Have a plan for treatment of reactions. Know the medicines used to treat reactions and carry them at all times. Food allergies may be misdiagnosed without a careful patient history and an appropriate evaluation, Dr. Atkins notes. If you had just eaten shrimp before a reaction, the assumption might be made that shrimp is the cause of the reaction. It may be, but other potential causes such as another food or ingredients in sauces eaten at the same time need to be considered.
Testing is necessary to determine the source of the problem.
Dust and other irritants stirred up by vacuums are making people throughout the United States feel the effects of spring-cleaning in their eyes and noses. These filters can be effective for people who have problems with airborne allergens and irritants such as animal dander, pollen and dust. People who use HEPA filters say they feel better and have reduced symptoms, says Maria Gutierrez, M.D., a National Jewish physician who treats people with allergies and asthma. Studies do show some reduction in the amount of cat and dog allergens with the use of HEPA filters. To date, though, the majority of clinical studies do not prove conclusively that HEPA filters result in a reduction of medication use.