarely View more...

Prevention

• An allergy specialist (allergist) can be consulted to help identify triggers. Some of the tests available for identifying and prevention are as follows:
• Skin testing - Different methods of skin testing are available which involve exposing the skin to small amounts of antigens and noting reactions over time.
• Blood tests (RAST) which identify IgE antibodies to specific antigens.
• Other t View more...

Common Symptoms

The symptoms of allergic reaction can be varied and manifest in different ways depending on the individual and the body part involved as also the severity of the reaction. Some of them are described below:
When there is a sudden and rapid onset of allergic reaction symptoms that is potentially life threatening this is referred to as anaphylaxis. One of the major symptoms of this reaction is sh View more...

Rare Symptoms

Life threatening anaphylaxis.

Traditional Treatment

There are many approaches and a choice of several anti-allergy medications can be administered based on severity of reaction and other factors.
Hay fever and other such long-term allergies can be treated by the following medications:
• Long-acting antihistamines, such as cetirizine (Zyrtec), fexofenadine (Allegra), and loratadine (Claritin).
• Nasal corticosteroid sprays such as fluticasone View more...

Alternative Treatment

Herbal Remedies: Research indicates that some herbs contain substances that can improve the immune system and reduce inflammation. Some of them are as follows:
• Evening Primrose
• Butterbur
• Echinacea
• Quercetin
• Spirulina
Homeopathy: Another alternative form of therapy for allergic reactions is as follows:
• Allium cepa
• Nux vomica
• Euphrasia
• Sanguinaria
• Pulsatilla
• A View more...

Treatment Comparison

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Brands	Effectiveness	Holistic Benefits	Side Effects	Number of Ratings
Methylpred	10	9.4	4.6	1
Xyzal	10	6	0	1
Epipen	9.5	5.7	0	2
Claritin	9	5.4	2.35	1
Benadryl	8.4	7.5	3.44	5
Desowen	0	0	0	0

View All	About these Scores
	Choose a condition to compare treatments based on user feedback. You can sort by Effectiveness, Holistic Benefits or Side Effects RateADrug user scores, or the number of Ratings. Scores gain significance with the number of ratings, so please share your experiences - rate your drug! Close