Pregnancy and Peanuts: Tricky Truths About Food Allergies

Sitting down to a meal can be daunting for an expectant mother weighing conflicting recommendations about which foods are good for her unborn child -- and which might subject that child to long-term ills like allergies to peanuts and other foods. "We have a tendency to beat pregnant women over the head with 'do this, don't do this,'" said obstetrician-gynecologist Dr. Laura Riley, medical director of labor and delivery at the Harvard-affiliated Massachusetts General Hospital. "We always want people to have a balanced diet that includes protein, fat and carbohydrates. We don't think pregnant women should take any one thing out of their diet." But just as dietary advice for weight loss changes as new scientific information becomes available, so, too, does dietary advice for moms-to-be about how their eating shapes their future sons' and daughters' health. . read more.

If Kissing or Sex Leaves You Tingly, Is It Love or Allergies?

Even brushing your teeth – or waiting hours after eating may not prevent some partners of people with food and medicine allergies from triggering an allergic reaction through a kiss. “If you have food allergies, having an allergic reaction immediately after kissing someone who has eaten the food or taken oral medication that you are allergic to isn’t highly unusual,” said allergist Sami Bahna, MD. “But some patients react after their partner has brushed his or her teeth or several hours after eating. It turns out that their partners’ saliva is excreting the allergen hours after the food or medicine has been absorbed by their body.” "Kissing" allergies are most commonly found in people who have food or medication allergies. Symptoms include swelling of the lips or throat, rash, hives, itching and wheezing. Food allergies affect about 2 to 3 percent of adults and 5 to 7 percent of children in the U.S. population, or more than 7 million people. So what are lovebirds to do? . . read more.

Allergic to Bed Bugs? Allergists detect, treat often overlooked bites

Want another reason to fear bed bugs? They can sometimes set off allergic reactions, asthma attacks and anaphylaxis. Most individuals bitten by bed bugs get red bite marks that are mildly itchy. But those who are allergic can experience intense itching, swelling, redness, hives and blisters. The bugs can trigger asthma if a large group of them become airborne. And, although rare, those who are highly allergic to the bites may experience anaphylaxis, a life-threatening reaction that can cause trouble breathing, hives or swelling or tightness of the throat. . read more.

Allergists Can Provide Action Plan to Help Acute Peanut Allergy Sufferers

Living with an acute peanut allergy is difficult, scary and potentially life-threatening, but that doesn’t mean schools and airlines should totally eliminate peanuts from their surroundings, according to Sami Bahna, MD, president of the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI). People with severe peanut allergies can work with their allergist to develop an action plan to prevent or manage attacks. “Highly allergic people may react after ingesting minute hidden quantities of peanuts or even after touching or smelling peanuts. These patients often live in fear they will come in contact with peanuts,” said Dr. Bahna. “There are ways to make life livable and less frightening, but there is no guarantee that specific allergens can be removed entirely from an environment.” Food allergies are serious and sources of the allergen can be hidden. Peanuts can easily be inadvertently eaten, especially outside of the home. Packaged products may contain peanut allergens, cooks can accidentally share utensils or oils, and patrons can inhale vapors from tableside cooking. . read more.

Hold the Phone: Prolonged Cell Use Can Trigger Allergic Reaction. . Body Piercing, Tattoos and Cosmetics Spark Allergies, Too

Chatting endlessly on your cell phone can lead to an allergic reaction to the nickel in your phone. From cosmetics to jewelry, body piercings to tattoos, allergies can lurk in unlikely places, allergists say. “Increased use of cell phones with unlimited usage plans has led to more prolonged exposure to the nickel in phones,” said allergist Luz Fonacier, MD. “Patients come in with dry, itchy patches on their cheeks, jaw lines and ears and have no idea what is causing their allergic reaction.” Nickel is one of the most common contact allergens, and affects up to 17 percent of women and 3 percent of men. Contact with objects containing nickel, such as keys, coins and paper clips are generally brief, so the nickel allergy may not occur on the area of contact. However, even in these brief encounters, nickel can be transferred from fingers to the face and cause eyelid irritation. The risk is increased by frequent, prolonged exposure to nickel-containing objects, such as cell phones, jewelry, watches, and eye-glass frames. . read more.

Eye Allergies Often Overlooked, Undertreated: Relief Available for Millions of Americans with Itchy, Gritty, Watery Eyes

Millions of Americans suffer unnecessarily with itchy, gritty, watery eyes. The underdiagnosis, undertreatment and self-treatment of eye allergies may seriously diminish quality of life, allergists say. “For every one eye allergy medicine prescribed, 40 people are treating themselves with over-the-counter eye medicine from their local pharmacy,” allergist Leonard Bielory, MD. “The over-the-counter product may relieve the symptoms for a short time, but long-term, these patients need to see an allergist who can develop a complete treatment plan to eliminate the disease.” Eye allergy symptoms are regularly reported as one of the top three allergy complaints, according to the Allergies in America Survey. Forty percent of adults in the United States experience eye allergies and more than 40 million bottles of eye allergy medicine are sold in the U.S. each year. . read more.

Chinese herbs can complement proven allergy treatments: Herbal formula shows promise against food allergies

Complementary and alternative medicine may give allergy and asthma sufferers new options for treating symptoms, according to allergists at the annual scientific meeting of the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI). Allergists discussed how herbal treatments may be integrated into conventional allergy treatments, including a novel Chinese herbal formula for treating all types of food allergies. “Integrative therapies blend the art and science of medicine,” said allergist William Silvers, MD. “This exciting area of medicine offers a variety of complementary approachments, so each patient receives truly individualized care.” One promising remedy is the Food Allergy Herbal Formula (FAHF-2), a Chinese herbal formula currently being tested for use to treat food allergies. Early research showed significant reduction in peanut-induced anaphylaxis in mice. Phase I clinical studies have shown that FAHF-2 is safe in humans. . read more.
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Hate taking allergy drugs? get better with immunotherapy - Tested for 100 Years – New Advancements

Antihistamines and nasal steroids offer good short-term options for people with mild allergy, but allergy immunotherapy, better known as “allergy shots,” is a preferred method for achieving long term remission of more bothersome allergy symptoms. Allergy immunotherapy is the only allergy treatment that has been shown to prevent the progression of allergic disease, reduce the risk of developing asthma, and provide long term remission after therapy ends. Studies demonstrate it reduces the need for medication, as well as use and cost of health care services. And unlike medications, allergen immunotherapy has a long track record of safety in children, the elderly and pregnant women. Beginning with the first published study on inoculation against grass pollen in 1911, allergy immunotherapy has been proven over the past century as a safe, effective treatment against allergens including pollen, mold, insects and animals, and also for allergic asthma. The treatment stops the source of the patient’s suffering rather than just treating the symptoms. . read more.

Pumpkin Pie not a treat for some allergic children: Pediatric Hot Topics Reveal New Conclusions on Pumpkin, Caterpillars and More

Your child may be allergic to your holiday pumpkin pie, according to allergists at the annual scientific meeting of the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI). Hot topics discussed in pediatric allergies include pumpkin and caterpillar allergies, and outgrowing childhood allergies. Although pumpkin is not a food usually associated with allergic reactions, allergists reported a case study of an 8-year-old boy with known asthma and food allergies who became sick after carving a pumpkin. His symptoms included itchy eyes, sneezing, eyelid swelling and chest tightness. Allergists say these symptoms can occur after carving or eating pumpkin. . read more.

Americans abandoning prescriptions when faced with costs

Americans with health insurance are increasingly abandoning their prescriptions at the pharmacy counter, according to a review of insurance-claims data by Wolters Kluwer Pharma Solutions. This so-called “abandonment,” when a patient refuses to purchase or pick up a prescription that was filled and packaged by a pharmacist, increased by 55 percent during second quarter of 2010, compared with four years earlier. Patients are not picking up the most expensive drugs most often, according to the study. . read more.

I think I may have an aspirin allergy. What are the symptoms?

Reactions to aspirin are common. If you have an aspirin allergy or sensitivity, you may also have a reaction to other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), including ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, others) and naproxen (Aleve, others). An aspirin allergy or sensitivity, or a reaction to another NSAID, can cause symptoms that range from mild to severe. Reactions generally occur within a few hours of taking the medication. . read more.

Sulfa allergy: Which medications should I avoid?

How can I tell if a medicine contains sulfa? Should I simply avoid those with ingredients that have the prefix "sul" or "sulfa"? . . Avoiding only medications with the prefix "sul" or even "sulfa" is not a good rule of thumb if you have a sulfa allergy. The term "sulfa allergy" is most often used to describe an adverse drug reaction to antibiotics that contain sulfonamides. Generic names or brand names of medications that contain sulfonamides may not start with "sul" or "sulfa." . . read more.

New Study Re-examines Bacterial Vaccine Studies Conducted During 1918 Influenza Pandemic

Secondary infections with bacteria such as Streptococcus pneumoniae, which causes pneumonia, were a major cause of death during the 1918 flu pandemic and may be important in modern pandemics as well, according to a new article in the Journal of Infectious Diseases. The new analysis suggests that the use of bacterial vaccines containing S. pneumoniae could reduce pneumonia rates and deaths in modern influenza pandemics. During the 2009-2010 H1N1 influenza pandemic, the authors write, autopsy results implicated bacterial infections in 29 to 55 percent of deaths. . read more.