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Allergies

Allergies are disorders of the immune system. Most allergies symptoms are a result of an immune system that responds to a "false alarm."

When a harmless substance such as dust, mold, or pollen is encountered by a person who is allergic to that substance, the immune system may react dramatically, by producing antibodies that "attack" the allergen (substances that produce allergic reactions).

The result of an allergen entering a susceptible person's body may include wheezing, itching, runny nose, and watery or itchy eyes, and other symptoms.


There are two types of swelling, called a "local" or "systemic" inflammatory response to allergens.

An example of a local inflammatory response is when your allergies affect you in the nose and experience swelling of the nasal mucosa (allergic rhinitis). In this case, you will probably find yourself performing the "nasal salute" because your unusually itchy nose will force you to wipe your nose in an upward direction. If the allergies affect your eyes, redness and itching of the conjunctiva often follows.

Systemic allergic responses are more serious than the local response. Depending on the severity of your allergic reaction, allergies can cause cutaenous reactions, bronchoconstriction, edema, hypertension, coma, and even death.

Some common allergens include:

Foods. Food allergies are most common in infants and often go away as people get older. The foods that people are most commonly allergic to are milk and other dairy products, eggs, wheat, soy, peanuts and tree nuts, and seafood.

Insect bites and stings. The venom (poison) in insect bites and stings can cause allergic reactions, and can be severe and even cause an anaphylactic reaction in some people.

Airborne particles. Often called environmental allergens, these are the most common allergens.

Medicines. Antibiotics - medications used to treat infections - are the most common type of medicines that cause allergic reactions.

Chemicals. Some cosmetics or laundry detergents can make people break out in an itchy rash (hives).

The most effective way of treating allergies is to avoid all contact with the allergen causing the reaction. Allergic reactions can be treated through the use of over-the-counter medications such as antihistamines, decongestants, nasal sprays, eye drops, allergy shots and a variety of medical inhibitors.

Allergies can also be treated naturally through the use of herbal supplements and natural products, such as saline.

Allergic reactions can be very serious. This is called anaphylactic shock. It is a sudden, severe allergic reaction that involves the whole body and it usually happens within minutes of coming into contact with a particular allergen.

The allergic symptoms of anaphylactic shock affect the respiratory and circulatory system and include the following:

• raised blood pressure,
• swelling, and
• breathing difficulties.

Allergies infographic

Wheezing

Wheezing is a high-pitched whistling sound associated with labored breathing.

Wheezing occurs when a person tries to breathe deeply through air passages (bronchia) that are narrowed because of muscle contractions or filled with mucus as a result of: allergy, infection, illness, or irritation. Wheezing is experienced by 10-15% of the population.

Wheezing most commonly occurs when a person is exhaling. It is sometimes accompanied by a mild sensation of tightness in the chest. Anxiety about not being able to breathe easily can cause muscle tension that makes the wheezing worse.


Causes and symptoms

Wheezing is the symptom most associated with asthma. It can be aggravated by dry air and high altitude. A 2001 study also found a connection between nighttime wheezing/asthma and gastroesophageal reflux, or the flow of stomach acid backward into the lower part of the esophagus.

Wheezing can be caused by:

• exposure to allergens (food, pollen, and other substances that cause a person to have an allergic reaction)
• fumes
• ice-cold drinks, or very cold air
• medication
• strenuous exercise
• weather changes
• foreign objects trapped in the airway
• cystic fibrosis and other genetic disorders
• respiratory illnesses like pneumonia, bronchitis, congestive heart failure, and emphysema

The symptoms of wheezing are: labored breathing, whistling sound upon breathing, shortness of breath, and a tight or heavy feeling in the chest.

Medical emergencies

Breathing problems can be life-threatening. Immediate medical attention is required whenever a person:

• turns blue or gray and stops breathing
• becomes extremely short of breath, and is unable to speak
• coughs up bubbly pink or white phlegm
• seems to be suffocating
• develops a fever of 101°F (38.3°C) or higher
• wheezes most of the time, and coughs up gray or greenish phlegm

Diagnosis

A family physician, allergist, or pulmonary specialist takes a medical history that includes questions about allergies, or unexplained symptoms that may be the result of allergic reactions. If the pattern of the patient’s symptoms suggests the existence of allergy, skin and blood tests are performed to identify the precise nature of the problem.

A pulmonary function test may be ordered to measure the amount of air moving through the patient’s breathing passages. X rays are sometimes indicated for patients whose wheezing seems to be caused by chronic bronchitis or emphysema.

Treatment

Patients whose wheezing is related to asthma, chronic bronchitis, emphysema, or a severe allergic reaction may benefit from alternative medicine but they must continue to have their condition monitored by a conventional physician.

Mild wheezing may be relieved by drinking plenty of juice, water, weak tea, and broth. This helps to replace fluids lost because of rapid breathing and loosen mucus in the air passages. Ice-cold drinks should be avoided.

A vaporizer can help clear air passages. A steam tent, created by lowering the face toward a sink filled with hot water, placing a towel over the head and sink, and inhaling the steam, can do likewise.

Herbal remedies

Several herbal remedies exist for the treatment of wheezing and asthma.

• Baical skullcap (Scutellaria baicalensis) decoction relieves wheezing.
• Coltsfoot tea may relieve wheezing.
• Cramp bark (Viburnum opulus) tincture eases breathing.
• Elecampane (Inula helenium) can help to clear mucus.
• Garlic (Allium sativum) can ease asthma symptoms.
• German chamomile (Chamomilla recutita) infusion can relieve wheezing.
• Ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba) eases asthma symptoms.
• Marsh mallow (Althaea officinalis) root eases asthma symptoms.
• Mullein (Verbascum thapsus) tea in a vaporizer relieves wheezing.
• Nettle (Urtica dioca) infusion relieves wheezing.
• Passionflower (Passiflora incarnata) relaxes muscle spasms leading to a reduction in wheezing.
• Thyme (Thymus vulgaris) infusion relieves wheezing.

Ayurvedic treatment

Wheezing can be alleviated by drinking licorice tea. The tea is prepared by steeping one teaspoon of licorice (Yashti madbu) root in one cup of water, adding 5-10 drops of mahanarayan oil just before drinking.

The patient should take one sip every 5-10 minutes. A remedy for breathlessness is a mixture of onion juice (one quarter cup), black pepper (0.125 tsp), and honey (1 tsp).

Mustard seeds have bronchial system healing properties. Brown mustard oil may be massaged onto the chest. A mustard tea (one quarter teaspoon each ground mustard seed and pippali or black pepper) with honey may be drunk two or three times daily or sipped throughout the day. Another mustard remedy is taking brown mustard oil (1 tsp) with natural sugar (1 tsp) two or three times daily.

Homeopathy

Homeopathic remedies are chosen for each patient based on his or her pattern of symptoms. Arsenicum is indicated for patients who experience restlessness, fearfulness, wheezing, and shortness of breath between the hours of midnight and 3 A.M.

Spongia is recommended for those who have dry wheezing, which may occur as the patient is falling asleep, a feeling of suffocation, and a dry cough. Lobelia is for patients with chest tightness and wheezing that is worsened in cold air.

Sambucus is indicated for persons whose wheezing is worsened after midnight, but who don’t experience the fear or restlessness experienced by an arsenicum patient. Pulsatilla is recommended for those who are affectionate, and feel stifled in warm rooms.

Ipecac is for patients who have a lot of phlegm in the lungs (wheezing is accompanied by rattling sounds in the chest), coughing, and possibly vomiting. Bryonia is for patients with dry wheezing, who feel warm and thirsty, and whose symptoms are worsened by motion.


Other remedies

Other treatments for wheezing include:

• Aromatherapy. The essential oils of lavender, eucalyptus, and rosemary can relieve congestion. Adding German chamomile essential oil to a vaporizer can relieve wheezing.
• Diet. Eliminating red meat, and wheat and dairy products and following a macrobiotic diet of vegetarian foods may relieve asthma symptoms.
• Relaxation techniques. Because anxiety can worsen an asthma attack, and therefore wheezing, meditation, biofeedback, deep breathing, or other stress-reduction methods may help promote relaxation.
• Supplements. Magnesium may help to prevent bronchial spasms. The frequency of asthma attacks may be reduced by taking vitamin C and the B complex vitamins.
• Yoga. Certain yoga positions (Bridge, Cobra, Pigeon, and Sphinx) may relieve wheezing by improving breathing control and reducing stress.

Allopathic treatment

Bronchodilators (medications that help widen narrowed airways) may be prescribed for patients whose wheezing is the result of asthma. Antibiotics are generally used to cure acute bronchitis and other respiratory infections.

Expectorants (cough-producing medications) or bronchodilators are prescribed to remove excess mucus from the breathing passages. If wheezing is caused by an allergic reaction, antihistamines will probably be prescribed to neutralize body chemicals that react to the allergen.

A new type of drug was being tested in late 2001 that blocks immunoglobulin E (IgE), an antibody produced in excessive levels in patients with hay fever. The drug also appears to prevent asthma in patients with chronic hay fever. The drug, called omalizumab, is the first in a new line of drugs expected to appear in the next few years.

If wheezing and asthma symptoms worsen in the nighttime, diagnosis and treatment of possible acid reflux in the stomach might ease symptoms.

Expected results

Mild wheezing caused by infection or acute illness usually disappears when the underlying cause is eliminated.

Some doctors believe that childhood respiratory infections may activate parts of the immune system that prevent asthma from developing.

Prevention

Stopping smoking can eliminate wheezing; so can reducing or preventing exposure to allergens or conditions that cause wheezing.

A person prone to wheezing should wear a scarf or surgical mask over the nose and mouth during physical exertion outdoors during cold weather. Likewise, wearing a surgical mask outdoors during the allergy season is helpful for persons whose wheezing is triggered by allergies.

Licorice root tea may prevent asthma (wheezing) attacks. Ayurvedic herbal remedies to prevent asthma symptoms include:

• cinnamon (1 tsp) and trikatu (0.25 tsp) tea with honey twice daily
• licorice and ginger (0.25 tsp each) tea
• bay leaf (0.5 tsp) and pippali (0.25 tsp) mixed in honey taken two or three times daily
• sitopaladi (0.5 tsp), punarnova (0.5 tsp), pippali (pinch), and abrak bhasma (pinch) mixed with honey taken once daily
• spinach juice (0.125 cup) and pippali (pinch) taken twice daily

Bee sting

Venom immunotherapy is the process of injecting venom to treat various conditions. The most common form of venom immunization is bee venom therapy (BVT), with honeybee venom or stingers used to treat conditions.

BVT is one form of apitherapy, which is the therapeutic use of products made by honeybees. Other products used in apitherapy include bee pollen and royal jelly.

Origins

Apitherapy is thousands of years old. In ancient Egypt, venom from bee stings was used to treat arthritis. Hippocrates, the Greek physician known as the “father of medicine,” used bee stings for treatments several centuries before the birth of Christ. Descriptions of apitherapy are found in 2,000-year-old Chinese writings, the Bible, and the Koran.


Bee venom therapy has remained part of folk medicine throughout the centuries. The modern study of apitherapy is said to have started in 1888, with Austrian physician Phillip Terc’s research titled “Report about a Peculiar Connection between the Beestings and Rheumatism.”

Benefits

Although a bee sting is painful for most people, the sting can be fatal to some. Approximately 15% of the population is allergic to the sting of such insects as bees and wasps. Allergic reactions range from mild to life-threatening.

In mainstream allopathic medicine, honeybee venom is used to treat people who are allergic to bee stings. A small amount of venom is injected during desensitization treatments to help patients develop a tolerance to stings.

Honeybee venom immunotherapy is used to treat many other conditions in alternative medicine. BVT is regarded as an effective treatment for arthritis, asthma.

Bee venom is also said to relieve premenstrual syndrome (PMS) and conditions related to menopause. However, BVT is most commonly used as an anti-inflammatory remedy for arthritis and MS. Advocates maintain that it will provide relief for rheumatoid arthritis when injected into the joints.

Bee venom is also used to lessen the pain and swelling of osteoarthritis as well as such inflammations and injuries as tendinitis and bursitis. Furthermore, people diagnosed with MS say that BVT significantly reduces symptoms that include muscle spasms and tiredness.

Description

Bee venom therapy involves the injection of venom by a needle, insertion of the stinger, or stinging by live bees. While a licensed physician must give injections, other treatments can be done by a bee venom therapist, a beekeeper, the patient, or a friend or relative.

The cost and length of treatment depends on the condition, as well as when and where a person is treated. If a physician provides the treatment, the doctor’s appointment may be covered by health insurance. Rates for other therapies are set by beekeepers and bee venom therapists. Information about these providers can be found through organizations such as the American Apitherapy Society.

The society’s resources include an extensive web site with information about BVT. Apitherapy resources include books and videos about home treatment. Live bees can be ordered by mail; one business in June 2000 charged $50 for four boxes, each containing about 60 bees.

When live bees are utilized, tweezers are used to remove one bee from a container such as a box, jar, or hive. The bee is held over the area to be treated until it stings the patient. The stinger is removed after three to five minutes.

Patients receive an average of two to five stings per session. The number of stings and the number of sessions varies with the condition treated. Tendinitis might require two to three stings per session for two to five sessions. Arthritis is sometimes treated with several stings per session at two to three weekly sessions.

MS may take months to treat. While BVT advocates say MS patients are more energetic after several sessions, they maintain that treatment should be done two to three times weekly for six months.

Preparations

Before beginning venom immunotherapy, a person should be tested for allergies. If a relative or friend plans to help with the therapy, that person should be tested too. Bee venom may cause a severe allergic reaction called anaphylaxis.

The symptoms of anaphylaxis include shock, respiratory distress, and in some cases, death. Even if tests indicate that a person isn’t allergic to bee stings, it is important to obtain an emergency bee-sting allergy kit before beginning treatment.

Precautions

People should check with their doctor or practitioner before beginning bee venom immunotherapy. The therapy is not recommended for pregnant women, diabetics, people with heart conditions, tuberculosis, or infections.

An allergy test is a must before starting bee venom therapy. A person who is allergic to bee stings should not start venom treatment. In some cases, scarring and infections have resulted when the stinger was left in too long.

Side effects

If there is an allergic reaction to bee venom therapy, emergency treatment should be started. Such symptoms as minor itching and swelling, however, are not causes for alarm. They are signs of the healing process.

Research and general acceptance

During the late 1990s, researchers in countries including the United States, France, and Russia began researching the effect of bee venom immunotherapy on humans. Before that, research with such animals as mice indicated that venom could be beneficial for treating inflammatory conditions.

Anecdotal reports by people with MS indicated that venom immunotherapy is effective. Those supporting the study of this therapy include the Multiple Sclerosis Association of America and the American Apitherapy Society. As of June 2000, it remains to be seen whether bee venom immunotherapy is effective.

Training and certification

Although a doctor can administer bee venom therapy, no specific training or certification is required to perform the therapy. Training in handling bees is recommended. Organizations such as the American Apitherapy Society can provide information about training and therapy providers.