Allergy Testing

Dog skin allergies are one of the most common types of allergies in dogs. Many dogs have this allergy when they are born, or develop it due to various reasons later in their life.

As a dog owner, it is important to find out if your dog has an allergic skin and find solutions for it.

Dog skin allergies can be temporary and simple, or long-lasting or even permanent.

So it is important to discover the specific type of skin allergy your dog has, and then plan a way to cure it based on it.

There are generally three types of skin allergies...

Allergy Type #1: Immune-Mediated Skin Allergies

When there is a problem in the immune system function of your dog, this allergy is very likely to appear.

Because of that, your dog may experience regular skin infections - more often that normal because of every day accidents.

Then it is time that you start getting suspicious that maybe something is wrong with the way your dog's body operates.

Allergy Type #2: Canine Atopic Dermatitis
This type of allergy is a chronic allergic skin disease. You may see it in your dog usually by 10 months of age up to 2 years of age.

If your dog has this allergy, you may notice he is very itchy, especially around the eye area. Also his feet may be very itchy too.

Allergy Type #3: Infectious Skin Diseases
Dogs with this type of skin allergy, usually experience hair loss in some parts of their body - especially legs.

Infectious skin diseases of dogs include contagious and non-contagious infections or infestations. Contagious infections include parasitic, bacterial, fungal and viral skin diseases.

So as you see, this type of skin allergy in your dog is the most serious and dangerous of all. So if you see the signs of it, it is highly recommended that you take him to the vet as soon as possible.

NOTE: Another common type of allergies in dogs is food allergies. So if you are seeing some symptoms in your dog, have you thought that is might be a food allergy - not skin allergy?

You can find out more about signs of dog food allergies and compare it to find out which one your dog is really allergic to.

For millions of us allergy sufferers, antihistamines ease the annoying discomfort accompanying allergic reactions. Being an allergy sufferer myself, through the decades I have taken both over-the-counter and prescription antihistamines, some of which have been discontinued. Allergic reaction symptoms include nasal congestion, sneezing, coughing, headache, and itching indicating sensitization to certain allergens such as pollen, mold, dust, or insect venom. Repeated exposure results in allergic reactions due to antigen-antibody interactions.

First, antigens come into contact with lung, gastrointestinal tract, and/or skin tissue, and enter into the bloodstream. Next, mast cells and white blood cells misidentify these as invaders and inappropriately respond by releasing histamines causing tissue injury. The severity of the allergic reaction is directly proportional to the amount of histamine released.

Histamines dilate small blood vessels and capillaries, but contract smooth muscles. Responses include decreased blood pressure, increased heart rate, difficulty breathing, constipation or diarrhea, heartburn and nausea, and proteins and fluids leaking from capillaries. Nasal mucous membrane capillaries leaking, result in nasal congestion. Skin capillaries leaking produce hives and swelling resulting in pain and itching.

Thankfully all antihistamines block most of histamines effects by competing at histamine receptor sites thereby preventing them from producing an effect on the tissues. Antihistamine drugs prevent, but can't reverse, histamine responses. Some of the general uses of antihistamines include relief from nausea and vomiting, relief from motion sickness, and relief from coughs. Usually antihistamines are administered orally since they are well absorbed in the intestinal tract, or topically, although a few can be given intravenously. To maintain a therapeutic dose, these medicines are given two to four times per day because the liver rapidly metabolizes them.

First generation antihistamines, which can be used interchangeably, include chloropheniramine (Chlortrimeton®), diphenhydramine (Benadryl®), and promethazine (Phenergan®). Some of the side effects include nose and mouth dryness, and drowsiness. Some antihistamines are also used as local anesthetics because they depress sensor nerve activity. When taking these antihistamines, it is advisable to not drive or perform hazardous tasks, and not to use alcohol or other drugs.

Second generation antihistamines include cetirizine (Zyrtec®), and Loratidine (Claritin®), and third generation antihistamines include fexofenadine (Allegra®), claim to be more selective for histamine receptors and cause less drying or sedating. However, these are contraindicated in patients with hepatic dysfunction, and when taking certain antifungal, antibiotic, and serotonin release inhibitors due to unfortunate deaths. My personal experience with these antihistamines is I did not find the relief I needed.

Because of the sedative effect, antihistamines are used in sleep aids like Nytol®, or Tylenol PM®. Because of the drying effect, antihistamines are found in over

All dogs scratch and chew at themselves from time to time. But if your dog's scratching and chewing just never seems to end - and is making you nuts - don't blame the poor dog, it has something it never asked for - a dog skin allergy.

What causes a dog skin allergy?

Dogs can be allergic to any number of things. The number one dog allergen is probably flea saliva. But a dog can also become allergic to its food; to an airborne microscopic organism such as pollen or mold; or by something it comes in contact with - for example, the plant Wandering Jew or poison ivy.

Not its nose

When we have an allergy it affects our nose and sinuses. When a dog is born with - or develops - an allergy, it affects not its nose but its skin. In other words, a dog allergy is much the same as our allergies; they just affect a different area.

The symptoms of a dog skin allergy

The major symptom of a dog skin allergy is that infernal scratching and chewing itself that never seems to end. But there are other symptoms that signal a dog skin allergy such as an inflammation of the affected area, hair loss, hot spots and even recurring ear infections. A dog suffering an allergy may also chew and lick its paws and scratch at its face, ears and eyelids.

The types of dog skin allergies

There are a number of different dog allergies just as there are a number of human allergies. One of the most common is a parasitic allergy - one caused by a reaction to flea saliva or by the bite of a tick, demodex mite or sarcoptic mite.

Your dog could also be suffering from a food allergy, which is called nutritional dermatitis. It is what happens when the dog becomes allergic to something in its diet.

The most common type of dog allergy is probably atopic allergies. These can occur when your dog becomes allergic to something in the air - pollen, mold spores, dust, or some other airborne microorganism.

Maybe it's all in the dog's mind

Sometimes there is just no reason for the dog to be doing all that scratching and chewing. In this cause, the allergy is often called neurogenic, meaning that it's all in the dog's head. This happens when the dog persistently licks and chews at some area, often on its foreleg or ankle - for no apparent reason. The dog may even work on the area so obsessively that it never heals. What causes the dog to do this? No one knows for certain though it has been theorized that it may be caused by separation anxiety, confinement, frustration or just become some minor abrasion caught the dog's interest.

In summary, when you see your dog is obsessively scratching and chewing at itself to the point where it's making the both of your crazy, don't get mad at the dog. It most certainly has one of the dog allergies described in this article - and is more to be pitied than to be blamed.

Allergies are an improper response or hypersensitivity to a substance that doesn't affect most people.

Everything in our world has an energetic signature or vibration that distinguishes it from all other substances. This variation makes a tomato a tomato and an orange an orange.

Using this signature, the immune system understands, defines and categorizes what's in it's presence and protect itself from substances that it thinks are harmful.

This is the frontline defense for the body. The immune system protects from toxins, bacteria, viruses and anything that might upset the delicate balance of the body.

With our complicated lives filled with stress, toxins and who knows what else, the immune system gets confused, something goes wrong, very wrong and causes allergies.

What causes this wrong (allergic) response?

When the body is stressed, doesn't get enough nutrition, is malnourished or has a toxic overload from the environment, there is a systematic breakdown in all the body's systems.

Our digestive system is affected, our nervous system is diminished and the immune system, the system that made the mistake in the first place, starts making more and more bad choices. The exact system that is supposed to protect us, does just the opposite and fails us.

How did allergies become so prevalent and what are the reasons for the change?

Could it be the 80,000 new chemicals created in this century alone?

Could it be a lifestyle with so much stress that the immune system breaks down?

Could it be toxins in the air and water that disrupt the normal functioning of our bodies?

Could it be the electro-magnetic fields (toxins) coming from cell phones, wi-fi, high-tension power lines, radio and TV signals, small appliances and all those wireless cameras on every major intersection, hair dryers and the list goes on.

And GMO's (genetically modified organisms) as a food source, but don't get me started on that one.

With this toxic soup that we live in, it's no wonder why we have more allergies today than ever before. Our bodies just start to fail, become hypersensitive, react inappropriately to the world around us, have allergic reactions and basically the body just doesn't do what it's supposed to do. The immune system gets overloaded, all in the name of "Progress" and allergies to basic foods, the building blocks of health, are created.

And if these allergic responses are allowed to continue, more and more foods become suspect and energy that should be used to heal the body is diverted to attack these foods and weaken the body.

To solve this allergic response, all we have to do is to delete the old "wrong" programming and install new programming that tells the immune system that these foods are good. We need them. It's nourishment.

These foods that cause an allergic response are not the culprit even though the body treats them that way. It's just the immune systems improper response to them that we must eliminate. We must stop this downward spiral now to reverse this trend.

NAET addresses this imbalance. Nambudripad's Allergy Elimination Techniques, also known as NAET簧, is a non-invasive, drug free, natural technique that eliminates allergies of all type and sensitivities using a blend of selective energy balancing and testing with treatment procedures from acupuncture, acupressure, allopathy, chiropractic, nutritional, and kinesiological disciplines of medicine. Thousands of practitioners practice this successful method of treating allergies.

NAET not only relieves the symptoms, it strengthens the immune system to make better choices and fosters a climate of health and wellbeing.

The Allergy Kit takes this one step further. Based on principles from NAET, Bodytalk and EFT, The Allergy Kit offers a way to treat your allergies at home. It's a natural, do-it-yourself, home treatment protocol that reprograms your immune system to react positively to these basic foods, rather than reacting negatively to them. By reprogramming the immune system, you will be able to eat "like a normal person again".

More children are affected by allergies than ever before. Not only does it affect their digestion, but because over 90% of the serotonin is produced in the gut, it has a very beneficial affect on mood, depression and wellbeing.

Dr. Ynge Ljung, the creater of The Allergy Kit is an acupuncture physician, certified NAET practitioner and certified BodyTalk practitioner. She has created The Allergy Kit to allow people with allergies to treat themselves at home. We know it works because we have been using these principles in our office for more than 10 years and have adapted what we do in the office to allow you to treat you and your whole family.

You can prevent eczema symptoms with a wheat free diet. This is what some people say as atopic eczema is linked to food allergies. A food allergy that inflicts many is the wheat allergy. You may not want to believe this because it may mean that you may have to give up eating several types of food. It is true that many products are made up of wheat nowadays. Wheat is a popular ingredient with food manufacturers as a cheap alternative to use in place of a lot more expensive substances.

If you get frequent skin problems and eczema outbreaks, then it is in your interest to determine if you have a wheat allergy. Once you find out if this is the case, go on a wheat free diet to prevent eczema symptoms. A wheat free diet is bound to make you feel a whole lot better with a reduction in the itch.

If you have a wheat allergy, then it will be the case that you cannot eat wheat completely nor ever should eat it again. Hence, consult a nutritionist to find out how to read food labels for wheat and wheat related substances. Many ingredients are wheat related. Hence, to avoid confusion, you need to know exactly what they are, for a wheat-free diet.

It is possible that instead of a food allergy, you may simply have mild wheat intolerance. In fact, many people are said to eat so much wheat that their bodies start to reject it a little. This is what is called a wheat intolerance. If you sometimes experience dizziness, nausea, or sneeze for no real reason or find yourself getting unexplained aches and pains, then your body might be rejecting wheat slightly. You may not realise this and dismiss this as merely having a normal reaction. If you are wheat intolerant, though, a wheat-free diet can help you to prevent your eczema symptoms by simply cutting down the consumption of such foods.

Some recent studies are also showing that there might be a direct link between wheat and dyslexia, and possibly several other medical conditions. In these studies, children with dyslexia, paid better attention in school suddenly and, in general, became more alert after going on a wheat-free diet. They were able to process information better and as such, scored better in tests than before.

Other symptoms of a wheat allergy or intolerance include cramping, irritable bowel, bloating, unexplained cold-like symptoms or headaches. If you really do find yourself experiencing these, and your itchy skin continues to give you problems, go see a doctor about testing yourself for wheat allergy. It may sound tedious to implement a wheat free diet, but it may be worth your time if it means that you can prevent eczema symptoms from ever attacking you again.

Irritable bowel syndrome and nutrition! What is the link between them? Can certain foods really lead to IBS symptoms? It is quite possible, though some doctors in US still think that nutrition should not be considered to be the reason for IBS symptoms. So they are skeptical that elimination diet can help to relieve these IBS disorders. But the fact is that about 70% of people were diagnosed with IBS problems caused by specific foods.

Even tests and researches have proven that some irritable bowel syndrome symptoms can appear as a result of food intolerance. Those who excluded certain foods from their daily diet according to their IgG antibody tests, have noticed improvement in their IBS symptoms (on average 10-26% reducing).

Most common IBS disorders related to specific foods are gluten sensitivity or gluten intolerance, lactose intolerance, food intolerance, food allergies and food hypersensitivity.

Some specialists think that specific food reactions should be considered as a potential cause of the IBS symptoms. In this case, the ideal solution is the Elimination Diet. This elimination diet for IBS works by excluding from the ration certain foods that are considered to trigger irritable bowel syndrome symptoms.

There are common food items that lead to adverse food reactions. According to the survey conducted among IBS sufferers most common foods causing their food intolerance and other IBS symptoms are dairy products, including milk protein (casein) and lactose (milk sugar); the legumes (peanut) and soy, barley, wheat, and rye (gluten); shellfish and fish, corn; fruits (apple, orange, and strawberry), vegetables (celery, cabbage, and lettuce), nuts (almond, Brazil nut, cashew, and walnut); nightshades (potato and tomato and the meats (pork, beef, and chicken). When the patients eliminated these foods from their daily nutrition, they have experienced improvement in existing symptoms.

Every patient should act according to an individual food elimination diet based on a variety of specific tests. In general, elimination diets for irritable bowel syndrome are based on the common foods causing certain allergic reactions. But a doctor should take into consideration that every sufferer requires an individual approach and each of patients can react individually while the matter is adverse food reactions. Unfortunately, this important issue is not always considered while prescribing the elimination diet for sufferers from irritable bowel syndrome. Indeed, this elimination diet have to be based on individual tests for gluten intolerance or sensitivity, casein intolerance, oral allergy syndrome (OAS) as well as food allergy testing.

For conclusion, it can be noted that a food elimination diet for IBS can be an effective solution in treatment of these symptoms. But of course, one should not act on his/her own, but only according to a specialist's recommendations and prescription.

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Top Rated IBS Treatments

Itching is the most common sign of allergies in cats and dogs. Allergic dermatitis is inflammation of the skin that occurs after it has been exposed to something to which it is allergic, known as an allergen. The number-one sign of allergies in pets is itching. Cats lick, bite, chew and scratch themselves to the point of self-mutilation. The result is red, raw areas of skin with oozing sores and hair loss.

Allergies are caused by an "allergen", which is a substance that causes a hypersensitive reaction, which is usually itching. Almost 20 percent of all cats suffer from one or more allergies. Fleas, airborne particles, and foods are the top three causes. Plants with oily leaves, like rubber plants, and certain medications, including Tetracycline and Neomycin, can cause skin eruptions. Various types of kitty litter also cause allergic reactions.

TYPES OF ALLERGIES

* Flea allergies are responsible for up to 90 percent of itching in cats. Cats groom themselves constantly, which often quickly removes all evidence of fleas. Consider fleas first in any itching cat, regardless of whether or not fleas can be found.

* Inhalant allergies are the second most common type of allergy in cats. Atopy, Allergic Inhalant Dermatitis, and Atopic Dermatitis are terms that are used synonymously with Inhalant Allergies. Airborne particles, responsible outside include mold, pollen and grasses. Indoors, tobacco smoke, carpet cleaners and perfumes are common causes. Unlike people with inhalant allergies that sneeze and get a runny nose, the primary sign of these allergies in cats is itching. Occasionally cats wheeze and develop breathing problems. Signs of Atopy often begin with a seasonal pattern that that too coincides with the so-called "hay fever" season for people, but eventually inhalant allergies become a year-round condition. Most cases are inherited and can be controlled but not cured.

* Food allergies are the third most common reason cats itch. Eighty percent of cats with a food allergy have been eating the "adverse" food for over two years before a reaction occurs. Beef, dairy products and fish cause 90 percent of the problems. Itching is the number one sign of a food allergy, with the exception of a "milk intolerance", which results in diarrhea. Up to one third of cats with food allergies have concurrent flea allergies and/or Inhalant Allergies.

SYMPTOMS

* Itching

* Licking

* Biting

* Excessive grooming behavior

* Small scabs on head, neck and ears or all over body

* Hair loss with or without scabs

* Skin crusts and plaques on head, neck and back

WHAT YOUR VET CAN DO

Determine underlying cause of itching and treat accordingly.

1. Eliminate fleas in Flea Allergies.

2. Certified veterinary skin specialists offer blood and skin testing, which can confirm certain hard to diagnose inhalant allergies.

3. Allergy free dietary trials are often effective for food allergies.

Itching usually resolves when the underlying problem is cured. Unfortunately, many allergies can not be cured but most can be controlled.

Itching may be controlled or relieved with a variety of products.

1. Antihistamines may be effective to relieve itching
a. Benadryl
b. Tavist
c. Atarax
d. Chlortrimaton

2. Vitamin C with Bioflavinoids in high doses has an antihistamine effect and often helps relieve itching. 250 mg of powder 2 to 3 times daily in food.

3. Omega 3 Fatty Acid Supplementation
a. Fish Oil
b. Flaxseed
c. Evening Primrose Oil
d. 1/8 teaspoon Salmon oil added to meals.

4. Oatmeal Based Shampoos - Oatmeal may relieve itching and skin irritation up to 72 hours.

5. Witch Hazel is soothing and comes as a spray or lotion; the spray works best in cats.

6. Aloe Vera Gel is available at health food stores. It contains enzymes that reduce skin irritation.

7. Corticosteroids like, prednisone may be the only effective medication to relieve itching in certain cases. Alternative therapies generally reduce the effective dose of corticosteroids needed on a long-term basis. In cats, unlike dogs and people, steroids are tolerated quite well and side effects are minimal.

COMPLEMENTARY TREATMENTS

HOMEOPATHIC

Graphites 6x - a form of carbon. One pellet on tongue every 4 hours until signs are gone for up to 5 days. Discontinue if no improvement in first 24-hours. Withhold food 10 minutes before and after treatment.

HERBAL

Topical Herbs to reduce itching and skin irritation include:

* Calendula - an herb that can be used topically.

* Comfrey - this herb can be used topically as a rinse to reduce itching. Comfrey contains "allantoin" which promotes healing.

* Chamomile - this herb reduces skin irritation and has antioxidant properties. Can be used topically.

I started studying blood type and diet with Dr. James D'Adamo's 30 year practice compilation "One Man's Food... Is another Man's Poison" in 1995. The information was fascinating: specific foods could have a beneficial, neutral, or negative effect on human health and functioning!

In 1997, Dr. Peter D'Adamo, son of Dr. James D'Adamo published "Eat Right 4 Your Type". A patient bought me a copy as a gift and handed it to me with a look on his face like, "Hey Dr. Saks, I guess you were serious about the connection between blood type and diet!"

So here we are, many years later with so much more science, research and data on the connection between blood type and diet. The concept is really quite simple. The protein on your blood cells can have a beneficial, neutral or negative reaction to the chemical composition (protein structure) in food; thus, our health can greatly improve if our diet leans greatly toward our beneficial foods and we lean heavily away from our avoid foods. Incidentally, I stopped giving patients the avoid list years ago - so I could avoid "aw-man, you mean I can't have..." reaction!

As a Naturopath, Chiropractor, and Health and Wellness Coach, I recommend each person have their blood type tested (can be easily done at home) or more specifically, get your type and your secretor status checked with one salivary evaluation. Solutions to many of your health issues, even the difficult ones, may lie less in the intake of vitamins, minerals, and supplements than in the creation of a personalized "Bio-Logikal Diet". Doctors all over the country have started talking about the need for diets customized for specific individuals. Gone are the days of one-size-fits-all health and wellness programs.

For a brief summary of the concept of Blood type and diet, see my article "Blood Type and Diet - Weight Loss and Optimal Health".

I have found that blood typing alone can give me 80-85% accuracy with a clinical diet for a patient, WITHOUT having to use a food allergy test. Further, if we know the person's blood type and secretor status, we can fine tune their diet to 90% or better as compared to food allergy testing. Food allergy testing can still be very useful, but it's expensive and not absolute. This makes blood typing and secretor status testing a phenomenal clinic tool. In case you're wondering, secretor status indicates whether a person secretes his/her blood type antigens into their mucous membranes (eyes, intestines, urine, etc.). About 80% of the U.S. population are "secretors", while 20% are "non- secretors". Secretor status can be very beneficial when recommending a therapeutic or wellness diet for my patients and clients.

Dr. D'Adamo continues to research, publish and even treat patient in his clinic in Connecticut. His most recent publication is quite complex and primarily deals with heredity, genetic expression and blood type.

I had the opportunity to hear Dr. D'Adamo speak at his conference for The Institute for Human Individuality in Tempe, AZ April 2005. He started many doctors on a quest to learn more about blood typing, genetic expression, and dermatoglyphics (fingerprinting) as a means of recognizing patterns of dysfunction and disease.

I recommend Dr. D'Adamo's book Eat Right For Your Type for everyone. It is easy and vital reading for a healthy body and mind.

Please note, common sense is always your best medical advice! You should always consult with your doctor before undertaking any dietary or exercise program.

A plant-based compound significantly improves lung function in patients with moderate to severe asthma, producing results comparable to those of the steroid drug prednisone.

ASHMI

The mixture consists of the extracts of three herbs, and is called the anti-asthma herbal medicine intervention (ASHMI). ASHMI is a simplified version of a 14-herb medication used to treat asthma in Chinese hospitals.

First Controlled Study

It is the first time a controlled study has shown Chinese herbal medicine proving as effective as a corticosteroid for aiding asthma patients. The study was conducted on over 90 patients who were given either oral ASHMI, prednisone, or a placebo.

After four weeks, both the ASHMI and prednisone groups showed significant lung function improvement. There was a slight, but still measurable, greater improvement in the prednisone group.

Doesn't Impair Adrenal Function

ASHMI, however, unlike prednisone, also has the benefit of having no negative effects on adrenal function.

Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology September 2005; 116(3): 517-524MSNBC October 17, 2005

Dr. Mercola's Comment:There aren't many things that are important to do in life, but one of them for sure is breathing and when you can't get a full breath it is a major problem.

That is in large part why asthma can be such a frightening and frustrating condition, it's no wonder people will try anything -- including a toxic drug -- to stop it. Although steroids clearly work for asthma and many other conditions, they do so at great risk to your health.

Aside from their considerable toxicities though, steroids in no way shape or form treat the underlying cause which, if left untreated, will continue to devastate your health.

Although most supplements also fall into the category of not treating the underlying cause, especially herbs, they are typically far less toxic.It appearsthis novel natural, plant-based compoundwill prove to befar saferthan dangerousthe corticosteroid drug prednisone.

But if you're looking to reduce your dependence on any asthma crutch, here aresome simple lifestyle changes you can make:

• Eat a healthy diet, being especially careful to reduce or avoid sugar, fruit juices, most grains and pasteurized dairy products.
  
  


• Replacing commercial milk with raw milk from grass-fed cows is also usually well tolerated and highly health promoting. However, even raw milk may worsen asthma so you will need to be careful here.
  
  


• Include generous amounts of omega-3 fats in your diet. I find Carlson fish oil and cod liver oil to be one of the most superior brands available as it conforms to the strictest guidelines for purity and freshness.

Please remember that for most Americans we are now in the cod liver oil time of year, as we simply don't have access to enough sunshine on our bare skin to help us produce vitamin D.

Important NEW Information About Cod Liver Oil Capsules

You have to be VERY cautious about using cod liver oil capsules. If for some reason you are not using the more economical liquid you need to understand that most brands of cod liver oil capsules can provide excessive doses of vitamin A (unlike the liquid) that can cause you a problem if you take dose in the 10-15 capsules per day that you will need to meet your omega-3 needs.

I reviewed this issue with Carlson and they were able to develop a low vitamin A cod liver oil capsule that won't get you into trouble. Interestingly they also taste great if you chew on them, almost like candy and I frequently chew them as a treat in the winter.

SO when you take cod liver oil if you feel you need to take the capsules the choice is very clear. Get Carlson's low vitamin A. If you can't find them we do have them in our store for your convenience.

For more severe and resistant cases of asthma, allergy skin testing can be appropriate. Traditional allergy treatments are one of medicine's safer and better approaches; however it has great room for improvement.

Additional Asthma Alternatives

My experience with conventional allergy testing, whether done through the blood (RAST) or skin is that only 20 percent to 30 percent of patients do exceptionally well with it. It is also highly inconvenient, as patients need to go to the doctor's office every week for months or years. It clearly does not work for the majority of patients.

For the past several years, I have been using a much improved version of this testing, which is taught by the American Academy of Environmental Medicine, called Provocation Neutralization (PN). The success rate for this approach is in the 80 percent to 90 percent range and patients can receive their treatment at home.

Common household mold causes a variety of health problems, but it is difficult to prove the exact cause of these symptoms. Mold spores can become airborne and contribute to a variety of respiratory and eye problems.

Because the symptoms of mold allergy resemble those of sinusitis, common cold and asthma, it is often difficult to determine the exact cause of these symptoms.

Most people suffer an allergic reaction if exposed to mold. The symptoms of mold allergy include:
Stuffy and runny nose.

You may feel suddenly congested when you walk into a certain room, basement or other part of the house. This is likely because there is mold. Areas that are humid or have had water damage are ideal places for mold to grow.

Itchy eyes.

These same mold spores can make your eyes red and itchy. During clean up of mold, it is important to protect your eyes, because the irritation can be severe. Itchiness or redness around the eyes may be a sign that you have mold.
Wheezing and coughing.

If you have no prior condition or cold, but find yourself wheezing and coughing, this may be because of mold. To test it, you can try moving around to different parts of the house and see if it clears up. If so, the area where you find yourself coughing may have mold.

Skin rashes.

This occurs only in pretty severe cases. If you experience skin rashes, you might have a lot of mold hiding out somewhere. You may have also come into contact directly with mold and your skin is reacting to it.

These are common symptoms of health related mold problems. Some people are more sensitive than others to mold, but all of us experience some of the above symptoms when we come into contact with mold.

Doctors are not sure exactly what health problems are mold related. But, it has been observed that those with asthma suffer especially bad in the presence of mold.

Some mold is toxic and researchers believe that constant exposure to mold over time might possibly contribute to certain types of cancer. This is not proven yet, but some species of mold, like the common household aspergillis, contain toxins similar to those found in those who suffer from liver and kidney cancers.

Have you ever heard of "sick building syndrome?" This refers to old buildings which may have some toxins in their building materials and cause those who work there to suffer various symptoms such as fatigue, headaches and respiratory problems.

Recent research suggests that sick building syndrome may be in part caused by mold. The symptoms of those who suffer from sick building syndrome are similar to health problems related to mold, and it is known that often old buildings were not built well to protect against mold.

Household mold has not been shown to produce any life-threatening diseases, but exposure to it can be a health problem. For this reason, it is best to keep your home and workplace as mold-free as possible.