Allergy Testing

Getting allergies is bad, having asthma is worse and having allergy induced asthma is a total nightmare, since this type of asthma is mostly triggered by anything and everything that you can possibly think of. Contrary to popular belief allergic asthma is not only caused by spores, animal dander, pollen and the other things that you find floating in the air. It can also be caused by cold weather, hot weather, the artificial flavorings that you find in most foods nowadays, and up to the cleaning agents that you might be using when "supposedly" eliminating your other allergens.

So as said earlier, it's a nightmare to have this kind of asthma. The worse part is that more and more people are being diagnosed with this type of asthma because of adverse changes in the climate and worsening case of pollution. Allergy induced asthma can prevent you from participating in activities that you might enjoy, also limiting your capacity for school, work and mostly everything else.

But not everything is at a loss, due to the advancements being made in the field of conventional and alternative medicine; there are many methods and treatments that can come to your aid when trying to achieve relief from your condition. Here are a few examples:

Environmental Control: More in terms of your control rather than your doctors as it does not depend on any medication whatsoever. This will only involve a single procedure called Allergy Testing, where doctors will try to see your reaction of common allergens by putting small patches of it on your skin. This will allow you to see what your particular allergens. Armed with this knowledge it is then up to you on what your action plans are about these allergens. Environmental control involves making certain changes in the way that you live, changes in your home and even in what you eat. Limiting your exposure to allergens will allow your immune system that much needed recovery time, thereby strengthening your immunity to any unavoidable exposure in the future.

Alternative medications: there are many alternative medications that will help you deal with your condition while strengthening your body and immune system making you less prone to attacks caused by allergic reactions. Licorice, ginger, ginkgo biloba for example have been used by many people in the past to help with asthma and have observed vast improvements in their general health and control of the condition. Preparations are simple, effective, can work well along with conventional medication and not to mention cheap.

Immunotherapy: or aptly called allergy shots. Is the process of making your body less sensitive to your triggers by exposing you to very small amounts over a period of time? Results may tend to vary and although there have been some reports that this methods works, some divisions of conventional medicine still regard immunotherapy as inconclusive when it comes to the treatment of allergy induced asthma in general.

There are other methods that you can choose from when you want to get relief from your condition, try to ask your doctor about the other techniques and what might work well for you.

If you are suffering from allergies it is important to avoid any stimulus that causes your allergies. People who are allergic to different foods need to make sure that they identify the foods and eliminate it from their diet. The same thing goes with makeup allergies. It is important look for hypoallergenic makeup brands that don't have the chemical that you are allergic too.

Anyone who is interested in getting allergy relief needs to know the chemical that they are allergic too. You could know that you are allergic to a specific product, but you don't know what chemical in the product you are allergic too. Talking to your doctor about the specific product can often give you information about ways to get testing to find out what allergy you have.

Once you know the chemical that you have allergies to, you will need to ensure that you avoid products that contain these chemicals. This is where learning how to read labels is important. If you know the chemical that you are allergic to you can avoid products that contain those products.

There are many different hypoallergenic makeup brands that offer a variety of different items that are meant to be allergy free. The important part about finding the right makeup is to avoid buying things that will cause your reactions to occur. There are a variety of different products that are available.

Because there is not regulation among different hypoallergenic makeup brands, it is important that you find something that can work for you. Look at different brands that have a good reputation when you are looking for something to purchase. This will ensure that you get the allergy relief that you need.

So, what's your primary allergy trigger? Pollen, mold or maybe your pets?

If you don't know what causes your allergies or asthma to flare, how can you avoid further contact with your particular irritant?

If you have suffered from allergies for a number of years, or have the added concern of allergy-triggered asthma attacks, it may be time to get tested. Allergy testing is the most efficient way to determine what exact element in your environment is causing your body to react. Rather than avoid all of the possible allergens both indoors and outside, once you know your allergy type, you can stop stressing and target the cause alone.

So, why lock yourself indoors to avoid pollen if you're really allergic to mold (that will grow in your home anyway?) Or why rip up your carpets and ditch your curtains to keep away dust mites when bathing your pets in anti-allergy shampoos would offer you more relief?

Here are a few common tests to determine the cause of your allergies:

RAST Allergy Test

For this test, a small amount of blood is drawn and tested. Later, a lab technician will add trace amount of allergens with some of the patient's drawn blood. Under a microscope, the amount of allergy antibody or IgE is produced by the blood is measured and used to determine how allergic you are to the allergen. Usually this method is better in cases of severe reactions, because only a small sample of blood is reacting to the allergens instead of your whole body.

Skin Prick or Scratch Test Allergy Test

This is the most common type of allergy testing- it is very effective and inexpensive. This test involves placing a small amount of allergen on the skin of the forearm, upper arm or back and then scratching or pricking the skin so that the allergen penetrates the skin's surface. Any allergen that produces a reaction will cause the skin to turn a bit red and swell slightly, so that it looks a bit like a mosquito bite. Several allergens can be tested at the same time and it only takes 20 minutes to get the results.

Intradermal Allergy Test

This second method of skin testing is more sensitive and yields very consistent results. For this test, a small amount of allergen to be injected just under the skin's surface. Several allergens can be tested at once and after about 20 minutes, a small hive or red, swollen area with appear on the skin.

How to Prepare for Testing:

• Before being tested, stop taking all antihistamines or else the results of the test may not be accurate. Typically your doctor will tell you what medicines to avoid taking before the test.



• The allergist or healthcare provider performing the test will ask for a detailed medical history as well as questions about past illnesses, eating habits, lifestyle, work environment, emotional and social conditions, etc. All of this information helps them in determining the cause and prescribed treatment of you allergies.

• In cases where your skin is pricked or scratched, you may feel mild discomfort. If you have a "positive reaction" (allergic reaction) to one of the sample allergens used in the test, the area may be itchy for a little while.



• If you are worried about having a severe reaction, bring along some benedryl or other antihistamine to take after the test is completed.



• After it is determined what allergens you are most sensitive to, you will be better able to avoid exposure, which in turn will reduce your dependency on medications to control symptoms.

Humans and mold have lived together since the very beginning, but mold has become a big health issue only recently. So many cases of toxic mold poisoning have come to light recently that people can't help but be concerned.

Because this concern is so new, we have only just begun studying the effects of black mold and pregnancy. There isn't much real evidence, but doctors are very concerned about how exposure to black mold during pregnancy can affect babies.

Black Mold and Birth Defects

There are countless stories of women being exposed to mold during pregnancy and suffering miscarriage or birth defects. However, there is not yet any solid hard scientific evidence that exposure to mold directly causes birth defects. Studies with animals have shown that there is a definite link between black mold and pregnancy, but animals are different than humans, so the results are somewhat inconclusive.

Still, most doctors assume that there is some connection, and that pregnant women should be careful about exposure.

Asthma and Pregnancy

Modern scientific studies say that the causes of lifelong chronic allergies are both genetic and environmental.

A lot of evidence states that the development of allergies and asthma actually begins in the womb. This is especially the case with asthma. Researchers are finding out that asthma may not be genetic at all. It is caused by triggers in the environment. Studies show that asthma sufferers develop the condition at some point in their lives due to exposure to toxins, such as mold. It may begin in the uterus.

SIDS And Mold

Some studies have suggested that there may be a link between Sudden Infant Death Syndrome and exposure to black mold in the womb. There are also a variety of chronic fatigue illnesses that children who have been exposed to mold may suffer. Still, the studies have not been done to show whether this is fully the case or not.

What You Can Do

If you have just found that you are pregnant, or if you are just starting to worry about mold, you should get your home or workplace tested for mold. You can get a home testing kit from the hardware store. It is probably a good idea to start off your pregnancy in a mold-free environment. Nobody knows the exact relation between mold and birth defects, allergies and asthma, but it's better to be safe than sorry.

For your baby's health, it is also important to keep your house mold-free after birth. There are no studies showing that mold has an effect on breast feeding, but mold is definitely unhealthy for your baby's general health.

One more thing to think about is your workplace. Many women work in the early or middle stages of pregnancy and it is often more difficult to find mold in a building where you work than in your home. Ask your boss about mold inspections, especially if you work in an old building. If you can see or smell mold in your workplace, you are definitely in danger.

If your boss or supervisor will not do anything about the mold problem, you can seek a legal solution. There are laws to protect you and your unborn baby's health.

When it comes to the topic of food allergies, many of us think of young children and peanut allergies. After all, the sometimes-fatal reactions of those with peanut allergies are responsible for warnings on food, in restaurants, and other establishments where one may come in contact with peanuts or peanut residue. You should know, though, that food allergies go well beyond peanuts, young children, and physical reactions.

In addition to health risks such as heart disease, diabetes, and a host of obesity-related illnesses and complications, have you ever made a connection between food and mood? Not alcohol or other drugs, but foods. More specifically, food allergies may be responsible for a significant number of mental health related issues!

There are actually four different types of food allergies (IgE ,IgG, IgM, and IgA) that can have an effect on your digestive system and, in turn, your mental healthfulness. IgE allergies are the type of food allergies that get the most attention. Occurring in roughly 2-5% of the population, mainly children, these are the allergies that present in frightening suddenness. Delayed food allergies, IgG, or food sensitivities can show reactive effects up to several days later, so often the connection between an ailment and the food(s) eaten isn't even made by the sufferer or perhaps even any medical practitioners with whom they consult. Shockingly, 45-60% of the population suffers from delayed food allergies, many of them never being aware of it.

These delayed food reactions have been linked to over 100 different allergic symptoms and 150 different medical diseases. The mental health issues associated with delayed food allergies include: ADHD, anxiety, autism, chronic fatigue (which can go beyond just physical feelings and affect mental health, as well), depression, dizziness (often associated with anxiety), hyperactivity, lethargy, PMS, tension, weight gain and weight loss (both of which tend to have an effect on self-esteem).

So how exactly do these food allergies and reactions contribute to the mental health issues named above? Quite simply, studies have already shown a connection between stress, inflammation, and disease. If you ever eat as a result of feeling stress, your chances of developing inflammation and food allergies is increased. This then leads to the effects on mental and physical health.

The most common food sensitivities include: peanuts, cow's milk, eggs, sugar substitutes (aspartame, saccharine), soybeans, fish, shellfish, and wheat. For most of us, many of these are foods we eat frequently. And with a statistic like up to 60% of Americans have delayed food allergies, it is cause for concern.

There are different ways to test for food allergies. You can ask your general practitioner to test, you can ask for a referral to an allergist, there are even home blood and saliva tests. They can cost up to several hundred dollars but the investment in your health is well worth it, even if insurance does not cover them.

IgE Food Allergy Test

o Skin test. A skin prick test can determine your reaction to particular foods. In this test, small amounts of suspected foods are placed on the skin of your forearm or back. Your skin is then pricked with a needle, to allow a tiny amount of the substance beneath your skin surface. If you're allergic to a particular substance being tested, you develop a raised bump or reaction.

o Blood test or BloodSpot A blood test can measure your immune system's response to particular foods by assessing the amount of allergy-type antibodies in your bloodstream, known as immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibodies. A blood sample is then sent to a medical laboratory, where different foods can be tested. IgG Food Allergy Test

o ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) test analyzes IgG Food Antibody Profile measures levels of IgG antibodies for commonly offending foods. It clearly identifies those foods that may be causing health problems.

Other things you can do at home, to decrease your food reactions, are: exercise, take appropriate supplements, and avoid foods you think or know are problematic for you. If you find that eliminating certain food from your diet increases your wellness, it's entirely possible you were suffering from delayed food allergies!

Some of the most common supplements food allergy sufferers use include omega 3 fatty acids (DHA and EPA), and probiotics. It is always a good idea to check with your family doctor before adding supplements to your diet, especially if you are on any other medications, prescribed or otherwise. There can be interactions and other effects that will end up just adding to your problems. Better safe than sorry, as they say.

You can't watch a crime drama on TV, or the news (think Anna Nicole Smith) for very long nowadays without hearing about DNA. DNA testing can tell who fathered a child. It can rescue an innocent inmate from prison, or prove the case against a criminal. DNA testing can give you an idea of certain diseases you are more likely to develop than other people. DNA can also link you with your ancestors and show you where they might have come from.

But what exactly is DNA? Deoxyribonucleic Acid is a sort of blueprint for every cell in your body. Your genes are made from DNA. You get half from your mother, and half from your father. The only two people that can have identical DNA are identical twins. In every other case, DNA is a so-called genetic fingerprint. Because it is unique, police and prosecutors look to DNA samples to help catch and convict criminals. In the legal system, DNA samples must be handled carefully.

But people can take their own DNA tests in the privacy of their homes. A blood sample is not necessary. All that is needed is a few cells from the lining of the cheek. A scraping of the lining taken with a swab is enough to do DNA testing. It is most commonly used to determine paternity.

The kit for the test can be ordered online, or bought at a drugstore. The cost for a simple paternity test runs between $100 and $250. You take your own sample, and send it to the lab. If you are trying to establish paternity, you also need a swab of the possible father's cheek, and of the child's cheek. Most labs that do this testing say that they can tell you with greater than 99% accuracy if the person sampled is the child's father, and 100% if he is not.

There are also ways to get the possible father's DNA surreptitiously. Sometimes labs can run the test from a piece of chewed gum, or a hair. Each lab is different, and less-than-perfect samples cost hundreds of dollars more to test.

What else can you do at home? You can prove other familial relationships if there is some question. You can also have your DNA tested to look into your ancestry. The National Geographic Society is even collecting DNA samples from all over the world to create a sort of genetic world map. You can participate by conducting an at-home DNA test, which costs about $100.

Some other types of home DNA testing are probably best avoided. One company says it can tell you as early as 7 to 8 weeks into a pregnancy what the sex of the unborn baby will be. This is allegedly possible because some of the baby's blood mixes in with the mother's blood. You take a sample of the mother's blood at home. If the lab finds a Y chromosome in any of the sample, the baby will be a boy, because only males have a Y chromosome. If no Y chromosome is found, the baby will be a girl. This whole area of DNA testing is not proven, and there are lawsuits at the current time against companies that reported the unborn child's sex incorrectly. There are also ethical issues even if this test were to be perfect.

Another category of DNA testing exists, genetic testing for markers of certain medical conditions. Usually, if this kind of test is necessary, your doctor will order it, and it will be done in a lab that is certified to give accurate results. More importantly, your doctor can advise you what the test means. If you have a certain gene, you have an increased probability of developing a certain disease. It doesn't mean you will get the disease, and a negative test does not mean you won't.

You can do these tests at home. But you will not have anyone to explain what the results really mean. Still, people do these tests, sometimes for privacy, or in order to prevent health insurance companies from knowing the results and perhaps raising their rates. But to test for the right conditions and actually understand what the results mean, you should see your doctor, or in some cases, a geneticist.

As of today, at-home DNA testing is best used to determine paternity or other familial relationships when there is no legal requirement, or to get information about your ancestry.

Everyone knows that allergies cause sneezing, itchy, watery eyes, and nasal congestion and that for some people these symptoms can be more severe than for others. For these people allergies can feel like a curse, making them feel sleepy, irritable and downright miserable. There are many medical explanations for allergies, including the theory that the body is overreacting to the typical allergens.

But there's one other reason why some people with allergies are more affected than others, and this has to do with their jaw size. If you had normal-sized jaw anatomy, then it's less likely an allergy attack would bother you; in fact, it's less likely you'll even have allergies in the first place. Let me explain.

Why Your Jaw Size Matters

If you have smaller than normal jaws, it means that there's less space for your tongue, so it takes up relatively too much space, especially when you're on your back due to gravity. Even worse, whenever you're in deep sleep, due to muscle relaxation, you'll stop breathing to wake up and turn over. During these breathing pauses, a vacuum effect is created temporarily, which literally suctions up your normal stomach juices into your throat and nose. It's been shown that stomach bacteria and digestive enzymes can be found in sinus and lung washings. This leads to inefficient sleep, which eventually makes your nervous system and immune system overactive.

This is why it's important to avoid eating too close to bedtime. The more juices you have in your stomach, the more it'll come up and cause nasal inflammation. And since alcohol is a strong muscle relaxant, indulging in a glass of wine before bedtime can make you stop breathing more often and cause more stomach juices to come up into your throat, in addition to heightening your immune and nervous systems.

What You May Not Know Will Surprise You

Sometimes, what seems to be allergy symptoms may not be related to allergies at all. Whether or not your allergy testing is positive, you may be suffering from non-allergic rhinitis or chronic rhinitis, which is linked to sleep breathing problems or silent acid reflux (LPRD). With non-allergenic rhinitis, your nose becomes sensitive to temperature, pressure, humidity changes, chemicals, odors, and emotions. Non-allergic rhinitis responds somewhat to allergy medications, so you may think you have an allergy problem.

One of the most under-appreciated things that most allergy sufferers (and doctors) don't think about is getting a good night's sleep. It's been shown that lack of quality (or quantity of) sleep can adversely affect your immune system through the following mechanism: a low-grade physiologic stress response is created which heightens your immune system, making it over-react to common pollens or other allergens. (The same process occurs with your nervous system, too). So how does this relate to allergies?

Hay Fever Defined

Hay fever (or allergic rhinitis) results in congestion, sneezing, runny nose, irritated eyes and other annoying symptoms for more than 35 million Americans every year. It occurs when your body has an allergic reaction to something in your environment. During this time of the year, ragweed is the most common cause of hay fever, though mold, pet dander, dust mites and cockroaches can also cause allergies year-round.

When your body comes in contact with these allergens, your immune system kicks into overdrive. At the initial allergen exposure, the body creates an antibody called immunoglobulin (IgE), which rests on a type of white blood cells called mast cells. After repeated exposure to the same allergen, a massive release of histamines and other inflammatory mediators occurs. The end result-runny nose, watery eyes and sneezing.

When Allergies Cause You Misery

Obviously, a little sneezing and congestion never hurt anyone. For most people, these symptoms are no more than a mere nuisance and most can get by without any medications or for others, simple over-the-counter medications. However, some people with allergies feel completely miserable, with poor sleep and severe daytime fatigue.

Anything that causes swelling or inflammation in your nose or throat can set off a vicious cycle where due to narrowing of the upper air passageways, the soft tissues of the throat (palate and/or the tongue) start to obstruct your breathing, which creates a vacuum effect in your throat that suctions up normal stomach juices into your throat. This causes more swelling and inflammation in your throat and nose, aggravating this self-perpetuating cycle.

Steps You Can Take

During allergy seasons (trees during the spring, ragweed during the fall, molds all year round), there are a number of conservative step you can take to lessen your symptoms, to more formal medical treatments:

- Stay indoors during high pollen counts with air conditioning

- Wash your hair before going to bed if you've been outdoors during the day. You don't want to rub your face on your pollen-contaminated pillow all night long

- Most plants release pollens in the early morning, so if possible stay indoors until after 10AM. Pollen and molds can also be high in the late afternoon and early evening hours

- Wash your bedding every week in very hot water

- Invest in allergy-free bedding (if you're allergic to dust mites)

- Try the Asian custom of taking off your shoes before entering your living spaces. Think about all the microscopic dust, pollen, molds and dirt that get tracked into your house, where your toddler is crawling on.

- Invest in a HEPA filter for your bedroom

- Keep pets out of the bedroom

- Remove rug or carpeting from the bedroom

- Finish eating at least 3-4 hours before bedtime

- Avoid alcohol within 3-4 hours of bedtime

- Regularly practice yoga, breathing, tai chi, or some form rhythmic meditative breathing (which also includes swimming).

A few natural and/or herbal remedies include:

- Regular irrigation with nasal saline. There are many options, including a Neti-pot, saline sprays, mists, pumps and squeeze bottles. The key is to find something you're comfortable with that you'll use every day.

- Butterbur and stinging nettle extracts are two herbs that have anti-allergy properties. You can find them at any health food store or order them online. If the above conservative options are not good enough, you can try any of these over-the-counter allergy medications:

- Loratadine (brand name Claritin, Allavert, etc.) or Zyrtec. Zyrtec is stronger, but has a slightly higher chance of making you drowsy. If you take it regularly at night before you got to bed, this any potential drowsiness won't be an issue and this effect wears off after a few days.

- Diphenhydramine (Benadryl). This is an older, stronger antihistamine, which can definitely make you drowsy. It's also used to severe allergic reactions and rashes.

- Oxymetazoline (Afrin) can be used for severe nasal congestion only occasionally and should be used no more than 2-3 days at a time.

If you also have nasal congestion, then you can get the "-D" version of the various antihistamines. The D stands for decongestant, which is usually an oral version of phenylephrine or pseudo-ephedrine. This can sometimes be stimulating, so if you're sensitive to these medications, don't take it just before bedtime. If you have high blood pressure or a heart condition, talk to your medical doctor before taking these specific medications.

There are a number of prescription medications for allergy: Allegra (which should be coming out over-the-counter soon), nasal steroid sprays (Flonase, Nasonex, Rhinocort, Nasacort, Veramyst), and Singulair. Astelin is an antihistamine nasal spray. Different people respond differently to each of these medications, so it's important to talk to your doctor about which one may be right for you. My preference for moderate to severe allergies is to use one of the topical nasal steroid sprays on a regular basis, since it works much better at preventing allergies, as well as treating it. In general, these sprays are not absorbed into the body in significant amounts and can be used for long periods.

Allergy shots (immunotherapy) are another option that you may want to consider if your allergies don't respond to medications or if you don't want to depend on medications as much. With immunotherapy, the sufferer receives regular injections of purified allergen extracts for between two to five years. The goal of immunotherapy is to rewire the immune system so it no longer overacts to allergens and causes hay fever.

Putting It All Together

If you have an underlying sleep-breathing problem such as obstructive sleep apnea or upper airway resistance syndrome (most people to some degree), then it's likely that you'll have some kind of allergies or nonallergic rhinitis, whether mild or severe. Not only will your nose be overly sensitive to allergens or weather changes, it can also be irritated by your stomach juices.

This process supports observations that children who were bottle-fed as infants have higher rates of allergies later as children. It's been suggested that bottle-feeding promotes jaw narrowing and dental crowding, which leads to smaller airways. This occurs despite the protective effects of the mother's antibodies in breast milk, since it may be given in a bottle. So the next time you suffer from seasonal allergies or even year-round allergies, resist the temptation to simply take a pill. Go down the list of conservative options I've outlined, and most importantly, optimize your sleep quality. Any activity that's calming and relaxing to your nervous system (yoga, breathing exercises, tai chi, swimming) can also help to alleviate your symptoms. Many of you will be surprised to find that conservative and simple lifestyle changes can lead to many more allergy-free, symptom-free days.

Every spring, Brian takes few hours to admire the tulips in his garden. However, every time he goes out to tiptoe among the tulips, he comes down with an awful case of hay fever. And every year, he is not really sure of the cause.

Allergies seldom travel alone
Could Brian's allergic rhinitis be caused by tulip pollen? Brian had been testing at the doctor's office and found that he was only slightly allergic to tulips, but maybe standing in an entire garden of tulips was just too much.

Could Brian's allergies be caused by trees blooming at the same as the tulips? Or molds growing on leaves that spent much of the winter underneath the snow? Or maybe the shoes he kept in a damp closet all winter before he decided to take his tiptoe through the tulip beds were shedding fungi that made Brian sneeze, wheeze, and tear.

Every environment is rich in multiple sources of allergens
The simple fact is, most allergic rhinitis have multiple causes. We inhale pollen from different kinds of plants at the same time. We inhale dander form our own pets, but also from any of the neighbors' pets with whom our pets interact during the day. We inhale fumes from our household care products, but also from our neighbor's household care products, and the products used at work, school, and the places we go for community events.

Allergic rhinitis symptoms are caused by allergic load.
The reality of multiple causes for allergy symptoms has caused some doctors to describe the triggers for allergy attacks in terms of allergic load. A person's allergic load is the total of airborne allergens, food allergens, and other toxins in the environment that generate symptoms that tell you something is wrong.

How high or low your personal allergic load may be depends on your general state of health, your genetics, your consumption of antioxidants from plant foods, and your use of medications. But most allergies are like the last straw that broke the camel's back. If you could remove just one allergy trigger from your life, you just might not have symptoms next time. Or you might find a novel and effective non-drug way to reduce your sensitivity to allergens without changing your environment.

Acupressure is one way to change your allergic load
In a study conducted at the School of Nursing at Chung Gong University in Taiwan, researchers found that acupressure treatments eliminated nearly 95 per cent of symptoms in clinical trial participants who suffered allergies and asthma. A review of 92 studies by the World Health Organization found that acupressure was as effective as prescription medication for relieving short-term symptoms and more effective than any other natural or conventional therapy for relieving long-term symptoms.

But what about cost? Does acupressure require trips to yet another expensive specialist?

Is there any way to do acupressure at home?
Providing just the right amount of pressure in just the right places. Acupressure nose massager extends the benefits of antihistamines, herbs, and good housekeeping. With the daily application of nose massage, you may get control over your allergy symptoms for good, without drugs, without shots, and without making major changes in your life.

We all know that as we age, our skin changes. This process is influenced by many factors; it could be internal factors(genetics, age), external factors (sun-exposure, stress, smoking, drinking) and the combination of both. The development of wrinkles and facial folds stage a big dilemma for many of us.

In the fight against wrinkles best results can be achieved by combining a preventive wrinkle treatment with corrective wrinkle treatments. Although Botox簧 and Dysport??(or treatments alike) are highly effective wrinkle reducers, when it comes to wrinkles that have developed due to repetitive facial muscle movements, however these treatments are not suitable to be used as a wrinkle filler neither on already existing facial lines, nor on wrinkles caused by excessive sun-exposure.

But worry not! With the advantages of dermal filler injections, you can the erase the signs of aging. Filler injections can help by filling the existing facial folds, restoring lost volume and improving skin structure. Whether your need is to rejuvenate skin, smooth away wrinkles or enhance facial contours or lips - there is a dermal filler to do just that.

Wrinkle fillers are the perfect solution for people who prefer less invasive, non-surgical procedures. Advances in dermal filler treatments have made even full-face rejuvenations possible - without surgery. A highly effective non-surgical face lift usually consists of Dysport??or Botox簧 Cosmetic injections and a combination of facial line fillers.

Until recently, whenever people have talked about filler injections, they were referring to some type of collagen-based dermal filler. This type of collagen is a liquid protein that is extracted from cowhide. Because of the nature of this filler, some people have allergic reactions to it, therefore an allergy test is usually performed before it could be used on a patient.

To the contrary, some of the best wrinkle fillers are not derived from collagen, but rather, from substances naturally occurring in our bodies; such as hyaluronic acid and calcium hydroxylapatite (a natural substance which exists in human bones and teeth). Since both of these substances occur naturally in the human body, these fillers require no allergy testing prior to treatment.

Radiesse簧 is one of the longest lasting wrinkle filler, its effects can last for 12-18 months. Radiesse filler is approved by the FDA, not only for cosmetic applications, but for medical uses as well. Its microspheres consist of calcium hydroxylapatite and they are suspended within a gel carrier. The gel carrier gradually resolves and is replaced with your own body's natural soft-tissue. Therefore it will remain soft and pliable and will take on the characteristics of the surrounding tissue. That makes Radiesse filler a great choice for non-surgical face-lift and facial contouring.

Typical Radiesse injections could be used in many ways: smoothing and contouring smile lines or nasolabial folds, acne scars, facial defects or recessions, frown lines and forehead wrinkles. As a facial line filler, Radiesse injection can also help by adding or restoring volume in and around the cheeks, or correcting asymmetrical features. However, when injected in the lips this substance can form nodules, or small lumps, in some patients.

For lip injections, Restylane簧 filler would be a great choice. Restylane簧 is made from non-animal based hyaluronic acid and it was developed as the first collagen-replacement therapy. It's proven to give long-lasting - up to 6 months - correction of moderate-to-severe facial wrinkles. Restylane injections could also be used for lip augmentation and/or enhancement.

Perlane簧 dermal filler was developed by the makers of Restylane簧 for the treatment of deeper facial wrinkles and folds, such as forehead wrinkles and nasolabial folds. It is excellent for non-surgical facial contouring. Perlane簧 is also a hyaluronic acid wrinkle filler that has been used across the world. It is also a popular dermal filler for the correction of facial depressions and scarring, and often used for lip injections.

Prevelle簧 Silk is another dermal filler that works by increasing the amount of hyaluronic acid naturally found in your skin, thus reducing the appearance of facial lines, wrinkles and folds. That's what makes Prevelle簧 Silk and excellent facial line filler.

Juvederm簧 filler is also made of hyaluronic acid. This injectable gel wrinkle filler was developed by the makers of Botox Cosmetic. Juvederm is ofter used in lip injections, as the gel base provides a very smooth, natural look. Studies show superior results of Juvederm簧 compared to a collagen-based dermal filler. In addition, Juvederm filler is the first FDA-approved hyaluronic acid dermal filler that is proven to be safe and effective for persons of color.

Since these filler injections usually do not pose a threat in form of allergic reactions, side-effects are mostly injection-related. Some of these injection-related side-effects are swelling, itching and tenderness, but the most common issue is the pain and discomfort that is caused by the needle penetration and the suddenly expanding tissue.

That's what inspired some of the dermal filler manufacturers to provide patients with a more comfortable treatment. Thus the idea of a painless wrinkle filler was born. If you want a more youthful appearance, but you're concerned about the potential discomfort, now you can get the same results without the pain. These brand new fillers have the added benefit of a local anesthetic to reduce injection-site pain during the procedure. By combining lidocaine with these highly effective fillers, the solution itself helps reduce discomfort during and after treatment. And that reduces your downtime to the very minimum; you will be able to walk out of your doctor's office the minute your procedure is done, with smoother skin and soft, natural results.

Some of the biggest brand-names, that are currently offering this new line of wrinkle fillers are Restylane簧, Perlane簧, Juvederm簧, Prevelle簧 and Artefill簧.

Allergies are a common health condition many individuals experience. In the US alone, it is estimated that allergy-associated problems affect 20% of the total population - and that is a conservative estimate. It is believed that the figure is higher than that if 'non-traditional' allergies are included such as migraine headache or digestive reactions to foods and substances.

With the estimated figure above, no wonder that there are lots of individuals who are going to chiropractors asking help to address allergy-related issues. Many choose this alternative as it is a more natural approach compared to conventional medical treatments.

So, how do chiropractors address allergy problems?

Chiropractors take a holistic approach to treating allergy problems; they do not address the allergy alone but the root cause of the problem as well. Here are some techniques used by chiropractors to address allergies and sensitivities:

• Meridian Stress Assessment - it is a computerized analysis that measures the electrical (galvanic) conductivity in your acupoints. A chiropractor stimulates the body with sub-sensory electric signals, which serves as the 'electrical blueprints' of a suspected allergen. The result or change in readings of the acupoints is analyzed. An out-of-range acupoints reading indicates sensitivity and severity.


• Kinesiology - also known as muscle testing and is used to simple conditions. The procedure includes testing of a strong muscle with an allergen and examining that muscle if it weakens after the exposure.


• ASERT treatment - stands for Allergy and Sensitivity Elimination Reprogramming Technique, a unique procedure that involves laser stimulation of both the central nervous system and the acupoints with 'electrical blueprints' of the identified allergens, which reprograms the brain/body with the new message telling that these substances cause no harm.


• Nutritional and Lifestyle Counseling - in addition to some laboratory procedures, a patient with allergy issues may be given nutritional and lifestyle counseling, which helps that person adjusts to eating a much healthier foods and embrace a much healthier lifestyle. He may also receive customized or specialized diet guidelines (e.g. therapeutic elimination diet or cleansing protocols).

Finding a good chiropractor in your area

You might want to consider going to a chiropractor to seek for help so it is imperative that you go to a proven-reputable one. The Internet can be a great help to find some prospects. You can search through local directories such as Google Places, Yahoo Local, Yelp, etc. - they are huge repositories of local businesses info in your area, including chiropractor local listings.