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Allergy: Corticosteroid Nasal Sprays
July 3, 2009 | Leave a Comment
Corticosteroid Nasal Sprays
The big revolution in allergy treatment involves the use of steroid nasal sprays. Allergists have known for decades that cortisone-like drugs (prednisone, for example) can dampen the reactions of an overactive immune system and calm allergy symptoms amazingly well. The trouble is that relief comes at a stiff price. So many side effects are associated with oral corticosteroids that few physicians would ever consider prescribing such medications for nasal allergy symptoms except as a last resort. Even then, cautious doctors prescribe medications like prednisone for the shortest period of time necessary. Adverse reactions can include irritability, insomnia, anxiety, high blood pressure, potassium depletion, headache, nausea, and dizziness.
Not surprisingly, people wanted the benefits of steroids without the risks. That’s where nasal sprays come in. There are about a half- dozen different intranasal corticosteroids available by prescription. Most experts would say that these formulations are the most effective allergy treatment available. Although it may take a week for the benefits to reach peak effect, these sprays should relieve allergy symptoms such as itching, sneezing, and congestion quite well. They are pricey, however. A small bottle can run $85 to $95. At the time of this writing, generic flunisolide costs around $40. We cannot say whether one spray is better or safer than another.
The general consensus is that there are few, if any, systemic
GENERIC
BRAND NAME
Beclomethasone
Beconase AQ
Budesonide
Rhinocort Aqua
Flunisolide
Nasarel
Fluticasone
Flonase
Mometasone
Nasonex
Nasacort AQ
Triamcinolone
INTRANASAL
CORTICOSTEROIDS
side effects associated with topical steroids. In other words, the experts do not believe people absorb enough of the drugs into the system to cause much, if any, concern.55 One study did report growth suppression in children, but other research has not confirmed this complication. There have been rare reports of nasal perforation (creating a hole between the nostrils) and increased pressure within the eyes. More common are local reactions such as irritation and burning in the nose, sore throat, nasal dryness, nosebleed, and headache.
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Nondrug Allergies Treatment
July 3, 2009 | Leave a Comment
Nondrug Approaches for Allergies
Even if you created a perfect living environment by eliminating carpets and rugs, minimizing stuffed furniture, banning your pets to the outdoors, and filtering your air, you could never truly eliminate allergens from your personal space. And every time you go outside, you are vulnerable to whatever is in the air. So, what can you do to minimize your reaction to pollen and all the other nasties flowing through your nose every time you breathe?
Nose Cleaning with Neti
Americans have a hard time imagining that you can clean your internal environment. But the Ayurvedic tradition of India encourages nasal washing with what’s known as a neti pot. This porcelain container looks a little like Aladdin’s lamp. It allows saltwater to be poured into one nostril and exit out the other. This washing process is supposed to clear the nasal passages of dust, pollen, and other allergens.
You can find neti pots at some health-food stores or by calling the Himalayan Institute at 800-822-4547. Visit their Web site at www.netipot.org to get an idea of what we are talking about. A ceramic pot costs $18 to $20.
For years I was troubled with allergies. But I have discovered the following natural approach. I use a ned pot to wash my sinuses with salt water Sinus and ear infections are now a thing of the distant past. Many people are grossed out at even the suggestion of pouring something into their noses, but the sensation is really very pleasant if done properly (with lukewarm filtered water and mild saline solution).
I also vacuum my bedding daily to get rid of dust mites.
Vitamin C
We are the first to acknowledge that vitamin C studies are squishy. There just have not been large, well-conducted clinical trials to test the effectiveness of ascorbic acid (vitamin Q against allergic disorders. The allergists will rightfully say that without decent data they cannot recommend this vitamin.
Nevertheless, some research suggests that this nutrient might help reduce allergy symptoms through a kind of antihistamine action.”,” There is also the possibility that vitamin C modulates immune-system reactivity and has anti-inflammatory effects.37 The benefits, if they exist, appear fairly short-lived. That’s why the general recommendation is to take 500 milligrams of ascorbic acid three or four times a day. 38
Stinging Nettle (Urtica dioica)
The very name of this herb is enough to scare many folks away. If you were to come into contact with stinging nettle, which grows widely throughout Europe and North America, you would have even more misgivings. Touching the tiny hairs on this plant can cause an impressive rash that can itch and sting for up to 12 hours.
It is ironic that these hairs contain a witches’ brew of ir-*** Stinging Nettle (Urtica dioica)
This herb is well known in Europe, where it is used primarily to relieve allergy symptoms and improve urinary flow in cases of benign prostate enlargement. The dose that has been used for treating nasal symptoms is 300 milligrams of freeze-dried Urtica dioica per day.
Side effects: This herb is usually well tolerated. Mild digestive upset has been reported, especially if it is taken on an empty stomach. Some people may experience an allergic. rash and should discontinue use immediately if this occurs. Downside: Large, well-controlled trials are lacking. Better research is needed before we can give this herb a ringing endorsement.
Cast: Approximately $5 to $10 for a month’s supply
ritating chemicals, including histamine and formic acid (also found in ant stings), yet the herb may be helpful in controlling allergy symptoms. When the leaves and other parts of the aboveground plant are extracted and swallowed, they may offer some fascinating pharmacological benefitS.39′
In Europe, where Urtica dioica is quite popular, physicians have been prescribing it to treat allergies for a long time. One double-blind trial noted that 58 percent of the study participants had good relief of SyMptoMS.41 Almost half of the patients said that stinging nettle was just as effective, if not more so, than their standard allergy medicine. Why something that contains histamine might actually help to relieve allergic symptoms is somewhat mysterious. Investigators suspect that it may help to modulate the immune response. 41
O. 1 feel like I am caught between a rock and a hard place. My allergies are awful, but most antihistamines and decongestants warn that they’re not to be used by men like me. I have an enlarged prostate, so Benadryl and Sudafed are off limits. Is there anything natural that would help my allergies and not aggravate my prostate problem?
A. Most over-the-counter (OTC) allergy medicines contain either an antihistamine or a decongestant that can make urination more difficult for a man with an enlarged prostate. An herbal remedy that might substitute is stinging nettle (Urtica dioica).
According to European research, extracts of this herb can do double duty to relieve allergy symptoms and help improve urine flow in men with benign prostate enlargement. Side effects are uncommon.
Now that the value of saw palmetto has been called into question for treating benign prostate enlargement (BPH) ‘42 some men may want to consider stinging nettle instead. Urtica dioica has been used to treat BPH in Europe for decades. There are good reasons why this herb might be effective. For one thing, stinging nettle root affects sex hormone–binding globulin and its ability to interact with hormones like testosterone. Another key player in prostate problems, epidermal growth factor, is inhibited by 53 percent by stinging nettle lectins. In addition, this herbal extract has anti-inflammatory activity that interferes with an enzyme (Na/K-ATPase) that is necessary for prostate cell growth.
Most important, human studies have shown that nettle root extract improves urine flow and decreases the amount of urine left in the bladder after voiding. Many men with an enlarged prostate report that the herb reduces the number of times they have to get up at night to go to the bathroom.
I read a letter in your column about a man with allergies. Because of an enlarged prostate, he couldn’t take the usual over-the-counter antihistamines.
You suggested the herb “stinging nettle’ as a substitute that might relieve allergy symptoms and improve the flow of urine. My husband looked these stinging nettles up and began taking them. He has improved 100 percent in both his allergy condition and his prostate symptom of frequent urination. In addition, his PSA number has come down!
The urologist said, “Yes, I’ve heard of it and it helps some but not others.” We are so glad you mentioned this herbal medicine, and we have shared the information with others.
Jul
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Allergy: Your Home Environment
July 3, 2009 | Leave a Comment
Your Home Environment
People are now exposed to a chemical soup at home and in the workplace. Buildings are tightly sealed for energy efficiency and may trap chemical gases and dust from a variety of sources. Cleaning agents left on floors and other surfaces dry and can eventually circulate on dust particles throughout the house or workplace and be inhaled with each breath. Fire retardants and other chemicals used in fabrics and foams in furniture, mattresses, and electrical insulation can be irritating to the airway. Mold can flourish wherever there is humidity—in basements, crawl spaces, bathrooms, air conditioners, and automobile air ducts.
It is crazy to treat the symptoms of allergies if you don’t examine your environment and try to eliminate what’s causing the problem in the first place. If you lived in a house with faulty wiring that kept blowing fuses or tripping the circuit breakers every day, it would be foolish to ignore the underlying problem. Continually throwing the circuit breaker to the on position or replacing fuses might leave you vulnerable to a fire. In the old days, people sometimes stuck a penny in the fuse box to bypass the warning system completely. No doubt some homes burned down as a result.
We know of one family that moved into a charming old house. Within a few months, the dad starting sniffling and sneezing. Then he developed asthma for the first time in his life. Not long after, both children also became congested and had periodic bouts of asthma. They were all treated with various medications to relieve their symptoms. It wasn’t until they moved that their symptoms eventually went away and their need for allergy and asthma drugs disappeared.
No dermatologist in his right mind would keep prescribing prednisone to someone who showed up with a poison ivy outbreak every other week. At some point the dermatologist would tell this patient to stay away from poison ivy to avoid the itchy, red rash in the first place. We wish allergists and lung experts would do more than prescribe antihistamines, bronchodilators, and corticosteroids for their patients. If they actually visited their patients’ homes or workplaces they might discover the cause of the symptoms.
Of course, that is not going to happen. Instead, you will have to become your own Sherlock Holmes, sniffing out the culprits if you can. In some cases it might even be worthwhile to employ a certified environmental engineer to look for sources of allergens in a house or apartment. Watch out for charlatans, though. There are lots of quacks out there who would love nothing more than to sell you a pricey home inspection and cleanup. Make sure that whoever analyzes your living space isn’t selling a service or recommending an organization they have a financial relationship with.