Nasal allergy medications fall into three categories of usage.

Preventive:For people who have chronic symptoms of rhinitis, allergic or nonallergic,the most effective approach is to use antihistamines and nasal corticosteroid medications preventively.

Stabilizing:These drugs can often stop a reaction that's already in process before your immune system can release potent chemical mediator of inflammation,such as histamine and leukotrienes,that produce noticeable symptoms.

Relief:Most of the commonly available over the counter oral antihistamines and decongestants fall into this category.Most people use them to relieve the symptoms of rhinitis after symptoms have occurred.

A few basic types of drugs are used to treat nasal allergies,including:antihistamines,decongestants,combination of antihistamine and decongestant product.

Relieving your nasal allergies

Many people with asthma also have allergic rhinitis,patients with allergic asthma are more sucessful in managing their respiratory condition if they take effective measures to control their allergic rhinitis symptoms.You can take avoidance measures and allergy-proof your home and office to significantly improve your quality of life by decreasing your exposure to the substances that trigger your allergic reactions.However,because allergens,such as pollens,molds and dust,are everywhere,complete avoidance can be difficult.Fortunately,medications are available

Do Children Experience Asthma More Than Adults?

It was found in scientific research that most of the time, asthma sufferers develops asthma in childhood, in infancy in some cases. Roughly about 7% of children and 5% of adults in the United States suffered from asthma. In 1994, asthma was found to affect 4.8 milion children under 18.

It was commonly found that some younsters eventually outgrow their asthma; while others went through what we call asthma-free period during their teens or early 20s but later develop asthma again in adulthood.

Adults with no previous family history of asthma can also suffer from this disease any time from their late 20s onward.

One strange findings was that boys was twice as likely as girls to develop asthma. However, men and women are found to be equally affected. However, all asthma sufferer have one thing in common: they all experience difficulty in breathing during the asthma attack.

Do you know many common infections can trigger asthma?

Viral respiratory infections, such as the common cold and influenza,and bacterial respiratory infections are two culprits that can trigger asthma. Children and adults are equally vulnerable.

Colds often trigger asthma. A 1995 British study of school children found common cold viruses reported in 80% of wheezing episodes and 85% of asthma episodes.

Bacterial infections may follow as acomplication of a common cold and included infections such as pneumonia and strep throat.They may develop in the area around a mucus plug that a person with asthma has been unable to dislodge. Further,British scientist found the bacterium Chlamydia pneumoniae present in 58% asthmatic people.Because the bacterium can be halted with antibiotics,researchers believe that asthma's progress may be similarly affected by antibiotics.

Sinus infections is a big problem.Sinusitis may be caused by a viral or a bacterial infection.Symptoms include headache,sinus tenderness,nausea,post-nasal drip,fever and a yellowish or greenish discharge from the nose.While sinusitis persists ,asthma symptoms are difficult to control.

Food allergy & Food Intolerance Can Cause Asthma?

Some people have allergies to certain foods or intolerances to food additives. When an offending food is eaten,the immune system kicks into action, releasing immunoglobulin E to attack and interact with the allergen in the food. The mass cells then release histamine and other mediator,which cause allergic and asthmatic symptoms. Typical food allergens for children include eggs,milk,wheat,corn,peanut,soy,shellfish,citrus juices, artificial coloring and some flavorings.Adults tend to be allergic to peanut, tree nuts, eggs, yeast products, shellfish and fish.

Food intolerances are nonallergic food reactions. Something in the food cause the mast cells to release mediators,but the process is not a result of an interaction between IgE antibodies and allergens.However,the resulting symptoms are the same. Several studies have shown that high salt intake can make asthma symptoms worse,because it boosts substances that contribute to inflammation.Alcoholic beverages also can worsen asthma.

The most common food intolerance is sulfites, chemical preservatives used on fruits and vegetables. Sulfites can cause sever and even fatal asthma episodes.

How many asthma triggers exist?

There are hundreds of asthma triggers.But some triggers are more common than others. Over the years,asthmatic people and their doctors have discovered that certain substances provoke asthma attack.The substances range from allergens,chemical irritants, air pollutants and tobacco smoke to food intolerances and drug sensitivities. Certain situations are also linked with asthma flare-ups:exercise,infections,stress and weather patterns.

The most common triggers are allergens,many allergens are found in household dust,including pollen,mold, animal dander, dust -mite debris and cockroach debris.Small in size,these allergens are easily stirred up,carried in the air and then inhaled; for that reason they are also known as aeroallergens.

Chemical irritants:common household chemical and personalcare products can trigger asthma symptoms by producing aerosols and gases that irritate the lungs.These are known as airborne chemical irritants.For example:spray disinfectants ,ammonia,chlorine,floor wax and paint;perfumes,powders,deodorants,shampoos and hair sprays; pesticides and insecticides.Even cooking odors can trigger asthma symptoms.

Air pollutants:Asthma is aggravated by irritants that are byproducts of the industrialized world in which we live.They are many and varied .Sulfur dioxide,diesel-fuel exhaust,gas from cooking stoves,emission plumes from factories and incinerators are among the enders.brushfires,burning
leaves and burning garbage also release irritating particles into the air.

Tobacco smoke:Including cigarette,pipe and cigar smoke-is a major indoor pollutant and an irritant that creates breathing difficulties in the lung of any asthmatic person who smokes.There is also increasing evidence that passive smoking -exposure to secondhand smoke-leads to more frequent respiratory problems among asthmatic children and older people.

Three Reactions When An Asthma Sufferer Meets Up With a Trigger?

The first reaction:
This occurs when the muscles encircling the bronchial air passages squeeze the passages, thus reducing the flow of air. It is known as bronchospasms or bronchial spasms.

The second reaction:
The cells along the bronchial airway walls produce a large amount of thick,gummy mucus. The mucus collects along the bronchial walls,thus narrowing the airways. In more severe asthma attacks,the mucus may form sticky plugs that clog the air passages.

The third reaction:
The linings of the bronchial tubes-the mucosa-became inflamed,which makes the airways puffy and swollen .The swelling narrows the airways ,restricting the amount of air that can pass through.

In short,an asthma attack is a period of breathing difficuly exhibiting three factors-bronchospasms,mucus production and inflammation.Asthma attacks may last several minutes or go on for hours or even days. The longer an attack persists, the more dangerous it becomes.

What Causes Breathing Difficulty during Asthma Attack?

In general, it's caused when the airways narrows in reaction to certain stimuli, usually something inhaled. These stimuli are commonly called asthma triggers. Although everyone's air passages have the potential to constrict in varying degree, an asthma sufferer's passages are supersensitive and respond to irritants that do not affect other people.

what is an asthma attack?

This is a term used to describe a period of breathing difficulty. People who are in the midst of an asthma attack often experience coughting, chest tightness wheezing and shortness of breath. An asthma attack may be so mild that the person with asthma barely notice it, or an attack can be life-threatening. Asthma affects every individual differently.

What is asthma?

Asthma is a disease in which air passages in the lungs periodically become narrowed, obstructed or even blocked. Medical science classifies asthma as a respiratory disease, because it interferes with the process by which oxygen is delivered to the body's cells -- and, as you know, oxygen is necessary to sustain life.