Do-it-yourself cures for what ails you

Allergies

Allergies are the result of an immune system run amok. They develop when your immune system overreacts to a normally harmless substance, such as pollen, cat dander, or dust. About one in five Americans are plagued by sneezing, coughing, wheezing, chest tightness, difficulty breathing, itchy eyes, hives, and rashes, which are all hallmarks of allergy symptoms.

Allergies come in almost infinite variety. But most triggers, called allergens, stimulate the immune system through four basic routes: ingestion (eating peanuts or shrimp, for example), injection (such as getting a penicillin shot), absorption through the skin (touching poison ivy), and inhalation (breathing in cat dander).

For food and drug allergies, avoidance is the only option. To prevent or treat contact allergies caused by poison plants, see Poison Plant Rashes. But when you want relief from inhalant allergies, the answer is probably right under your own nose, since house dust, pollen, pet dander, and mold are the most common triggers.

"You find a bit of everything in house dust," says Thomas Platts-Mills, M.D. "Different people are allergic to different things—pieces of cockroach are pretty potent, actually—but the single biggest cause of problems is the dust mite."

The dust mite is an almost microscopic relative of ticks and spiders. But living mites are not the problem. People react, instead, to the fecal material that mites expel on carpets, bedding, and upholstered furniture. The bodies of dead mites also trigger allergies.

When scientists visited 831 residents across the United States in the late 1990s to conduct the first national allergy survey, they discovered that almost one in four houses harbor dust mites. Only the western United States was relatively spared. Cockroach allergens were found in homes throughout America, especially in homes where scientists also found food debris.

The other common airborne allergens are equally hard to escape. Pollen fills the air in almost every region with seasonal regularity. Mold grows wherever it's dark and humid, under carpets, in dank basements, and in leaky garages and storage sheds. And with 75 million dogs and 88 million cats in America, it's not easy to escape pet dander. If you're sensitive to any of these allergens—most likely because you've inherited the tendency—contact with them will trigger a sneezing, wheezing, itchy reaction.

Fortunately, there's much you can do to minimize the misery. The following doctor-tested and recommended tips will plant you firmly on the path to easy breathing and dry eyes.

When to Call a Doctor


If you have a known allergy, notice any of the following symptoms, and have never experienced them before during an allergy attack, you should see your doctor. • Welts that spring up in response to exposure to an allergen, also known as hives. They may indicate the onset of anaphylactic shock, an allergic reaction severe enough to kill. Anaphylactic shock is most commonly associated with bee or fire ant stings, but it can occur in response to other allergens, too. Seek medical attention promptly. • Wheezing—a whistling sound when you breathe. • Asthma—congestion of the chest severe enough to make breathing difficult, often accompanied by wheezing. • An allergy attack that doesn't respond to over-the-counter medications within a week.

If you have a known allergy, notice any of the following symptoms, and have never experienced them before during an allergy attack, you should see your doctor.

• Welts that spring up in response to exposure to an allergen, also known as hives. They may indicate the onset of anaphylactic shock, an allergic reaction severe enough to kill. Anaphylactic shock is most commonly associated with bee or fire ant stings, but it can occur in response to other allergens, too. Seek medical attention promptly.

• Wheezing—a whistling sound when you breathe.

• Asthma—congestion of the chest severe enough to make breathing difficult, often accompanied by wheezing.

• An allergy attack that doesn't respond to over-the-counter medications within a week.

Panel of Advisors


David Lang, M.D., is the head of Allergy/Immunology section in the Department of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine at Cleveland Clinic. Thomas Platts-Mills, M.D., is a professor of medicine and head of the division of allergy and immunology at the University of Virginia Medical Center in Charlottesville. Richard Podell, M.D., is a clinical instructor in the department of family medicine at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey—Robert Wood Johnson Medical School in Piscataway.

David Lang, M.D., is the head of Allergy/Immunology section in the Department of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine at Cleveland Clinic.

Thomas Platts-Mills, M.D., is a professor of medicine and head of the division of allergy and immunology at the University of Virginia Medical Center in Charlottesville.

Richard Podell, M.D., is a clinical instructor in the department of family medicine at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey—Robert Wood Johnson Medical School in Piscataway.

Remedies


Treat your symptoms	A certain amount of exposure to whatever bothers you is unavoidable.	1 2 3 4 5
Air-condition your car	If walking outside makes you start wheezing and sneezing, imagine what tearing through all those pollen clouds at 55 miles per hour is going to do.	1 2 3 4 5
Install an air filter	Keeping the air clean in your home can bring relief from pollen, mold, and pet dander. HEPA (high-energy particulate-arresting) filters are most efficient.	1 2 3 4 5
Buy a dehumidifier	Keeping the air in your home dry will help put a stop to dust mite problems.
Keep it clean	People with allergies fare better when dust and grime are kept to a minimum. Try not to use aerosol sprays or products containing harsh chemicals or odors that may irritate your airways.	1 2 3 4 5
Isolate your pets	The furry friends that occupy America's homes cause a staggering number of allergy exacerbations every year.
Wear a face mask	Use one when doing anything that's likely to expose you to an allergen that you know will cause you problems.
Enforce a no-smoking policy	Tobacco smoke is a significant irritant for the smoker and anyone else breathing nearby. Smoke can make allergies worse.	1 2 3 4 5
Make your bed a mite-free zone	Encase your pillows, mattress, and box spring in allergen-proof covers.	1 2 3 4 5
Choose the hot cycle on laundry day	Linens should be washed in water that is at least 130°F to rid them of dust mites and their wastes.
Throw out your carpets	Carpets may look nice, but they make an almost perfect home for dust mites and mold. Plus, tightly woven carpets very effectively attract and hold pollen and pet dander.	1 2 3 4 5
Buy throw rugs	Replace your carpets with throw rugs, and you'll achieve two major benefits. First, you'll eliminate your home's biggest collector of dust, pollen, pet dander, and mold.	1 2 3 4 5
Buy synthetic pillows	Dust mites like synthetic (Hollofil or Dacron) pillows just as much as those made from down and foam, but synthetic pillows have one major advantage: You can wash them in hot water.
Minimize clutter	Dried flowers, books, stuffed animals, and other homey touches collect dust and allergens. Try to keep knickknacks in closets or drawers or rid your home of them entirely.	1 2 3 4 5
Make at least one room a sanctuary	If you can't afford central air and don't want to rip the wall-to-wall carpeting out of every room in your house, there's still hope.	1 2 3 4 5
Try NAET!	My sister swears by NAET treatments for her allergies. It’s totally drug-free and natural, and she describes it like a blend of acupressure and chiro with some energy work thrown in.	1 2 3 4 5