of Anaphylaxis
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- What is anaphylaxis?
- Symptoms of anaphylaxis
- Causes of anaphylaxis
- Prevention of anaphylaxis
- Risk factors for anaphylaxis
- Complications of anaphylaxis
- When to see a doctor about anaphylaxis
- Diagnosis of anaphylaxis
- Conventional treatment of anaphylaxis
- Alternative/complementary treatment of anaphylaxis
- Living with anaphylaxis
- Caring for someone with anaphylaxis
Alternative / complementary treatment of anaphylaxis
People who are prone to an anaphylactic reaction to a known allergen should ensure they have their medical alert bracelet and medical kit with them at all times in case of emergency.
There are no alternative/complementary treatments for anaphylaxis because it is a serious, life threatening condition which requires emergency conventional treatment only.
The following alternative/complementary strategies should be used to try to strengthen the immune system only and should be discussed with your doctor to ensure it is safe for you to try these.
Herbs
There are a few herbs which may help to strengthen the immune system (care needs to be taken if administering any type of herbal or other supplement as there could be an allergic reaction if the person is really sensitive to everything - always consult a doctor):
- Echinacea - studies show this potent herb, echinacea has a positive effect on stimulating the immune system to work properly, which in turn can reduce the asthma, eczema or allergic rhinitis symptoms which may increase the risk of an anaphylactic reaction
- Garlic - studies show this potent herb / food clears nasal congestion, reduces symptoms and prevents infection in the nasal passages and most importantly, reduce inflammation symptoms associated with sinusitis, asthma and allergic rhinitis
- Olive leaf - studies show the olive leaf herb reduces inflammation and clears up congestion in the nasal passages, reducing symptoms associated with conditions such as sinusitis, asthma and allergic rhinitis
Vitamins
Studies show that there are several vitamins which could be beneficial to increase the strength of the immune system:
- Betacarotene - the vitamin betacarotene is the precursor to vitamin A, so has the same properties on the mucous membranes
- Bioflavonoids - the antioxidants bioflavonoids, together with vitamin C, support the immune system to function correctly and reduces the severity of symptoms associated with any allergic reaction
- Vitamin A - the antioxidant vitamin A is required to keep the mucous membranes soft, moist and healthy, in order to prevent allergens from entering the body and causing an allergic reaction in the first place
- Vitamin B complex - all of the B vitamins are needed to help the immune system to function properly and reduce symptoms overall, since allergic reaction is stemmed
- Vitamin C - the antioxidant vitamin C, together with bioflavonoids, support the immune system to function more normally, by reducing the overactive response and so reduce the duration and severity of symptoms
- Vitamin E - studies show the antioxidant vitamin E helps to reduce symptoms of nasal congestion by reducing inflammation associated with allergic symptoms
Minerals
Studies show that there are several minerals which could be beneficial to increase the strength of the immune system:
- Magnesium - the mineral magnesium relaxes body tissues and may help with reduction of inflammation and anxiety associated with an allergic reaction. Emergency rooms often give magnesium sulphate to people who are having a severe asthma attack to relax the airways and help with breathing
- Selenium - studies show the powerful antioxidant selenium may reduce length and severity of symptoms
- Zinc - studies show that zinc can greatly reduce length and severity of symptoms and help to more quickly heal the inflamed nasal and lung tissue in people with asthma, allergic rhinitis and sinusitis
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Other nutrients
Studies show certain nutrients have a beneficial effect on reducing length and severity of symptoms
- Alpha-lipoic acid - the nutrient alpha-lipoic acid is a potent antioxidant which can boost the immune system to help it function more normally and this can help reduce symptoms
- Essential fatty acids - studies show that the omega 3 essential fatty acids especially, can greatly reduce inflammation in the nasal passages (sinuses especially), open the airways to enable better breathing capacity and thus greatly reduce severity of symptoms. Mothers should ensure children who have allergic rhinitis or sinusitis have adequate levels of essential fatty acids in their diet to at least greatly reduce symptoms, if not prevent them from occurring in the first place
- Quercetin - studies the antioxidant nutrient quercetin assists in reducing inflammation and also reducing severity of symptoms. Quercetin is even more effective when combined with vitamin C and bioflavonoids
Dietary modifications
Dietary modifications should be adhered especially when there are severe food sensitivities present:
- Avoid foods that cause an allergy - people who have a severe allergy to specific foods need to avoid them to avoid a serious anaphylactic reaction. The most common food allergies are: peanuts, shellfish, cow's milk, eggs, wheat and soy
- Avoid foods that are mucous forming - certain foods such as dairy, processed foods (high sugar and high fat foods) tend to cause more mucous to form which can make symptoms worse. Try to avoid all forms of dairy (except yoghurt) and all processed foods when symptoms are at their worst
- Drink more fluids - water helps to hydrate the body and moisten the mucous membranes to keep the allergens out and prevent them from causing symptoms
- Eat more garlic and onions - as much as can be tolerated either fresh, cooked or as garlic supplements; both have anti-inflammatory properties which help reduce symptoms. These are two power foods that should be eaten on a daily basis to assist with preventing symptoms (if able to be tolerated, as some people's digestive system may not be able to handle them)
- Eat more oily fish - the fish such as salmon, mackerel, sardines, trout, tuna all contain omega 3 fatty acids which may reduce inflammation and severity of symptoms
- Eat more vegetables and fruit - they have a high content of vitamins, minerals and other nutrients such as antioxidants which may reduce severity and length of symptoms
Lifestyle modifications
There are a number of lifestyle modifications that can be followed to reduce severity and duration of symptoms:
- Avoid the allergens - if you are allergic to dust mites, use a vacuum cleaner with an air filter, if you are allergic to certain foods, avoid them, if you are allergic to other substances, avoid them as much as possible, as this will help reduce symptoms
- Rest properly - adequate amounts of sleep and rest gives the body the best chance of a quicker recovery and reduction in symptoms
Alternative treatments
- Food sensitivities - children with allergies, asthma, eczema or hay fever often have food allergies or sensitivities and much of their subsequent symptoms may be due to this sensitivity. An elimination diet needs to be followed to work out if this food is causing any of the symptoms. The most common food sensitivities that can cause behavioural problems are: cow's milk, wheat (or gluten), oranges (and other citrus fruit), chocolate, peanuts, soy, eggs, corn, oats, apples, tomatoes. In order to test a food sensitivity, that food (and foods containing it) must be totally eliminated from the diet for two weeks (as must all foods with any artificial additives) and after that, the food can be re-introduced back into the diet to see if there are any reactions to it. This requires a lot of vigilance and strict monitoring and could be better accomplished with the help of a registered dietician or naturopath
- Immunotherapy - this involves gradually increasing doses of the substance (allergen) to which the person is allergic over time, a little at a time. This has the effect of making the immune system less sensitive to that allergen and reducing symptoms
Always ensure that you notify your medical practitioner of any supplements that you want to take - it may interfere with other medication or conditions you have. Confirm with your doctor it is safe to take BEFORE you try it.
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