Accuracy of DNA Paternity Testing Methods

There are two main methods which can be used for paternity DNA testing, namely, PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) and RFLP (Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism). In this article we are going to be looking at these two methods, what the difference is and how they work.

Polymerase Chain Reaction testing usually involves taking a swab from the inner cheek for DNA samples. It is a faster test than RFLP and usually looks at between six and nine loci on the DNA. This test however does not provide the same degree of information as is provided by the RFLP test.

PCR DNA testing works by "amplifying" the sample DNA, or taking a small sample of DNA and then multiplying it. This is useful if only a small sample can be obtained and is also useful for working with degraded DNA. When using PCR DNA testing however the laboratory needs to be particularly careful about preventing contamination within the sample as the amplification process could tend to increase the chances of contamination.

The process of PCR DNA testing involves heating the DNA, adding primers and then cooling it so that it recombines and an enzyme reads the DNA sequence in order to create multiple copies of the DNA.

The Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism test takes longer than the PCR test and is a slightly older method but can provide more reliable results as each loci presents more information regarding paternity. It requires a larger sample of DNA and is more likely to use blood for the DNA testing but it can also be done using a swab from the inner cheek if necessary.

The AABB report from 2004 stated that there is a decrease in the number of laboratories using the RFLP method and an increase in laboratories using the PCR method of DNA testing with PCR being used in 98.34% of the cases.

In conclusion, there are two main methods of paternity DNA testing that are mainly used today. These two methods are Polymerase Chain Reaction testing and Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism testing. PCR testing is used in 98.34% of the DNA testing cases according to the 2004 AABB report and seems to be increasing over the older method of RFLP. PCR is a quicker method of testing and multiplies the amount of DNA material so that only small samples are needed; however this does lead to a risk of contamination. If you are going for PCR testing or ordering a DNA home test kit you should ensure that they are AABB approved and that they offer at least a 99% guarantee and test at least ten loci.

How to Deal with Skin Allergy

Allergy

Allergy is body hypersensitivity to some substance. Our body can react by breathing system allergy (rhinitis and asthma), intestine allergy (diarrhea) and skin allergy. Skin allergy may occur in the form of mild skin redness until dermatitis, which can appear in many places.

Skin Allergy Identification

When you suddenly get the red spots and suspect an allergy, question your self these:

-Do the red spot appear in a broad part of your body (at your arms and legs) or just in a small part (at your palm hand)?

-What unusual food or even drug and food supplement have you taken?

-Do you change your detergent?

Small part of itchy redness in your palm may indicate that you have a skin contact allergy. Avoid touching the suspected substance. Broad skin redness may be suspected as caused by food allergy-something that goes with the blood flow.

Skin Allergy Treatment

Corticosteroid combined with antihistamines cream or ointment can be used to relieve skin redness. Dermatologist may prescribe a mixture cream contains anti histamines, anti redness, and itchy reducer. Some topical corticosteriods used for allergy treatment are betamethasone, clobetasol, clobetasone,

desonide, desoxymethasone, dexamethasone, difluocortolone, flumethasone and fluocinolone.

There is also natural herbs contained cream for allergy relieving. Some herbs have anti histamine factor in their extract. You can use natural herbs to relieve allergy. Check the label before buying some natural herbs base allergy treatment to find any drug substance inserted in it. A natural herbs treatment should not use any drug substances otherwise they are called allergy drug.

Skin Allergy Alerts

Put a greater consideration in your skin allergy and consult your doctor if:

-Any topical treatment did not work out. No allergy symptoms like skin redness and itchy feeling are reduced.

-You have another severe allergy symptoms like breath difficulty, faster heartbeat, headache, nausea, and vomiting. Those symptoms are leading to serious allergy that cause anaphylactic shock and should be treated soon by a medical doctor.

Further Steps to avoid Skin Allergy

-Take an allergy test to know what substances you are allergic to. It is called a patch test. Doctor will give some allergy suspected substances on your skin and see which one cause you allergy. It is not a painful test but useful to prevent from contact skin allergy.

-Always remember what you are allergic to and avoid things that can cause allergy.

-Prepare an allergy cream as a first aid. At least the cream will prevent from scratching your allergic skin.

Celiac , Gluten and Obesity - There is a Connection

I read an interesting article on a celiac website called "Celiac Disease and Obesity - There is a Connection." I'm glad to see it because I certainly didn't fit the usual celiac mould, which is underweight and/or unable to keep on or gain weight. Puh-leez. Celiacs/gluten intolerants tend to have malabsorption issues, meaning gluten/gliadin (the protein in wheat) is interfering with the absorption of nutrients from their food; your body thinks you're starving, no matter how much you eat. Throw in the fact that gliadin breaks down into an addictive opiate-like substance in the body and you have people like me, who experienced intense cravings and insatiable hunger...and of course, weight gain.

"Eat less and move more" doesn't help in this situation. I wanted to eat less. I made a huge effort to eat less. Eating less took up about 85% of my mental energy each and every day. All I thought about was food: eating it, getting it, not eating it, eating "better" food, when I was going to eat, did I bring enough food with me, why am I so bloody hungry? I studied other people's eating habits and wondered why I couldn't eat slowly, or put my fork down between bites, or leave food on my plate, or NOT want chips or cake or crackers after a meal of spaghetti and garlic bread. I was overweight, but not obese - if I'd been obese, you bet I'd have taken a beating from friends, co-workers, family and health professionals for my behaviour, which would be (and still is) seen as gluttony, a lack of willpower, a character flaw.

Many people on the low-carb forum I frequent find that when they add wheat products back to their diet, they react badly: brain fog, fatigue, G.I. distress, aching joints, skin rashes, etc. I was the same. I suspected something was up, but it wasn't until I'd removed all gluten from my diet for a while and then added it back that I really noticed how crappy I'd felt for most of my life...and how good I could feel instead. Then I got tested and found out for sure what the trouble was. It was so simple to do, and caused a dramatic improvement in my quality of life, not just physically but mentally/emotionally.

So why don't we test for this all the time? Why isn't food tolerance/allergy testing a routine part of a medical workup? Why aren't children tested when they start on solid foods...and then re-tested several times throughout childhood? Why does the medical community at large know so little about nutrition and food, about the effect food has on our bodies? Hippocrates said "Let thy food be thy medicine and thy medicine be thy food"...so what happened?

It is my theory that Overeaters Anonymous meetings are chock-full of people who, like me, have food intolerance issues that manifest, at least partially, as cravings and overeating as well as depression, anxiety and other emotional symptoms. And no-one - not their doctors, not their counsellors, not their sponsors, not their friends - is going to "let them off the hook" by suggesting that their actual problem could be bread or oatmeal or fettuccine. I do not believe that ANYONE has ever become obese because they just like to eat or have no willpower, whatever that is. I think obesity always has an underlying reason - meaning that obesity is a symptom of something else - and that reason can be treated. Unfortunately, we still treat obesity and overweight as something that requires penance and punishment. It's a moral failing. A scarlet letter.

But the real failing is ours. We fail the obese by blaming them. We fail the overweight by giving them diet plans containing the very foods that may have led to their overweight. Would it be so difficult to just run a couple of tests? Or do we just not want to have to admit we've been wrong, judgemental, mean...and say sorry?

Detecting Asthma With Chest X-Rays

Chest X-rays (radiographs) are very useful aid to diagnose asthma in adults and children. You will find that there are many tests you have to get through if your doctor thinks that you have problems with your lung including asthma. There are many uses of x-rays related to the asthma that you might suffer. The following is the further information.

The X-rays can be used to test the lungs. You will be able to obtain important information about the important information about these parts of body. Tumors or abnormalities that are in your lungs can be detected by using chest X-rays. In some cases, the lungs will appear over inflated in X-rays if the patients have asthma. If you have this test and your lungs are over inflated, you might ask to have other further tests.

The x-rays can be used to know the heart conditions. An example that you can find is that when there is fluid in your lungs, you might have congestive heart failure. You will find that the x-rays also show the blood vessels. If the vessels are damaged, you might have problems in your heart rather than asthma. With the x-rays, you can also find out if you have bronchitis or pneumonia in the lungs. You will find that pneumonia and bronchitis can cause symptoms of asthma attacks.

Furthermore, the calcium deposits can also detected with x-rays. You will find that these could be the signs of damaged lungs or respiratory illness. But, you have to make sure that you have the x-rays test only for emergency treatment or hospitalization. You will get the test when the doctor should examine your lungs.

However, you should have further testing if you want to get complete profile of your health. You will find that there will be many other tests such as allergy testing, sinus X-rays test, a CT scan of the lungs, spirometry or a gastroesophageal reflux test.

Why Do You Feel Lousy All The Time?

It is interesting how many people put up with feeling lousy and just do not think about the cause. "I'm tired, headache oh probably from working too hard. " "That rash came back." "Gee whiz my lungs feel tight, probably just allergies." "Well, I just drink another cup of coffee because I am so tired." " I don't think I sleep well because when I wake up I am still tired." "Better go to an allergist and find out why I have this sinus headache all the time." Does any of these thoughts sound like you talking to yourself or to a friend or spouse?

Some people call it Yuppie syndrome or the results from working too hard. But chronic fatigue, headaches, sinus congestion, breathing problems, etc...can have their roots from elsewhere: the presence of mold in your house/work building. If you feel lousy when you get up, you could easily have mold. And an educated guess is that it would be in the basement where 50% cases are.

If you sleep the right amount of time you should wake up refreshed. If you always feel lousy and must rely on caffeine to get you moving at all, you probably have a problem with chronic fatigue. Yes, there can be other reasons. However, if you have chronic sinus congestion, headaches, problems breathing, memory loss, inability to concentrate (brain fog), upset stomach, aches and pains; some or most of this list, you suffer from either mold allergies or a biotoxin reaction to mold.

You need to go to the allergist to find out. However, you can test positive for mold allergies and still have a biotoxin reaction to mold. The latter is far more serious and most docs will not acknowledge that this condition exists. But 21st century medicine says it does: over 1,000 scientific articles and scientific testing prove that it exists. A biotoxin reaction to mold means your immune system does not recognize mold toxins as foreign invaders and does not produce antibodies to kill mold toxins. The mold toxins travel through the body causing problems with every system in the body. This is a simple explanation of a rather condition. Both conditions worsen with constant mold exposure so if you are always feeling lousy, chances are you have mold in your house.

You need to assume there is mold. if you do not dehumidify your basement, you have mold. Mold grows in warm, dark damp places like your basement. Basements are below grade and high humidity is natural to a basement. To solve this problem, lower humidity be using a dehumidifier for basement.

Clean all surfaces with Borax. Throw out anything that is moldy and musty. It is important to clean out the basement. Throw out wood, cardboard and all porous materials. Mold thrives on porous materials.

Purchase and run allergy air purifiers and run them according to the square footage of your home. Allergy air purifiers kill mold in the air with 99.97% efficiency due to a HEPA filter. Hepa means high efficiency particulate air. Not only do they clean the air of mold, also bacteria, germs, viruses and fungi (mold). If you add negative ion air purification it also produces fresh air.

Hepa vacuum all surfaces to remove mold from surfaces after cleaning with Borax. This is a measure to remove mold and dead mold spores. You can still react to dead mold spores so remove them with a hepa vacuum.

Mold in anyone's home is not a good thing. Older folks with weakened immune systems and young children with developing lungs should not be exposed to mold.

In short, to prevent mold and kill mold:

1. Use dehumidifier for basement

2. Run allergy air purifiers throughout the house

3. Clean all surfaces with Borax. Throw out moldy items

4. Hepa vacuum all surfaces.

World First - Celiac Disease Vaccine Trialled in Australia on April 2009 - Exciting News!

If you are a celiac, your miracle cure is under way - being trialled in Melbourne Australia beginning April 2009! It could conceivably desensitize people with CD to the point that the villi in their small intestine are not damaged by the gluten protein. However with the need for extensive testing in this three phase trial, the vaccine may not be ready for release for several years.

Before we go into the details of such a cure it should be noted that this vaccine might not be a 'magic bullet' that makes people permanently immune to the gluten protein, it might 'only' desensitize them. Also be aware that if you choose to undertake the 'therapy' there are no guarantees of how you will react, and the only way to regularly check to see if you have been 'cured' would be regular intestine biopsies. As it is known that some people take over two years to heal their intestines from gluten damage, how risky will this strategy be? It is expected that testing will be extensive so these questions may all sit under the 'devil's advocate' category, and all may be well.

An even more philosophical question is what effect covering up the cause of your disease will have on your body. Books have been written that suggest that it is the increased gluten potency in wheat and other gluten grains as well as increased use in manufactured foods that has led to an overdose of gluten. Our bodies then pass a 'tipping point' where our genetic predisposition to CD turns into an active disease. If this is true, how wise would it be to continue ingesting unnaturally high levels of gluten, once 'cured' just because we can? Sure it would make life simpler not following a gluten free diet, however maybe we should wait for gluten to be decreased at the source, the growing fields, before we return to a gluten filled diet.

Different types of CD identified

With all these issues under consideration, I am sure that every celiac would still be interested in a 'cure'. A July 2007 article based on research conducted in Victoria, Australia, showed that "Celiac disease - is strongly associated with human leukocyte antigen (HLA) DQ2 and to a lesser extent with HLA DQ8."
"HLA genes are part of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC), which plays a pivotal role in the immune system. HLA-DQ2 mediated CD is common in people of European ancestry, with about 90 per cent of sufferers positive for DQ2. Another five per cent possess HLA DQ8. In China and East Asia, DQ2 genes are rare while DQ8 genes are as common as in Europe."

So it appears that this preliminary research has been able to isolate two main versions of CD. However the molecular workings of the immune response in the two antigens appear to be very different. The researchers discovered that T-cells in people with DQ8-associated CD reacted quite differently to the small proteins in gluten than the T-cells in people with the DQ2 form of the disease.

"At the moment a gluten-free diet is the only treatment for celiac disease but nearly half the people on the diet still have damage to their small intestine. Consequently other therapies, including a vaccine and three different drugs, are in various stages of development. The research team believes CD might be the first example of an immune disease where treatments are customized according to the genetic make-up of the patient."

The celiac vaccine discovery

The discovery that lead to the creation of the vaccine was that the one critical part of wheat gluten protein that was toxic was the common genetic version (HLA DQ2) of CD. "As much as the identity of the toxic component of gluten was important, it was the way in which it was found that has proven to be even more important. By eating gluten in wheat, rye, or barley for three days (even a single meal will suffice in some people), immune cells (T cells) that damage the small intestine are mobilized into blood for a few short days. The T cells in blood can be monitored and analyzed to define what part of gluten they recognize. The parts of gluten recognized by the vast majority of T cells involved in CD can be condensed to a few "short" fragments of gluten that remain after its digestion in the gut. These gluten fragments can be synthesized using fairly standard chemistry and are the basis for the celiac vaccine."

The Celiac Vaccine Trials

The original research began at Oxford England in 1997. The work continued in Australia in 2002 and by April 2009 Bob Anderson from the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical research (Melbourne, Australia) will commence the first world trials of a celiac vaccine that could reduce or eradicate the need for being gluten free. In fact Bob Anderson calls the vaccine a "next-generation desensitization therapy" that has been successful in mice and is soon to be tested on celiacs.

"The vaccine will be tested on 40 volunteers with CD over 11 months to establish that it does not harm them. In a subsequent phase 2 trial, which is designed to find out if the treatment is effective, volunteers will receive the treatment and then be challenged with foods containing gluten. Their immune response and intestines will then be examined to see if a tolerance to gluten has developed. The therapy involves repeatedly injecting solutions of gluten at increasing concentrations. The aim is to desensitize the subjects slowly, in a similar way to hay fever and dust allergy desensitization treatments."

Testing process

"For a new drug to be accepted for use in people in Australia, Europe, or North America it must have progressed successfully from Phase 1 (safety) studies usually involving up to about 30 volunteers, to Phase 2 (efficacy) studies to show that "it works" in people with the medical condition of interest (typically about 200 volunteers in several locations around the world), and to Phase 3 (similar to Phase 2 but involving several thousand volunteers in many sites around the world)."

The celiac vaccine future

Due to difficulties in funding, Bob Anderson (Walter and Eliza Hall Institute) co-founded a commercial company called Nexpep to develop the vaccine. Nucleus Network, Centre for Clinical Studies (CCS) in the Alfred Hospital in Melbourne, will be conducting the Phase 1 clinical trial.

The difficulty he has faced, besides the technical issues, is the low diagnosis level of CD and the mass of associated symptoms has made a vaccine cure unattractive to traditional pharmaceutical companies. These companies always prefer well defined markets to accurately forecast payback periods for their R&D and marketing expenses.

The facts are that for this vaccine to prove financially viable, The US will need to approve the drug and doctors and celiacs will need to accept the treatment. One report estimates that only 600,000 people are diagnosed with CD (out of the 5 million with CD in North America and Europe).
Compounded to the funding challenges is that previously, globally, there have only been three "randomized, controlled" studies of the gluten free diet - one in children and two in adults - the largest with 57 participants."

The assessment of the vaccine treatment will require repeated endoscopy and collection of small intestine biopsies which are expensive and un-enjoyable for volunteers. However a recent trial in Italy has shown that biopsies are still the only 'almost' guaranteed method of assessing gluten damage. The study findings showed that "two years after adopting a gluten free diet, about half those people diagnosed with celiac disease continued to have villous atrophy as severe as when they were first diagnosed. Only about one in five of those with severe intestinal damage (villous atrophy) on a gluten free diet had raised (abnormal) blood levels of transglutaminase antibody, meaning that standard blood tests to monitor disease activity were relatively ineffective."

So while the development of this vaccine is an important step in potentially eradicating celiac disease, philosophical questions still remain as issues for the long term efficacy of the vaccines. As an Australian first, this research is applauded by the gluten free community. We wish the researchers and medical staff all of the best in demystifying this illusive disease.

Gluten Allergy, Wheat Allergy and Celiac Disease

When it comes to a gluten allergy, you'll discover several misunderstandings online. Gluten is more pervasive in the American diet than most people understand and celiac disease has more serious long-term consequences than most people appreciate. In addition, few people are aware of the differences between wheat allergies, a gluten allergy and celiac sprue disease.

What Exactly Is A Gluten Allergy?

The umbrella term gluten allergy is often used to talk about three different medical conditions. These conditions include celiac disease, wheat allergies or non-celiac gluten sensitive (often abbreviated as NCGS).

Celiac disease is an autoimmune disease that is triggered by gluten consumption. This condition will be diagnosed by genetic testing, a blood serum panel or an intestinal wall biopsy. A biopsy is the most accurate and widely accepted test to diagnose celiac disease as the intestinal wall where the biopsy is taken is the target of the damaging immune response.

Wheat allergies manifest themselves more like classic allergies, such as hay fever. They do not represent an autoimmune disease, therefore they manifest differently from the symptoms of celiac sprue disease.

Non-celiac gluten sensitive is the expression used for people who test negative for celiac sprue disease but who still experience a potent and consequential reaction to eating foods with gluten in them.

Statistics show that around 1% of all people are afflicted with celiac sprue disease. About 2-5% suffer from wheat allergies. Another 10% are diagnosed as non-celiac gluten sensitive. So collectively nearly 15%, or nearly one in every six people, suffers from some type of gluten allergy.

Wheat Allergy Vs. Celiac Disease

A wheat allergic reaction includes symptoms like itchy, watery eyes, hives, a rash and swelling. The reaction is immediate and is considered a Type 1 Hypersensitivity.

Symptoms of celiac disease tend to be a bit different and sometimes take days or even weeks to present themselves. Celiac symptoms include stomach pain, intestinal cramping, diarrhea, constipation and weight gain or more commonly, weight loss. Some people have silent celiac symptoms or don't experience symptoms at all (they are asymptomatic).

A recent study revealed that it takes more than five years for the average celiac patient to be diagnosed after they initially take their concern to their doctor. Because so many individuals endure health problems for far too long before receiving an accurate diagnosis, you ought to better understand these separate conditions and better appreciate when you should take your concern to a medical professional.

ADHD and Allergy Testing

There are two popular ways to test an ADHD child for allergies, the Vega Method and in the Needle Method.

VEGA testing

Testing with the VEGA machine has its origins in acupuncture and homeopathy.

It is based on the concept that the first sign of abnormality in the body is an electrical charge and, if abnormal electrical charges continue for long, then structural changes will follow.

In VEGA testing the patient holds an electrode (brass tube) in the right hand while the practitioner presses a pointed probe against an acupoint, preferably on the left foot.

The body's reaction to potential allergens, etc. is measured by inserting the agents into the electrical circuit one at a time.

VEGA testing enables an experienced practitioner to quickly obtain information about many of the stress factors that come from the environment.

These factors, which may be overlooked in normal medical testing, can be responsible for many conditions of chronic illness, unexplainable conditions, conditions in which conventional testing finds nothing wrong, vague or unusual symptoms, and failure to respond to treatment.

It allows early detection of tendencies toward diseases, toxicity and imbalances due to stress before they become noticeable.

No needles are used in this testing.

Needle testing

Needle testing on the other hand involves pricking the skin with a solution of the suspected food.

This method uses a drop of each allergen to be tested which is placed on the skin, usually on the forearm or the back.

The area is examined for the next twenty minutes for any trace of swelling and redness, which would show a positive reaction.

A positive test will produce a small hive like reaction.

Needle testing may be inexpensive, but it is uncomfortable.

For children with eczema or other skin conditions, the results may be difficult to interpret.

In children with severe allergies, even the small amount of the food injected into the skin can cause significant reactions.

Another problem with skin tests is that in order for them to be truly reliable, the patient cannot take any antihistamines for about two weeks before the test.

For children who suffer from bad hay fever or other allergies, two weeks without antihistamines may be impossible.

Also if a child is allergic to twenty different substances it means twenty needle pokes!

A new needle is used for each prick.

Why is continued testing important for an AD-HD child?

As your ADHD child grows and develops, body chemicals can change consequently, reactions to foods can also alter.

Repeated tests may be necessary to check the first result.

When your ADHD child has tested positive for several foods, you ought to eliminate all of those foods from the diet.

Constant monitoring of all situations and circumstances is important to ascertain what the best course of action for your ADHD child in any area is; food allergy testing is no different.

The Benefits of Injectable Fillers With a Hyaluronic Acid Base

Restylane, Perlane, JUVDERM and Hydrelle are among the most common and popular injectable fillers used in modern cosmetic surgery to reduce the aging effects of lines and wrinkles. One of the main reasons for their popularity is that they are all based on synthetic hyaluronic acid, which closely resembles the substance of the same name which occurs naturally in the human body and which is what normally fills out the skin, eliminating wrinkles, until the aging process starts to win.

These injectable fillers can be used on nasolabial folds between the nose and the mouth. While this is the only area currently labelled for its use by the FDA, other sites which may be injected "off-label" include lines on the forehead, furrowed brows, and lips. It works in harmony with your body's own hyaluronic acid to leave the skin smoother and less wrinkled. No allergy testing is required as the potential for immunologic reactions is low.

There is now evidence that the hyaluronic acid fillers may also stimulate the skin to produce collagen, thus enhancing and prolonging the cosmetic effect.

Restylane, Perlane

These are gels injected under the skin. Perlane has a larger particle size than Restylane and may be more suitable for filling of deeper folds. Both fillers may be used together for optimal results. The process of using Restylane injectable filler takes around 10 minutes depending on the size of the area to be treated, and the results are visible immediately. The area is first numbed with a topical anesthetic cream and a thin needle is used to inject the filler. There may be slight bruising but this is usually minimal and recovery time is quick. However, to maintain the effects, the Restylane treatment may need to be repeated every six to twelve months or so. Restylane is now available as Restylane-L which contains lidocaine for maximal comfort. Treatment costs depend on the amount of fill desired.

JUVDERM Ultra, JUVDERM Ultra Plus, JUVDERM Ultra XC, JUVDERM Ultra Plus XC

JUVDERM injections are another popular way to reduce facial wrinkles without having to undergo a surgical face lift (or it may magnify the rejuvenating effects of surgery.) The key ingredient of JUVDERM is also hyaluronic acid, which as was mentioned above, is a major component of the skin and helps skin tissue to maintain its volume and elasticity. It is synthesized somewhat differently from Restylane with a higher concentration of hyaluronic acid. JUVDERM, in both Ultra and Ultra Plus forms, is used as a treatment for moderate to severe wrinkles and facial folds and its effects may last up to a year or longer. JUVDERM now comes in a formulation with a local anesthetic, JUVDERM XC (extra comfort) to minimize discomfort.

Hydrelle

This was the first filler to contain lidocaine, an anesthesic, to be approved by the FDA. This is another cosmetic filler based on synthetic hyaluronic acid, which closely mimics the substance found naturally in the body. Due to its high concentration formulation, less product may be required at initial injection.

Filler Selection

Hyaluronic acid injectable fillers have provided a new avenue of treatment for facial rejuvenation. These may be used to complement the effects of surgery or may offer an alternative to someone wishing to avoid a more invasive procedure. Wrinkles, folds, scars, lip enhancement, and facial volume augmentation are most commonly addressed by this approach. Your surgeon will advise you which product or products may be most appropriate for your needs.

Allergy Testing Through Skin and Blood Test

In the United States alone, there are already over 50 million of people who are diagnosed with allergies. The very first important step in allergy testing and therefore effective treatment, is to identify what you are allergic to. Current developments in medical technology have made allergy testing more efficient and convenient han used to be the case. Allergy tests are conducted in order to identify what specific things - food, environment, etc., actually trigger one's allergic reactions and results are compared with a study of the patient's medical history to obtain more efficient results.

Allergies are exaggerated reactions from our immune system in response to body contact with a particular unfamiliar substance. It is an exaggerated reaction because only people with an allergic condition react to these foreign substances. When our body comes in to contact with allergens or the "unfamiliar substances", people who are allergic to that substance cause their immune system to develop an allergic reaction. If your body reacts to a substance that is not harmful to others, then you are said to be allergic or atopic. An allergy test is suitable for both adults and children, since all ages can be susceptible to allergic reactions.

Allergy Testing can take two forms - skin test and blood test. Normally, testing is done under the guidance of a specialist in allergy, who are skilled in the best methods for identifying allergies as well as the appropriate methods for treating them.

In the first form, skin testing, a sample of a potential allergen is taken from the surface of the skin. The test is usually carried out on the back or on the forearm. Various suspected allergens are tested at the same time. If you prove to be allergic to a particular test, you are likely to develop a swelling and redness at the test spot. Occasionally, the doctor will suggest a second test procedure. With this process, a small amount of assumed allergen is injected into the skin of the of the forearm. As with first test, many suspected allergens can be tested on the same time.

The result of a skin test is usually available immediately. Positive reactions often appear within 20 minutes for either of the tests. Swelling and redness may occur few hours after the test was completed, but this delayed reaction often fades away within 24 to 48 hours. It should however, always be reported to the doctor or nurse. With both types of skin test, there is usually only minimal pain or indeed no pain at all. A positive reaction on the test however, can be more annoying as it can feel like a mosquito bite and is likely to be accompanied by redness and swelling. On a lighter note, these can be expected to disappear within just a few minutes or hours.

The second form of allergy testing, the blood test, is often used in cases that the patient is undergoing a medication that would hamper skin testing or if the patient is suffering from severe skin conditions such as eczema. Blood testing is also used when dealing with babies or young children as a single needle stick for the test is better than various skin tests. Unlike the skin test, the result of a blood test takes some time as the sample needs to be analysed by a laboratory. It is however more costly to administer than the skin test.

Each test method has its advantages and disadvantages and the test results alone are not enough to completely diagnose an allergy. In all cases, using either type of test, results need to be considered together with the patient's personal medical history.

Testing For Food Allergies - Self Diagnosis

There are several ways to check for food allergies on one's own. One is with the Coca test, based on Dr. Coca's observation that a person's pulse rate increases after eating a food to which he or she is allergic. The test consists of taking your pulse before eating and every 30 minutes after that for up to 2 hours.

Normally, the average person's pulse is between 70 and 80 beats per minute. After eating a food to which one is allergic, however, the pulse can increase significantly to a count that's 20 or even 40 beats above the normal level.

Another effective diagnostic measure that can be self-administered is the elimination test. Here, suspected allergy-producing foods are eliminated from the diet for 4 days. Every 5th day one of the foods is added back in to see if an allergic reaction occurs. So, if, for example, wheat is eliminated, on the 5th day a bowl of cracked wheat can be eaten. (Bread should not be used for this purpose because the person might be reacting to the yeast, sugar or additives.)

Recording Symptoms

It is helpful to keep a food diary to isolate those chemicals and foods that make you ill. Ask yourself, "Do I get bloated? Tired? Headaches?" Even is symptoms are not immediate, write them down. If you are allergic to a food, patterns will begin to emerge. A wide array of symptoms can occur depending upon which systems are most affected:

Adrenal System Reactions: Low energy or chronic fatigue is a common reaction, with immune dysfunction being at the most severe end of the spectrum. Another possibility is obesity, which can stem from a tendency to overeat in response to low glucose levels. A hypoglycemic person eats to raise the blood sugar and overcome inertia and exercise too little because not enough energy is available.

Central Nervous System Reactions: Brain allergies occur when molecules, breathed in or eaten, leave the blood and enter the brain. These foreign substances can interfere with enzymes and lead to any number of reactions - diminished concentration, impaired thinking, spaciness, anxiety, headaches, aggressive or antisocial behavior, depression, rapid mood swings, insomnia, hallucinations or episodic memory loss.

Many children experience hyperactivity or fatigue from allergens. Even serious psychotic problems can result; it is estimated that for over 90% of schizophrenics, food or chemical intolerances are contributory factors to their conditions. Unfortunately many allergic reactions, and many psychological problems compounded by allergic reactions, are mistaken for purely psychological.

Skin Problems: Some people experience rashes, or skin redness, discoloration, roughness or inflammation.

Respiratory System Problems: There may be wheezing or shortness of breath, asthma or bronchitis.

Cardiovascular Symptoms: These include heart pounding, rapid or skipped beats, flushing, pallor, tingling, redness or blueness of the hands and faintness.

Gastrointestinal Symptoms: Numerous symptoms include dry mouth, burping, flatulence, bloating, canker sores, stinging tongue, diarrhea, constipation, nausea, abdominal pain, rectal itching and indigestion.

Other Problems: Other annoying, uncomfortable symptoms are muscle aches and joint pain, ringing in the ears and frequent urination.

Unless corrected, subclinical signs can turn into disease states. Most people mask their symptoms with medication instead of addressing the cause of the problem. They do not realize that seemingly divers conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, asthma, migraines, irritably bowel syndrome, adult onset diabetes and skin disease, can have food and chemical allergies as an underlying cause.

Liver Shunts In Dogs - Why My Dog Went Undiagnosed For 3.5 Years And How You Can Spot It!

My Italian Greyhound is truly the best friend (no, more like a child) of my husband and I. Her name is Wendy. She's absolutely a beautiful specimen of an Italian Greyhound - with her sleek body, her tucked tummy, her champion like posture and whimsical gallop. Wendy is now 4.5 years old and her life has been one long terrible journey.

When we first adopted Wendy - she was a tiny fawn puppy with large black eyes. You couldn't even tell if she was looking at us because her pupils and eye color had not developed yet. She was very fuzzy for an Italian Greyhound puppy. She had remnant milk breath and wagged her tail in play.

Unfortunately, a few weeks after we adopted her, she threw up. It was a small projectile like vomit while my husband was holding her. We did not think anything of it because puppies will throw up sometimes. She was on a strictly "puppy" food diet, her stools were normal and her urine was normal. She was eating and drinking normally and behaving normally.

Approximately a month later, things started to change with Wendy. She became less active. She laid down all the time. She didn't want to engage in typical "puppy" play - or if she did, she didn't last more than a few minutes before she wanted to lay down. We didn't know any better and thought maybe she was just a "quiet" puppy or had more of a "serious" temperament than our other Italian Greyhound.

We soon began to notice that she was not eating as much. It was time to go to the vet. The vet told us that her weight was fine and she looked fine. We told the vet that her appetite had greatly decreased, but he told us to give her some chicken soup and rice. We tried, and she did eat some of it, but within a day she stopped eating. We took her back and the vet told us to just keep trying. We tried for another night and she refused to eat. At this point she also stopped ALL physical activity. She didn't get up! She didn't walk, she didn't do anything. She just was looking around her while she was laying down.

We brought her back to the vet again, this time my husband was furious. The vets' office had at least 5 vets working in it. He demanded to see a vet and NOT the same one who had been treating Wendy. He told the new vet Wendy's history and he demanded that something be done about her quickly deteriorating condition. The vet told my husband he thought she had a food allergy and prescribed Hill's C/D. Well, luckily - this did help her come back to life. Later, I learned that Hill's C/D is a low protein food and it was the high protein in her puppy food that was killing Wendy.

Wendy did fine on this food. I kept bringing her to the vet at least once a month for colds, fevers and strange behavior. She constantly urinated all over the place. She never had a good appetite and never drank a lot. She was still a "quiet" dog, but she grew older and we moved to a different town. She became an adult and we took her off of the Hill's C/D. She immediately started to develop crystals in her urine. Italian Greyhounds do not like to urinate outdoors, so we always made it a point to use pee pads in a basement or garage area. Fortunately, as a youngster, Wendy didn't always quite make it to the pad and I was able to see the crystals on the floor!!!

I took her to the vet specifically to address the crystals in her urine. The vet ran some blood tests and told me that her BUN count was a little low (and maybe her creatin too - I can't quite remember the creatin reading). I researched this on the net (which was still developing at the time) and found information about liver shunts. Liver shunts are often congenital defects that occur in puppies/dogs and these affected dogs typically have low BUN, low creatin and ammonium crystals in their urine! I brought it up to the vet - she said "no" and "that's not it". She told us it was just the food allergy that our earlier vets had diagnosed. I truly believed my vet - SHE was the EXPERT. I completely put the idea of a liver shunt OUT OF MY MIND.

Every time I brought Wendy to the vet, I kept asking each vet if they thought Wendy was too skinny. They all told me that she was just petite and that she looked normal. Again, I had instinctual doubts but believed the EXPERTS.

If I had only known then what I know now. After 3.5 years of going through hell bringing Wendy to tons of vets and ER vets - I finally found an ER vet who actually took the time to listen to Wendy's full history and my concerns. He said the magic words "I think she might have a liver shunt, you should get a bile acid test done on her".

Here are the symptoms of liver shunts:

1. Poor Doer: A puppy/dog that is always getting sick. Because liver shunts cause toxicity in the blood because the dog is not having its blood filtered by the liver. This causes various illnesses to occur often.

2. UTIs: A puppy/dog that has frequent urinary tract infections or looks like it is having a urinary tract infection due to having many accidents all over the house, isn't able to be housebroken or urinating small amounts.

3. BAD ODOR: A puppy/dog that has bad mouth odor and/or bad urine odor. Often, the urine is also a darker color yellow instead of the "barely" yellow of normal healthy urine. (Note: Puppy and young dogs should have good breath. Bad breath is a RED FLAG that something isn't right)

4. Head Pressing: Dogs with liver shunts don't filter their blood which results in ammonia build up in the blood. Ammonia toxicity causes their heads to feel funny - so they rub their heads a lot.

5. CRYSTALS IN URINE: This is from the excess ammonia in their system. Any dog with crystals in the urine should have a bile acid test.

6. Complete Blood Count (CBC): This test is easily given in the vet's office. Liver shunt dogs often have a lower than normal BUN and Creatin count.

7. Depression: Liver shunt dogs are not very active or they may be active for very short periods of time. They are known as "quiet" puppies or "quiet" dogs. A "quiet" puppy usually isn't very normal and all "quiet" puppies should have a bile acid test to make sure they are okay.

8. Low Weight: Puppies with liver shunts look normal with a milk belly, etc. As they grow into dogs it is obvious they are too skinny. Their ribs show, their bones are prominent and they don't develop muscle mass. Not all liver shunt dogs have low weight though, but many do. They tend to have low weight because their liver cannot absorb and process nutrients to bring these liver shunt dogs to their normal weight.

9. Small: Dogs with liver shunts often do not grow as much as their siblings. They have smaller than normal livers and sometimes smaller than normal features. Wendy never developed the strong leg muscles that all greyhound breeds exhibit.

10. Anorexia: Many liver shunt puppies/dogs do not eat normally. They eat very little dog food. They may chow down on a newly introduced canned food or people food - but they invariably resort back to not eating very much. Eating food makes them not feel well because of the higher toxicity they have after a meal - so they tend to shun food.

11. Breed: Any breed can have a liver shunt, but Yorkshire Terriers are famous for having them.

Here is my advice to anyone who has a dog with these symptoms:

FORCE YOUR VET TO DO A BILE ACID TEST IF YOU SUSPECT A LIVER SHUNT AND/OR YOUR DOG IS EXHIBITING SOME OF THE ABOVE SYMPTOMS!!!! Don't take "no" for an answer. Tell them you want to MAKE SURE and cover all of your bases. A bile acid test is about $100.00 and can save your dog's life.

Once your dog has been diagnosed with a liver shunt, you can then begin the process of determining treatment. In the meantime, ask the vet for Lactulose which may cause diarrhea at first but will immediately help to greatly detoxify your dog. Also, immediately put your dog on Hill's L/D diet which is low protein. Do not give your dog any people food that has protein! Protein promotes toxicity in liver shunt dogs.

There are several treatment options. You may want to have a scintigraphy done to find out if the shunt is intrahepatic or extrahepatic. Usually the liver shunt is extrahepatic (outside the liver) which is easily operable. Intrahepatic shunts (inside the liver) are much more difficult to operate on and are usually found in larger breed dogs. Your vet can recommend whether to operate or not. Usually, it is recommended to medically manage your dog rather than operate with intrahepatic shunts.

Surgery: One of the best and cheapest places to have the surgery performed is at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville, TN. And I do mean the BEST and the cheapest. They specialize in liver shunt surgery. I wouldn't have trusted Wendy to any other surgeon for treatment. In addition, UTK utilizes a surgical method for extrahepatic shunts that cannot be surpassed by mere ligation.

Puppies in in the uterous of their momma dog get nutrients from momma through a portal vein. At birth, this vein is supposed to close up. In liver shunt dogs, it doesn't close up. Instead, this portal vein acts as a "bypass" and most of the blood bypasses the liver. The liver is what cleans the blood. The liver also performs thousands of other vital functions!!! 94% of Wendy's blood bypassed her liver!!!

The classical surgical method has been to ligate the portal vein (close it off, shut it down, get rid of it....). Unfortunately, the ligation method can throw the body into shock and kill the dog because there is a halt to the circulatory system! UTK developed a much better and much safer method. A metal ring is coated with a substance that expands upon contact with moisture. It expands SLOWLY (it takes a month or so for it to fully expand). This ring, called an ameroid constrictor, is placed AROUND the portal vein. The ameroid constrictor closes slowly over time until the vein is closed. This not only helps the body from going into shock, but it also helps to prevent infection that is caused by ligation! The liver is able to slowly accept more and more blood as the constrictor does its job. There is no shock to the liver or the circulatory system.

I HIGHLY recommend the surgery with an ameroid constrictor - you can research all of this on the net to make your decision. The UTK program includes a scinitigraphy to locate the shunt, surgery, hospital stay, AND A BIOPSY OF THE LIVER for about $1,600 (2007). They do a great job!

What to Expect Post Op: Your dog will be in some pain for a few days after the surgery. Fortunately, there is not a lot of pain because the only cutting involved is the skin on the belly and for the biopsy. There is usually no cutting done for placing the ameroid constrictor.

Over the next 4 months, you will notice the following: weight gain, muscle development, loss of puppy fur (if your dog retained its puppy fur), improvement in general appearance (shinier), LOTS more ENERGY and no more head rubbing.

At 4 months, you will need to redo the bile acid test to check on how the ameroid constrictor is operating. Wendy had 0s on her follow up bile acid test!!! After 4 months, if the bile acid test comes back normal, you can put your dog back on regular food!!!!

I can't tell you how glad I was that I was able to have Wendy surgically corrected.

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) And Sperm Allergy

There are rare disorders, which affect a woman's fertility, and yet which are not 'household names' so-to-speak, even among those women who would consider themselves to be well-informed about woman's health issues. If you talk to women about Polycystic Ovary Syndrome and Sperm Allergy, you are likely to get a few raised eyebrows. This might be due to the fact that they are considered to be somewhat rare. Females attempting to get pregnant want to be as well-read on fertility-related issues as possible.

Here is a brief overview these two disorders:

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: This is an endocrine disorder that affects approx. 5% to 10% of women are of child bearing age, and which is a leading cause of infertility. The symptoms vary significantly in women. Women with this disorder have higher than normal levels of male hormones (all women have both male and female hormones). The excessive amounts of masculinizing (androgenic) hormone result in increased hair growth and irregular or absent menstrual cycles (anovulation), and small-fluid filled cysts on their ovaries. If a woman is pregnant or trying to conceive, she needs to consult with a doctor before taking any medication to deal with the increased hair, since they can affect the development of a fetus. Polycystic Ovary Syndrome is also strongly correlated and to diabetes, obesity, and the body producing too much insulin.

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome affects ovulation. Different medications can be prescribed to help the ovaries release eggs. IVF can be used to help a woman with PCOS conceive. There is also a laparoscopic procedure which may be considered, although it is not considered as a first option. A small portion of the ovary is destroyed by a small electric current. This intervention can decrease the production of male hormones and increase ovulation.

The exact cause of PCOS is unknown. There may be a genetic factor, but further testing is needed.

There is no cure for PCOS.

Sperm Allergy: Females can suffer from a sperm allergy, or human seminal plasma hypersensitivity, which is a rare allergic reaction to seminal fluids, or sensitivity to semen.

The best way to test for such an allergy is to use a condom during intercourse. If the symptoms go away with the use of a condom, this is a possible. In mild cases, there usually are no symptoms. In more severe cases, symptoms may include vaginal itching, redness, swelling, or blisters within 30 minutes of contact. They may also include generalized itching, hives, and even difficulty breathing.

Both mild and severe allergies may interfere with a couple trying to conceive. Up to 25% of couples experiencing difficulties conceiving may have sperm allergies. Of those with such an allergy, 20% to 40% are able to conceive with the help of artificial insemination or an Assisted Reproductive Technology treatment.

A woman consulting a fertility specialist is well-advised to share any medical concerns that she has, whether or not she can see a direct correlation between the concern and her attempts to become pregnant. Fertility specialists are trained to see links between fertility and health-issues.

Choosing Pets For Kids With Allergies

I love dogs. My partner loves dogs. My kids love dogs. Trouble is, dogs don't love my kids - at least not when it comes to allergies. So if you've set your heart on getting a dog, but you or your family have allergy problems is there anything you can do about it?

Well, you can start by looking at breeds that are supposedly better for allergy sufferers. Wheaten Terriers, Beagles, Portuguese Water Dogs are some of the most popular. Or the new "hybrid" breeds - Labradoodles, Spoodles and the like.

The problem is that even then, nothing is guaranteed. We went as far as going to a rescue centre, carefully choosing the right kind of dog after several visits, starting to sign on the dotted line, when suddenly our elder daughter began reacting. She became itchy, her face swelled up - and there were of course buckets of tears when we realised that we couldn't take the dog after all.

The thing is, it's not just a dog's coat that's the problem. It's also the saliva. So you have to worry about a dog licking you as well as stroking it. No displays of affection, in other words. Which rather negates a lot of the point of getting a dog in the first place.

So is all lost when it comes to dogs? Not necessarily. We had both our girls tested for allergies and both were confirmed as allergic to dogs. But these things can change over time. People can both develop and lose allergies over time, seemingly for no rhyme or reason. Ditto asthma and eczema - they're all related.

I had asthma as a kid, but none now. I never had eczema as a child, but in my late twenties and thirties I got it quite badly. Now, in my early forties, I no longer suffer from it. My elder daughter used to have a latex allergy. Not now. She now swells up if she eats chicken. She never used to. My partner had bad hay fever all her life - until a couple of years ago. And so on.

It can be the same with pet allergies. If you're not sure, get you or your family tested. Then try testing again in a few years time. There are also things you can do to lessen the impact of allergies, such as washing the dog frequently. But that's only worthwhile if the dog is already there - it's not a great idea to introduce a new dog to an allergic household on that basis. Besides, the dog is unlikely to be too keen on being bathed. And however often you clean or groom it, there's no such thing as an allergen free dog.

Incidentally, both our kids came out in the tests as allergic to cats. This we already knew about, and was less of an issue, as we'd all prefer to get a dog. Cat allergies tend to be more common, and often more severe as well. And also, many experts say, less likely to go away over time. So bad luck if cats are your bag - it's not a good idea to introduce a cat to a home with allergic kids.

While we're hoping our kids' dog allergies will improve over time, we still wanted to get a pet. But practically all pets can set off allergies - rabbits, guinea pigs, mice, all of them. So always expose all members of your household to them before taking them home, just in case. Snakes and lizards are OK - but plenty of people aren't too happy with the concept of a snake or lizard in the house.

Then there are goldfish. Goldfish you're pretty safe with. But goldfish you'll probably get pretty bored with too. They're not easy to take for walks for one thing.

In the end, we settled on hamsters. The kids had already handled the school hamster without any problems, so we knew we were on safe ground. So now we're the proud owners of three girl hamsters. (I do, do hope they are all females - three is more than enough.)

One day we may be able to get a dog. But right now, we're happy, the kids are happy, and their allergies aren't being set off all the time by their pets. And that's the main thing.

© Peter Wise

Perfume Allergy? Go Fragrance Free!

Are you one of the many people in the UK with a perfume allergy? If so, you will understand how this can define so much of what you can use on your body and in your home. Whilst the extent of the inconvenience depends on which perfume chemicals you are allergic to, fragrance-free products are the best option for living without constant skin reactions.

Up to 4% of people are thought to have perfume allergies, although many more have sensitive skin and may react to other components of skin creams.

Why is perfume added to skin care products?
Perfume is added to skin care products because it is designed to improve their scent and thus make them more appealing to consumers. Of course, you only need look at the popularity of the big perfume brands to see that pleasant aromas are welcomed by many people. Scent is even used in some stores to improve customers' brand experience - not good if you have a perfume allergy!

Almost all skin care products, from body lotions and face creams to deodorants and shower gels, have perfume added to them. Indeed, it can sometimes be quite difficult to find personal care products on supermarket shelves which do not have added scent. Sometimes the perfume is added so as to give a nice scent whilst other times it is added as a 'masking fragrance' to cover up the smell of another ingredient.

Perfumes are also found in a huge array of other products such as washing powders, kitchen and bathroom cleaners, air fresheners, candles and tissues - to name just a few.

Unfortunately for people who have perfume allergies, this means that many products are completely out of bounds, leaving them to seek out fragrance-free skin care products instead.

What are the symptoms of perfume allergies?
If you are allergic to perfume, you may react in a number of ways. Skin reactions are quite common, with rashes, redness, itching or eczema apparent in the area of skin which came into contact with the perfume. Eczema in the armpits is often a sign of a perfumed deodorant allergy and those who experience this should try switching to a fragrance-free deodorant.

Perfume allergies, just as with any other allergy, can also affect you in other ways. You may experience watery eyes, shortness of breath, nausea or dizziness when you come into contact with some fragrances. There are also a number of less common symptoms; visit your doctor if you are concerned.

Why does perfume make me react?
When you see 'perfume' listed on the ingredients label of skin care products, it represents a combination of compounds which all make up the scent of the product. It isn't possible to tell what all of these compounds are if just the term 'perfume' is used so it is hard to narrow down what exactly you are allergic to.

Here is a list of the most common perfume chemicals which cause allergic reactions:

- Cinnamyl alcohol
- Hexylcinnam-aldehyde
- Coumarin
- Isoeugenol
- Anisyl alcohol
- Amyl cinnamyl alcohol
- Hydroxy-citranellal
- Oak moss extract

If you have ever gone for perfume allergy testing, you would likely have undergone a patch test involving the above chemicals and another one of Balsam of Peru. This is where a sample of the fragrance is applied to a small area of skin and monitored to see if there is any reaction.

These two perfume patch tests detect around 75% of perfume allergies so may be able to help you find out for certain about your sensitivities.

Essential oils in perfumes
Synthetic chemicals are widely used in perfumes as they tend to be much cheaper than essential oils which offer a natural form of scent. It is often these synthetic chemicals which set off allergic reactions but essential oils can also cause reactions in some people.

Essential oils are used in many natural skin care products because of their remarkable effectiveness in both adding scent and having beneficial effects on skin. Unfortunately for those who have allergies to essential oils, this can restrict their use of even the most natural of products.

However, just because your skin reacts to some essential oils, it doesn't mean that it will to all. If you like, you can undergo patch testing to identify exactly where your fragrance allergy lies. This way you can still enjoy the use of some natural skin care products with essential oils.

Fragrance-free products
If you are allergic to several perfumes or have very sensitive skin, going completely fragrance-free is probably the best choice for you. These tend to be the very mildest products and, although they may be difficult to find, you should be able to get a complete personal care range without scent.

Spotting Dog Skin Allergies

Dog allergies of all kinds are just as common in dogs as they are in humans. Dog skin allergies are one of the most common forms of allergies that you may experience. These allergies are characterized by having your pet chew, lick and paw at her itchy skin, her eyes and nose may have some sort of discharge (usually a clear discharge) and there may be digestive upsets involved. Skin lesions are another sign that your dog is probably suffering allergies of skin.

What Causes Dog Skin Allergies?
All allergies are a result of our immune system being hypersensitive to some sort of substance (which is referred to as an antigen or allergen). Dog skin allergies can show up at any point of your dog's life, though they tend to come about during the first five years of your dog's life.

The most common of the dog skin allergies involves dog fleas. The saliva of dog fleas will often cause the area of skin where the bite occurred to become incredibly itchy and irritating.

There are also atopic dog skin allergies, which is the result of your pet inhaling some sort of substance that does not agree with their immune system. These allergens are similar to the inhaled allergens that bother humans, such as dust, mold, dander, and pollen. This type of allergy usually is noticeable when your pet is quite young (under 6 months in age) The best way to try and stop atopic allergies is to keep your home and the area that the dog lives in very clean and well ventilated.

How are Dog Skin Allergies Diagnosed?
Where the skin lesions are present on the body will often help the veterinarian decide if your dog has an allergy or not. Your veterinarian may also put your dog on some sort of a flea medication, and different foods may be tried so as to rule out whether or not your dog is having a dog food allergy rather than an allergy of skin. Blood tests and allergy testing may also be involved in more complex cases.

How do you Treat Dog Skin Allergies?
Unfortunately, allergies are very rarely "cured"; it's more a matter of trying to control them and to keep them in check. Antihistamines as well as corticosteroids are popular ways to treat allergies, though some pet owners are also choosing "immunotherapy". This type of therapy is a bit controversial as it is not guaranteed to work, though if it does, it will take up to 12 months to work properly.

Food Allergy Recipes - How To Find Them

If you enjoy eating home cooked meals, food allergies can be can be a real nuisance. A lot of time needs to be taken to ensure that all the ingredients are safe to eat. Since food allergies are often times present in children, extra care must be taken when preparing lunches for your kids. This is why it's so important to know exactly what you're allergic to. If you don't know exactly what foods you're allergic to, it's a good idea to get allergy testing done. This way you'll know exactly what foods you're allergic to and you'll be able to better understand the symptoms of your allergy.

Common food allergies include eggs, milk, peanuts, soy and wheat. Symptoms most people experience are diarrhea, coughing, swelling in the face, tightness in the chest, rashes and vomiting.

Safe recipe ideas

Good food allergy recipes are everywhere. You just need to be careful. The best place to find free recipes is online. Many websites will create a recipe for you. You just input the ingredients you're allergic to and they'll send you the finished recipe in minutes. It's a good idea to make this part of your normal internet surfing routine. Simply write the recipes down on a 3x5 card. That way you'll have them handy when you need them. By spending just a few minutes a day gathering safe recipes you won't have to spend valuable time at the end of the day when you have a hungry family to feed.

The trick is to learn the substitutions for the foods you're allergic to. For example if you suffer from an allergy to eggs, a good substations might be tofu or smashed bananas.

A food allergy doesn't have to be the end of the world. You can still enjoy cooking wonderful meals. It's just a matter of finding safe recipes.

Non-Surgical Facelifts

Bovine collagen injections, Zyderm, and Zyplast, were the only augmenting materials available in the United States for treating wrinkles and furrows for two decades, and I was one of the first cosmetic dermatologists to use them when they were first introduced in 1983. From the outset, injectable collagen treatments were fraught with drawbacks.

For one thing, while adequate for treating fine wrinkles, they were often inadequate for dealing with deeper wrinkles and furrows, and they were certainly of little value for facial volumizing and contouring. Moreover, nearly 3 percent of people were allergic to the products, and two pre-treatment skin tests spaced a month apart were required before actual treatment could begin. Finally, the benefits lasted between three and six months only before retreatment was necessary. For severe wrinkles, jowls, and sagging, going under the cosmetic surgeon's knife, with all its risks and downsides, remained the only recourse.

Happily, the past five years has witnessed a literal explosion in the number of FDA-approved, injectable filling and volumizing agents in the United States - fillers for fine and moderate wrinkles, and volumizers for correcting sunken areas, recontouring surface irregularities and restoring fullness to the skin. Along with Botox Cosmetic (not technically a filling agent, but certainly a premier injectable for improving all kinds of expression line, movement-related wrinkling), which received its FDA-approval in 2002, many non-collagen fillers and volumizers were introduced. These included hyaluronic acid products, such as Hylaform, Captique, Elevess, Restylane, and Juvederm, and volumizers, such as Radiesse and Sculptra. Unlike collagen, these substances, largely synthetically produced (with the exception of Hylaform that is derived from the cockscomb of roosters), did not require any prior allergy testing. This meant a person could literally walk in off the street and be treated the same day. What's more, their results lasted far longer, especially for the volumizers, whose benefits may persist between 12 to 24 months or even longer. For that reason, they are labeled as semi-permanent, rather than temporary filling materials.

Between 2000 and 2005, the use of soft tissue filling agents and volumizers for non-surgical rejuvenation procedures increased by an astonishing 34 percent, and not surprisingly, the number of surgical facelifting procedures decreased by a whopping 20 percent during roughly the same time period. The "liquid facelift" had come of age.

I want to make it perfectly clear that I am not asserting that there is no place anymore for aggressive, surgical facelifting, technically known as "rhytidectomy" or "rhytidoplasty." For extreme cases of large jowls, excessively sagging and redundant skin, and deep furrows, the facelift remains an appropriate therapeutic option. I am saying, however, that we now have the tools to parallel many of the benefits of facelifting without ever touching a scalpel to the face. Moreover, we can even improve appearance in many ways that traditional surgery could not.

We have recently discovered that shrinkage of underlying dermal tissue, shifts in fat deposits, and alterations in bone and cartilage as we age are responsible for many of the changes we see in facial aging. In short, the robust, heart-shaped fat pads that sat directly over our cheekbones and gave our face fullness when we were younger not only shrink with time, but sink downward and inward toward the nose, leaving the tell-tale signs of their descent in their wake. When this happens, we find hollow-looking, darkened and crinkly or bulging lower lids, and pronounced smile lines on the sides of our noses. The weight of this fall also accentuates the unsightly jowls along the jaw line.

A traditional surgical facelift, by simply pulling taut the skin, may soften the lines around the nose and mouth and lift the jowls, but it does nothing to address the underlying volume loss and displacement. In fact, we very often saw people appearing "skeletonized" by the operation. They were left with unnaturally tight-looking skin that was a sure sign of "Oh, she's had a facelift."

Of course, it goes without saying that true, surgical facelifts are real surgery entailing the risks of general or intravenous anesthesia, significant post-operative pain, bruising and swelling, prolonged recuperation times (two weeks out of work and several months before all swelling finally goes away), scarring, and a considerable financial outlay. Contrary to popular belief, the benefits of facelift surgery are not permanent. The surgery may be repeated once or twice in a lifetime.

Non-surgical facelifting, combining Botox Cosmetic with fillers and volumizers, goes to the heart of the underlying problems: dynamic wrinkles (wrinkles caused by the muscles of facial expression), and the replacement of lost or displaced volume. A few micro droplets of Botox is quite efficient for eliminating or softening the horizontal "worry" lines across the forehead, the crow's feet lines on the sides of the eyes, and the scowl (or "frown") lines between the eyes. It can also alleviate the crinkly "bunny" lines along the bridge of the nose and a "pebbly" chin. For deeper wrinkles, the effects of Botox may be supplemented with the use of fillers, like Restylane or Juvederm. This combination has been found to be particularly effective, and the benefits of combination therapy last far longer than when each material is used alone. These same fillers can be injected to elevate the smile lines and the sad lines.

Jowls along the jaw line can be softened with Radiesse by adding volume to the notched areas surrounding the jowl, eliminating the appearance of the jowl and contouring the jaw line back to the smooth, straight line of youth. And finally, volume may be restored and recontoured over the cheekbones with Radiesse.

To minimize discomfort, the designated areas are "frozen" beforehand with a small amount of local anesthetic, usually lidocaine, a faster acting anesthetic than novocaine traditionally used by dentists. Although I personally find it unnecessary, some doctors choose to employ a nerve block, i.e. to anesthetize the larger branches of the nerves that supply the face, to supplement the local anesthetic.

Once the treatment area is numb, the volumizer or filler is injected and then molded like clay into place to correct the deformity or irregularity. The whole procedure usually takes only about thirty minutes to complete, and to the delight of the patient, in most cases, the results are immediate. Afterward, you may experience some redness, mild swelling, and tenderness, which may last one to three days. Occasionally, you may develop some bruising that can take several days to fade, but is easily coverable with proper masking makeup.

Dermal Fillers

What are They?
Dermal fillers are injectable substances used to plump up skin, fill in lines and wrinkles, help correct recessed scars, and rejuvenate the face. They are commonly used to plump up the lips and remove deep creases that run from the nose to the corners of the mouth, and creases between the eyebrows. The injections are an excellent alternative to facelifts, for patients who want to look younger and fresher but don't want the cost or recovery time of surgery.

Why Get Them?
As we get older, a combination of our lifestyle (including diet and sun exposure), gravity, and genetics will begin to take its toll on our face. The collagen, elastic, and fat in our face begin to break down, which can make our faces look gaunt and tired. Wrinkles begin to form in areas where we use the muscles repeatedly to make expressions. The most common areas for expression lines are the nasolabial folds, "marionette lines" that run from the corners of the mouth to the chin, and wrinkles between the eyebrows.

Fillers will fill in those sunken or creased areas, returning your face to a more youthful look, and making you look more energized. The results are not permanent, so if you decide you don't like them, you simply don't repeat the treatment. If you want to look younger but aren't ready to commit to plastic surgery, dermal fillers are for you.

What Kinds of Dermal Fillers Are There?
There are a few different types of dermal fillers, each made of different ingredients. Your surgeon will help you select the filler that will best help you reach the look you have in mind. The three most popular types of dermal fillers are fat, collagen, and hyaluronic acid. Each of these fillers last about a year, at which point you will need to get re-treated.

Human Fat
The human fat used in dermal filler injections is analogous- meaning it comes from your own body. The surgeon will take fat from an area like your abdomen or thighs, clean it, and then inject it into the trouble spots on your face. This is an excellent option for people with severe allergies because your body won't react to your own tissues. Your body will reabsorb some of the injected fat, so the surgeon will have to overfill the injection site initially. This will make the area look swollen for a few days, until the body absorbs the excess.

Collagen
Collagen is a protein found in cow products or in human skin, and is commonly used to plump up the lips. It can also be used to counteract the look of mild to moderate creases in the face. It's a popular dermal filler option for patients who are maintaining their appearance after a facelift or other facial plastic surgery. For patients who are using cow-derived collagen (bovine collagen), there may need to be some pre-treatment allergy testing.

Hyaluronic Acid
Hyaluronic acid is a naturally occurring substance found in human connective tissues, and around the eyes. When used as a cosmetic injectable, hyaluronic acid acts as a cushion that inflates the tissues, while simultaneously drawing water to the surface of the skin. It can be used in the cheek areas to replace lost fat that is leaving you looking tired and gaunt, and can also be used to fill in lines, wrinkles, and folds. The result is a plumper, dewy, younger-looking face.

Who is A Good Candidate for Dermal Fillers?
A good candidate for dermal fillers will have a positive outlook and realistic expectations of the outcome of the procedure. He or she will be undergoing dermal filler injections resurfacing for personal reasons, and not to satisfy anyone else.

There is no "right" age for getting dermal fillers, but most patients are between the ages of 30 and 60. Older patients may find that their skin has lost enough elasticity that they don't get the results they want.

What Happens During My Consultation for Dermal Fillers?
During your consultation for dermal fillers, your surgeon will review your medical history to make sure you aren't on any medications or undergoing any treatments that might interfere with the injections. He will evaluate your skin and help you decide which filler is right for you.

If you decide on a filler made from animal products, you may need to undergo an allergy patch test to make sure you won't have any reactions to the injections. The surgeon will also go over the risks, and have you sign a consent.

How Are Dermal Fillers Done?
Dermal filler injections are usually a quick and easy procedure that you can do in the doctor's office while you're on your lunch break, or whenever you can find an hour or two in your schedule. You won't be put under anesthesia, so you can drive yourself home after the injections.

When you come in for your appointment, the surgeon will make small marks on your face to map out where the injections are going to go. Your skin will be cleaned, and there may be a topical numbing cream applied to the injection site. Some fillers are also mixed with painkiller to help with discomfort.

The injections are then administered, following the marks the surgeon made. When he is done, the marks will be removed. Some patients might be given a cold compress to help with any swelling.

What is Recovery Like for Dermal Fillers?
There is no real downtime after a dermal filler treatment, and you can return to your normal routine immediately after your appointment. You might notice some redness, bruising, or swelling, which will dissipate within 48 hours. You can use makeup to cover up any redness immediately after the appointment.

Avoid rubbing or massaging the injection site because this can cause the filler to shift position. If you are getting an injection of human fat, there will be an "overfilled" look that will begin to fade within a few days. Your recovery will be different if you had liposuction to harvest the donor fat.

Once the filler settles, the results will last up to one year.

What Are the Risks of Dermal Filler Injections?
Dermal fillers were the second-most popular non-surgical cosmetic treatment in 2011 (just after Botox injections), with over 1.2 million treatments given. There are very few complications associated with the procedure. The risks that do exist include infection, bruising, swelling, itching, migration of the filler, rash, or dissatisfaction with the results.

The best way to avoid complications is to select a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon for dermal filler injections. Board certified surgeons have the experience and training necessary to help you meet your goals with as few complications as possible. Following all your pre- and post-operative care instructions will also help prevent problems.

Will My Insurance Cover Dermal Fillers?
Most insurance companies will not cover cosmetic treatments like dermal filler injections. Contact your insurance provider if you have any questions about your coverage.

What To Do For Eczema During Pregnancy

When you become pregnant, many changes occur inside your body. They include blood pressure changes, hormone changes, and may include skin texture changes. However, these changes are not the same for everyone. No one knows why, but some women who have eczema pre-pregnancy find that their eczema flare-ups seem to be worse; while other women find that their eczema goes away entirely for the duration of the pregnancy. If you find that you have a bout of eczema while pregnant, then this article is written just for you.

It is likely that you skin is especially dry and irritated during this period. Hence, you will need to set up a regimen of moisturizing your skin and keep to it. It is important to use an emollient daily.

Regular doctor visits are essential so that you can keep your doctor up-to-date on changes in your skin condition, whether good or bad. However, before you embark on any alternative or seemingly natural treatment methods for your eczema, like allergy testing, hypnotherapy, aromatherapy, massage, or chiropractic, you have to discuss them over with your doctor.

Make sure that you consume healthy meals and drink lots of water to keep the impurities flushed out of your body. Try to avoid allergens and irritants as much as possible and get enough rest because it helps to keep your immune system in tip-top shape.

Some of the common eczema medications are not recommended for use during pregnancy. If you plan to breastfeed, then antibiotics are not recommended. Other medications like calcineurin inhibitors, which are applied to the skin topically, are also not recommended for women that are pregnant. The effects on a developing fetus have not been established, so it is best to refrain from using these medications all together.

You should also not use corticosteroids, without your doctor's recommendation. Cyclosporine does not have any completed research on whether it causes birth defects or not so it should not be used if you are pregnant either. Two other medications that you need to steer clear of if you are pregnant include mycophenolate mofetil and interferon gamma.

A darkening of skin during pregnancy, or melasoma, is quite common. This usually happens in areas where there is a scar, freckle, mole, or on the nipples. If they are causing you distress, do tell your doctor about them.

Some research studies have found that if you nurse your baby for at least six months, your risk of getting atopic dermatitis reduces. In breast milk, there is an ingredient that decreases the development of the allergic response, unlike cows milk. Cows milk is sometimes a trigger for eczema flare-ups. That is why it is of primary importance to be careful about your diet while pregnant and after your bring your precious little bundle home.

Dermal Fillers - Know About the Latest Techniques Available in the Procedure

Many people want to change the look of the face and are looking for ways to do so. If that is the case, then you should consider dermal fillers. You can correct scars or other imperfections on your face using this procedure.

In the early 1980s people have been using bovine collagen, which was approved by the FDA. This became very popular and was used to fix fine lines and scars and the results could last upwards of three months. The problem with these dermal fillers was that the person could be allergic to the bovine collagen used, which means that you had to do a skin test before the treatment.

Many times people were not happy with the results also. So there was a need for new ways of the process to be done. New fillers that came in the market then were more effective in eliminating wrinkles and folds on the skin. With these procedures, the patient did not have to undergo frequent treatments and did not have to worry about allergy testing.

The new dermal filler is not as expensive as the older methods and is relatively safer and painless to inject. It is also hypoallergenic and can last a fairly long time. It should also be fairly consistent and have the same results each time also. Remember that with the new treatments, you should avoid over injecting your face with the filler because you want to retain a normal youthful appearance.

Many people chose to inject the product in the cheeks, in the lips and other areas on the face to get fuller looks. With these new procedures, the procedure can be relatively short. The patient just has to come for an hour and have the person administer the injection and they can go home instantly.

Many people call these lunch time procedures because they take a relatively short period to administer. After the procedure, the doctor tells the patient not to manipulate the area for a while to avoid shifting the product. Apply a cool pack onto the affected area after the product to reduce swelling. You will most likely have to redo the procedure every five to six months.

If you are considering dermal fillers, then make sure you understand the latest techniques and find a doctor who can administer the product effectively and efficiently. If done correctly, your face will regain a youthful appearance.

Allergy and Sinus Infection

Allergy and Sinus Infections Relationship

When you have an allergy, sinus infections are common. It all starts with an allergy to molds, dust, pollen or other substance. This triggers antibodies that lead to nasal congestion and sinus congestion. At first the sinus drainage is clear and stringy. It is the body's natural response to a respiratory allergen. The body is attempting to clear the pollen or other allergen out of the body. You blow your nose and the allergen is flushed out.

Treatment of Simple Sinus Congestion Resulting from an Allergy

The treatment of simple sinus congestion due to an allergy involves the use of antihistamines. These are medications that block the histamine receptors in the respiratory tract and turn off the mucus production. Benadryl is a common antihistamine that is available over the counter. It can make you very tired however.

So can chlorpheniramine, another antihistamine that is commonly used in allergy preparations. Fortunately, there are several other antihistamines out there that do not make you tired. These include the use of sinus medications Zyrtec and Claritin, both available over the counter. These are non-sedating antihistamines that also block the histamine 1 receptors of the nasal passages. Taking antihistamines can prevent sinusitis.

When an Allergy turns into a Sinus Infection

If sinus congestion due to an allergy is not treated properly, there is a chance of a sinusitis. Bacteria normally live in the nasal passages and these can feed off the mucus made in the nasal passages and sinus cavities. The bacteria can get into the maxillary sinuses or in the ethmoid sinuses, located in the forehead between the eyes. The bacteria quickly multiply and feed off the mucus. The bacteria also turn the nasal mucus yellow or green and the mucus becomes thicker. This makes it difficult to drain the sinuses and there is increased pain from the buildup of thick nasal and sinus mucus.

The most common bacteria that cause a sinus infection from allergy include Streptococcus species and Staphylococcus species. These can get better using the following antibiotics: Bactrim, erythromycin based medications, cephalosporins, quinolone antibiotics like Cipro and penicillin based antibiotics. Due to the high incidence of resistances among the common bacteria found in the nasal passages, two or more antibiotics may need to be attempted or a culture of the nose might need to be cultured in order to find out what's growing and what it is sensitive to.

Who gets Sinus Infections from an Allergy?

Sinusitis resulting from allergy can occur at any age. Even newborn babies are born with sinuses so that if they get an allergy to something, it can go on to cause a sinus infection. Allergies, however, are rare to occur for the first time in the elderly so it is less likely to be this kind of infection if they get a sinus problem. Most simple allergies occur in the youth and in young adults. Determining the cause of the allergy can help you and the doctor by avoiding the allergen altogether or taking antihistamines when exposed to the specific allergen.

Allergy Testing

You can test for allergies by doing skin testing. Skin testing puts a small amount of an allergen under the skin using a thin needle. After twenty-four hours or more, the doctor checks to see if there is an allergic response to the allergen in the place where the needle was inserted. If there is redness or induration in the area of the needle puncture, there is an assumed allergy to the allergen. These are the things you need to avoid in order to stay away.

Is an Allergic Sinus Infection Dangerous?

In general, it is not dangerous to get a sinus infection due to allergy. It can be painful, with pain on touching the skin overlying the sinuses and generalized facial pain and there can be a lot of blowing one's nose and taking Tylenol, Aleve, or ibuprofen. On the other hand, this type of infection can spread to the eyes, up through the nasolacrimal duct, or can spread to the brain, leading to meningitis or encephalitis. These are serious complications of allergy sinus infections that can result in loss of consciousness, seizures and death. Antibiotics can help these complications, especially if they are treated early enough.

Preventing a Sinusitis

The best way to stop a sinusitis arising out of an allergy is to treat the allergy aggressively. This means using antihistamines and blowing your nose frequently to clear the sinus passages. If you think you have an allergy sinus infection, see your doctor about getting an antibiotic.

Steroids For Dogs - Tips & Cautions For Quick Relief of Allergy Symptoms

Steroids for dogs: In the control of intense allergy symptoms, anti-inflammatory steroids provide highly effective relief of inflammation and swelling. They are most often used for a short period of time while testing is performed and other means of control of the symptoms of dog allergies is put into place.

Anti-inflammatory steroids are usually prescribed orally and initially given at a starting dose, with subsequent doses tapered until discontinued. A dog steroid should never be stopped abruptly or before the completion of the entire series of doses is given as prescribed by your veterinarian. This is because tapering the drug correctly is necessary in order to prevent a possible deficit of adrenaline in the dog's body.

Be aware that canine steroids are also used for other medical conditions other than the allergies that dogs have, these include inflammation of the brain, spine, stomach, and intestines, as well as arthritis and immune mediated diseases.

In dog allergy treatment, canine steroids are considered the most problematic of canine medications because of the side effects of both short term and long term steroid use. However, this should not dissuade you from the use of a canine steroid because there are instances when a canine steroid is the only medication capable of bringing quick control of the severe symptoms of dog allergies.

Although intended for short-term use, there are situations when a dog steroid must be used on a continuing or on-going basis. However, when possible they should be used only for short-term treatment for dog allergies, or other conditions as determined by your family veterinarian.

Side effects from anti-inflammatory steroids in dogs are more numerous than in cats. The most common are a drastic increased in appetite and continuous thrust, with the resulting frequent urination and unexpected weight gain. Other side effects include mood swings, which can be disconcerting, and panting. Long term steroid use can cause skin lesions and very serious changes inside the body, most notably Cushing's Disease. With long term steroid use these internal changes can shorten the dog's life span.

Nevertheless, anti-inflammatory steroids are one of the most important and highly effective canine medications used today. When needed, canine steroids are efficient in controlling inflammation and swelling, allowing relief from symptoms, and allowing time for blood tests, lab work, allergy skin testing, and for determining and implementing a course of treatment most suitable to your dog.

Allergy Tests Effectiveness

Many people suffer from allergies. The problem that most allergy sufferers face is that it is difficult to pinpoint just what it is that they are allergic to. This is where allergy tests come in. But how effective are they in discovering exactly what it is you're allergic to? Are they accurate? Are there many ways to even perform the tests? We're going to try to answer some of these questions as well as explain how allergy tests work. Hopefully, by the time you're done reading this, you'll have a pretty good understanding of allergy tests are.

The basic premise behind giving allergy tests is very simple. Your allergist will inject you with small portions of each allergen to determine exactly what it is that you are allergic to. However, in reality, it isn't quite that simple. There are several methods to giving these tests and unfortunately all allergists give them differently.

The one method, which takes the longest, is to start with the smallest dose of allergen for each allergy. Since there are about 8 or 9 outdoor and 8 or 9 indoor allergies, this comes out to about 16 to 18 shots for each allergen at each dosage level. There are approximately 6 or 7 dosage levels for giving these tests. So by the time you are done testing, you could effectively have gotten as many 126 shots. While this may sound on the verge of insanity, it actually goes by very fast. Each dosage level is administered simultaneously in these standard kits. So you're getting about 8 shots at a time.

The way the test works is simple. After each dose is given, a period of about 10 minutes is allowed to pass. The allergist then checks to see if there are any signs of a reaction. If not, then they move up to the next dosage. Now, each allergen can react at a different dosage. So each reaction point has to be noted. Obviously, very detailed record keeping is involved here.

Other allergists simply go the direct route and administer the highest test dosage to start with and work their way down. This is not as accurate because an allergen that reacts at dose 6 may not react at dose 3 but will react at dose 4. Why does this matter? Because the ultimate serum created will actually be a little stronger than it needs to be. Granted, the difference is slight but many allergists feel that difference is significant enough.

But how accurate are these tests, even if you go the long route? Truthfully, they aren't as accurate as people want to think. The reason, as explained to me by my allergist, is because the skin, which is where the tests are given, reacts differently to allergens than the actual sinus passages. To get a more accurate result, you would have to inject each sinus passage, one shot at a time, and then what for a reaction. The amount of time it would take to administer these tests under those conditions would make testing virtually impossible. So skin testing is the best we can hope for.

So because the tests themselves are not that accurate, the actual allergy shot created for them is only going to be so accurate. This is why many people who take allergy shots get very little relief from them, if any.

Therefor, the alternative to allergy testing and allergy shots is simply to treat your allergies with natural foods and herbs. You can find such treatments by visiting our website.

To YOUR Health,

Steve Wagner

General Food Allergies Testing For Candida Sufferers

This article will discuss about general food allergies testing, which is also known as Serological tests for immunoglobulin G4 (IgG4). This is based on the question from a friend of mine, candida sufferer. She wanted to know whether I am familiar or knowledgeable about IgG4 testing for food allergies.

She's having trouble finding anything for the layperson on this test on the Internet. Her ND (Naturopath Doctor) did the test on her and it shows that she's allergic to several foods, such as eggs, dairy products, tomatoes, oranges, Candida Albicans, wheat, and gluten.

After reading that list, she is wondering what she is going to eat, because she loves pasta and she loves nothing better than to throw some tomatoes on noodles. She's been on the list for a bit but has not started any dietary changes because she wanted to wait to see the blood test. She said that she's not very symptomatic compared to most people so it is difficult for her to accept that she has a yeast allergy, although now she is quite convinced she does.

In my opinion, if you are like her and really like pastas, there are pastas made from soy, corn, quinoa and other wheat-free products. I tried a rice pasta the other day, and it tasted quite good. So you may want to try it.

About the general food allergies test, I read somewhere that testing for IgG4 against foods is not recommended as a diagnostic tool because food-specific IgG4 does not indicate food allergy, but rather a physiological response of the immune system after being exposed to food.

Allergy Tests

If a person is feeling like they have allergies, they may need to have an allergy test to figure out where the problem is coming from. Allergy testing will involve having skin or blood tests done to determine what substance or allergen is bringing on the problem. Skin tests are the most common because they are fast, reliable, and much less expensive than blood tests. However, any one of them can be used.

A small amount of a suspected allergy-causing item can be placed on or below the skin to see if a reaction starts. There are three types of skin tests that can be performed to determine the problem. It will be up to the person and the doctor to decide what is going to be the best route in finding the culprit.

A skin prick test is done by using a drop of solution containing a possible allergen on the skin and a series of scratches or needle pricks that allow the solution to enter the skin. If the skin develops a red or raised itchy area, it is going to mean that the person is allergic to the allergen. This is called a positive reaction.

Putting a small amount of allergen solution into the skin does an Intradermal test. An intradermal allergy test may be done when a substance does not cause a reaction in the skin prick test but is still thought of as an allergen for the patient. This is going to be the more sensitive test than others and is often found to be positive in people that do not have symptoms to the allergy.

A skin patch test is something that is placed on a pad and is taped to the skin for 24 to 72 hours. This test is used to find a skin allergy called contact dermatitis. In addition, a blood test can be performed on a patient. Allergy blood tests are going to look for things in the blood that are called antibodies. Blood tests are not always as sensitive as skin tests but are most often used for people that are not able to have the skin test performed on them.

The most common type of blood test is called radio-allergo-sorbent testing or RAST. It is used to determine the blood level of a type of antibody that the blood may produce in response to a particular allergen. IGE levels are often higher in those that have allergies or an asthma problem. RAST may be used for people who cannot have skin tests like those that are taking different medications like antidepressants because this will make the tests less accurate.

There are other lab testing methods like the immunosassay capture test and it may be used by your health care professional to find out more information on what is causing your allergy problems. Again, it is all up to the patient and the doctor to determine what types of testing are going to be used to find the real reason behind the allergy.