Pollen allergy may be the reason for your sneezing in spite of a change in seasons

About Hay Fever

In the various seasons (spring, summer, and fall) during the year, pollen grains are dispersed from trees, weeds, and grasses. These pollen grains travel on air currents to fertilize other plants. Inhaling pollen, in some people, can trigger seasonal allergic rhinitis which is also called pollen allergy or hay fever. In this condition the mucous membranes in the nasal passages inflame, which causes swelling, sneezing, itching, irritation and a runny nose.

Allergy seasons are:

• May - July/August – Grass pollen:
• Feb – June – Tree pollen (depending on whether allergic to early or late flowering trees)
• August – September – Nettle/weed pollen

Hay fever symptoms can continue all the year round and may also occur from indoor allergens like house dust mites, pets and possibly indoor moulds.

Hay fever is actually an attempt by the body to rid itself of allergens but the immune system overreacts and releases chemicals which cause inflammation, causing:

• Itchy, watery, red eyes
• Frequent sneezing
• Constantly dripping nose

Sufferers, when afflicted with this condition, have to struggle to breathe through their nose. Symptoms are often quite bad in young people and tails off in later years as the body adapts. Studies have shown that hay fever can severely affect the quality of life, disturb sleep patterns, impair daytime concentration and work performance.

What is pollen allergy?

Pollen once released from trees, weeds and grasses, ride on air currents with a mission to disperse and fertilize other plants. However, they rarely reach their targets. On the way they get into human noses and throats, triggering allergic reactions.

Pollen is one of the most pervasive things that can cause an allergy and cannot be avoided. Many allergy causing foods, drugs, or animals can be largely avoided but insects and household dust are inescapable. However, short of staying indoors, there is no foolproof method of evading windborne pollen. Nonetheless, ways have been established that help ease the symptoms of hay fever. Moreover, scientists are working to find better approaches to allergy treatment.

Research has helped provide a better understanding of the causes of allergy, improve the methods for diagnosing and treating allergic reactions and thereby eventually preventing them. The common signs and symptoms of pollen allergy are:

• Sneezing, the most common, may be accompanied by a runny or clogged nose
• Itching eyes, nose, and throat
• Allergic shiners (dark circles under the eyes caused by restricted blood flow near the sinuses)
• The "allergic salute" (in a child, persistent upward rubbing of the nose that causes a crease mark on the nose)
• Watering eyes
• Conjunctivitis (is inflammation of the membrane that lines the eyelids, causing red-rimmed eyes)

In a pollen-sensitive person, as soon as the allergy-causing pollen lands on the mucous membranes of the nose, a chain reaction occurs that leads the mast cells in these tissues to release histamine. This potent chemical dilates the small blood vessels in the nose; causing the fluids to escape through the expanded vessel walls, which in turn results in swelling of the nasal passages as well as nasal congestion. On the other hand, histamine also causes itching, irritation, and excess mucus production. Similarly, other chemicals like prostaglandins and leukotrienes also contribute to allergic symptoms.

Some people with pollen allergy also develop asthma, a serious respiratory condition, which can eventually become chronic. Symptoms include coughing, wheezing and shortness of breath due to a narrowing of the bronchial passages and excess mucus production.
Author Resource:- Webmaster associated with hay fever related site. This site provides various information headache and pollen allergy.Resources are available on site headclinic.co.uk

What Is Neuropathy? Neuropathy Causes And Treatments

Neuropathy is a collection of disorders that occurs when nerves of the peripheral nervous system (the part of the nervous system outside of the brain and spinal cord) are damaged. The condition is generally referred to as peripheral neuropathy, and it is most commonly due to damage to nerve axons. Neuropathy usually causes pain and numbness in the hands and feet. It can result from traumatic injuries, infections, metabolic disorders, and exposure to toxins. One of the most common causes of neuropathy is diabetes.

Neuropathy can affect nerves that control muscle movement (motor nerves) and those that detect sensations such as coldness or pain (sensory nerves). In some cases - autonomic neuropathy - it can affect internal organs, such as the heart, blood vessels, bladder, or intestines.

Pain from peripheral neuropathy is often described as a tingling or burning sensation. There is no specific length of time that the pain exists, but symptoms often improve with time - especially if the neuropathy has an underlying condition that can be cured. The condition is often associated with poor nutrition, a number of diseases, and pressure or trauma, but many cases have no known reason (called idiopathic neuropathy).

In the United States, about 20 million people suffer from neuropathy. Over half of diabetes patients also suffer from the condition.

How is neuropathy classified?

Peripheral neuropathy can be broadly classified into the following categories:   

• Mononeuropathy - involvement of a single nerve. Examples include carpal tunnel syndrome, ulnar nerve palsy, radial nerve palsy, and peroneal nerve palsy.   
• Multiple mononeuropathy - two or more nerves individually affected.   
• Polyneuropathy - generalized involvement of peripheral nerves. Examples include diabetic neuropathy and Guillain-Barre syndrome.

Neurophathies may also be categorized based on a functional classification (motor, sensory, autonomic, or mixed) or the type of onset (acute - hours or days, subacute - weeks or months, or chronic - months or years).

The most common form of neuropathy is (symmetrical) peripheral polyneuropathy, which mainly affects the feet and legs on both sides of the body.

What causes neuropathy?

About 30% of neuropathy cases are considered idiopathic, which means they are of unknown cause. Another 30% of neuropathies are due to diabetes. In fact, about 50% of people with diabetes develop some type of neuropathy. The remaining cases of neuropathy, called acquired neuropathies, have several possible causes, including:   

• Trauma or pressure on nerves, often from a cast or crutch or repetitive motion such as typing on a keyboard   
• Nutritional problems and vitamin deficiencies, often from a lack of B vitamins   
• Alcoholism, often through poor dietary habits and vitamin deficiencies   
• Autoimmune diseases, such as lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, and Guillain-Barre syndrome   
• Tumors, which often press up against nerves   
• Other diseases and infections, such as kidney disease, liver disease, Lyme disease, HIV/AIDS, or an underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism)   
• Inherited disorders (hereditary neuropathies), such as Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease and amyloid polyneuropathy   
• Poison exposure, from toxins such as heavy metals, and certain medications and cancer treatments

Who gets neuropathy?

Risk factors for peripheral neuropathy include several conditions and behaviors. People with diabetes who poorly control their blood sugar levels are very likely to suffer from some neuropathy. Autoimmune diseases such as lupus and rheumatoid arthritis also increase one's chance of developing a neuropathy. People who have received organ transplants, AIDS patients, and others who have had some type of immune system suppression have a higher risk of neuropathy. In addition, those who abuse alcohol or have vitamin deficiencies (especially B vitamins) are at an increased risk. Neuropathy is also more likely to occur in people with kidney, liver or thyroid disorders.

What are the symptoms of neuropathy?

Neuropathy symptoms depend on several factors, chiefly where the affected nerves are located and which type of nerves are affected (motor, sensory, autonomic). Several types of neuropathy affect all three types of nerves. Some neuropathies suddenly arise while others come on gradually over the course of years.

Motor nerve damage usually leads to symptoms that affect muscles such as muscle weakness, cramps, and spasms. It is not uncommon for this type of neuropathy to lead to a loss of balance and coordination. Patients may find it difficult to walk or run, feel like they have heavy legs, stumble, or tire easily. Damage to arm nerves may make it difficult to do routine tasks like carry bags, open jars, or turn door knobs.

Sensory nerve damage can cause various symptoms, such as an impaired sense of position, tingling, numbness, pinching and pain. Pain from this neuropathy is often described as burning, freezing, or electric-like, and many report a sensation of wearing an invisible "glove" or "stocking". These sensations tend to be worse at night, and can become painful and sever. On the contrary, sensory nerve damage may lead to a lessening or absence of sensation, where nothing at all is felt.

Autonomic nerve damage affects internal organs and involuntary functions and can lead to abnormal blood pressure and heart rate, reduced ability to perspire, constipation, bladder dysfunction, diarrhea, incontinence, sexual dysfunction, and thinning of the skin.

How is neuropathy diagnosed?

Peripheral neuropathy is often not easy to diagnose. It is not a single disease, but a symptom with often several potential causes. The standard diagnostic process begins with a full medical history with physical and neurological exams that will examine tendon reflexes, muscle strength and tone, the ability to feel sensations, and posture and coordination. Blood tests are also common in order for doctors to measure levels of vitamin B-12. Other common tests include urinalysis, thyroid function tests, and a nerve conduction study that includes electromyography (to measure electrical discharges produced in muscles). Physicians may also recommend a nerve biopsy, where a small portion of nerve is removed and examined under a microscope.

How is neuropathy treated?

There are a variety of treatments available for peripheral neuropathy. They range from traditional pills and creams to special diets and therapies that stimulate the nervous system. Antidepressants, especially tricyclics and selective serotonin-norepinephrine re-uptake inhibitors (SNRI's), are a favored treatment for neuropathies. They will relieve neuropathic pain in non-depressed persons.

In June 2012, researchers from the University of Michigan School of Nursing reported that Cymbalta (duloxetine), an antidepressant, can relieve the symptoms of chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy.

Another class of medicines commonly prescribed for neuropathy is that of anticonvulsants. These medicines block calcium channels on neurons to limit pain. Opioid narcotic treatments for neuropathy are used as well to treat the condition, but are less favored because of the risk of dependency. However, opioids have been the most consistently effective in reducing pain.

For some types of neuropathy, such as post-herpes neuralgia, physicians recommend treatment with a topical anesthetic such as lidocaine. Topical applications of capsaicin (the chemical that makes peppers hot) has also been used to treat neuropathic pain.

Alternative therapies for peripheral neuropathy include cannabinoids (an class of chemicals found in marijuana), Botulinum Toxin Type A (better known as Botox), NMDA antagonists (such as ketamine), dietary supplements (such as alpha lipoic and benfotiamine), chiropractic massages, yoga, meditation, cognitive therapy, and accupuncture.

A final class of therapies for neuropathy are called neuromodulators. These include both implantable and non-implantable technologies (electrical and chemical) such as spinal cord stimulators, implanted spinal pumps, electrodes that stimulate the motor cortex of the brain, and methods called deep brain stimulation.

How can neuropathy be managed and prevented?

There are several ways to manage neuropathy and prevent its symptoms. Good foot health is important, especially for diabetics. Patients should check feet for blisters, cuts, or calluses and avoid tight fitting shoes and socks. Doctors can recommend an exercise plan that will reduce neuropathy pain and control blood sugar levels. Patients should also quit smoking and eat healthful meals. Massages of hands and feet may also aid neuropathy management by stimulating nerves and temporarily relieving pain. Finally, it is advised to avoid prolonged pressure on knees or elbows in order to prevent new nerve damage. 

 

 Penulis: Peter Crosta M.A.

How to Breaking Your Weight Loss Plateau by: Mubarakah Ibrahim CPT

Today is a typical morning like any other for you. You get up, go for your workout at the gym or go for a nice run, before you start your day. Or maybe you go from work to the gym to jump on the treadmill for 40 minutes then home. No matter when you fit your workout in, you are to be commended you’ve stuck to it. SO why isn’t the weight coming off like it did when you first started your new workout routine. Everything is the same. Cardio 3 to 5 days a week. Weight training 2 to 3 days a week. Your diet is still in tack (despite the PMS breakdown in the chocolate abyss). If you are still doing everything the same and you can’t seem to drop those last 10 lbs then you can’t drop those last 10 lbs because you are still doing everything the same. (I know I just reverse the sentence but read it again and you’ll catch on if you didn’t the first time.)

Your body is a wonderfully efficient machine. Everything from your head to your toes adapt to your environment, your activities and your lifestyle. Your exercise regimen is no different. Here is the scenario. Your Story... You began the new year with a new found dedication to running. After all, you need to drop those extra pounds. So you go for a 45 minute run 5 days a week and weight train in the gym 2 times a week. In January and February the pounds fell off. You consistently left 2 even 4 lbs some weeks, chocking on your dust as you laughed your way all the way to the clothing store. But here we are in April and the scale hasn’t moved since the beginning of March. What happened? Your Body’s Story… When you began your program, your body worked hard to keep up with the new intensity and duration of your exercise regimen. As a result it burned energy (calories/fat) to keep up. Then one day as it accompanied you out the door and began picking up speed, then it said to it’s self. Oh I’ve done this plenty of times before. In fact I am good. I am so good at this now that instead of burning 200 calories on this run, I can do the same run and only burn 150 calories. So it runs with you and indeed it proved that it could do the same activity and burn less calories doing it. Your body has succeeded in doing what it does best...become efficient.

Ah ha! Eureka! Now you know. So what to do about it. Throw your body a surprise party and call it Cross training. Cross training is a great way to condition different muscle groups, develop a new set of skills, and reduce boredom that creeps in after months of the same exercise routines. The term cross training refers to a training routine that involves several different forms of exercise, and/or exercise intensity levels.Get up tomorrow and instead of running for 45 minutes, jump on the bike and take a spin. Instead of doing 45 minutes of a moderate intensity run. Kick it up a notch and do 20 minutes of intense interval training (fartlek run will do as well) Providing different challenges in a workout forces the body to move out of its comfort zone and the body must work harder to complete the activity… Resulting in more calorie burn. More eating the dust off from the bottom of your shoes as you leave those pound behind. But that’s not the only benefit of cross training. If sports are your passion cross training can actually help you prevent injury and overuse syndrome For most sports enthusiasts, cross-training is a beneficial training method for maintaining a high level of overall fitness and that’s not all Cross Training:

• Reduces exercise boredom
• Allows you to be flexible about you training needs and plans (if the pool is
• closed, you can go for a run instead).
• Produces a higher level of all around conditioning
• Conditions the entire body, not just specific muscle groups
• Reduces the risk of injury
• Work some muscles while others rest and recover
• Can continue to train while injured
• Improves your skill, agility and balance

So be cross…trained that is to have a well rounded fitness regimen.