Allergies prevent Cancer?
In the instant-solution and quick-fix world that is the present day, allergy reactions are often quelled using chemical drugs in order to bring about a quick end to any physical discomfort which one may be going through. However, recent research published in The Quarterly Review of Biology has strongly suggested that allergies have an important role to play - protection against toxic substances which cause certain types of cancer.
Details and Findings of Study
The article, which was written by researchers from Cornell University, has given an indication that the symptoms of allergies may help ward off cancer by doing their part to expel foreign particles, some of which may be carcinogenic or carry carcinogens with them, from the body. Allergic reactions also serve as alarm bells for potential harmful substances in the air.
A link between allergies and cancer has long been postulated in the medical community. But after many studies carried out on the subject, confusion still persists, with some studies finding positive correlation between the two (i.e. cancer patients suffered from more allergies), some finding the opposite, and some unable to establish any association at all.
But some light was shed when the Cornell study team looked at close to 650 previous studies carried out in the last half a century and examined the effects of different types of cancer as well as specific types of allergic reactions. Their findings were more than interesting.
Stronger Link Found in Organs Which Had Direct Contact With Environmental Particles
Negative correlation between allergies and cancer were a lot more likely to be found with regard to cancers of organs which had direct contact with particles from the environment external to the body. These include the mouth, throat, cervix, pancreas, glial brain cells, colon as well as rectum. Just to recap, a negative correlation means that those who suffered more from allergies were less likely to also have cancer - this implies a protective effect of the former on the latter.
Such negative correlation, however, was less likely for cancers of tissues which were more isolated, such as the breasts, prostate and meningeal brain cells; correlation was also weaker for myeloma, myelocytic leukemia and non-Hodgkins lymphoma.
With regard to specific types of allergic reactions, negative correlation between allergies and cancer was only found for those reactions associated with bodily tissues which had direct exposure to external attacks - namely eczema, food allergies, meat allergies, hay fever and hives.
Exception for Asthma and Lung Cancer
It seems that an exception may exist for asthma and lung cancer, though. Most of the previous studies analyzed had found a positive correlation between the two. And the study team explained that, “essentially, asthma obstructs clearance of pulmonary mucous, blocking any potentially prophylactic benefit of allergic expulsion”. On the flip side, other lung-related allergies have protective effects.
Should We Be Suppressing Allergic Reactions?
The key takeaway from this study is that, if allergies are the body’s natural means of protecting itself against disease, then why are we turning this mechanism off via artificial intervention?
According to the study team, more research in this area will be needed. “We hope that our analyses and arguments will encourage such cost / benefit analyses. More importantly, we hope that our work will stimulate reconsideration [...] of the current prevailing view [...] that allergies are merely disorders of the immune system which, therefore, can be suppressed with impunity,” wrote the team, which was led by Paul Sherman, a professor of neurobiology and behavior at Cornell.
The Importance of Uncomfortable Symptoms
In reality, the findings of this study will not come as a huge surprise to those who are vaguely familiar with the basics of natural health and healing. Running noses, coughs, skin breakouts and other symptoms are the body’s way of eliminating toxins and unwanted materials which it finds it cannot carry out via the more usual channels. While conventional medicine likes to suppress them, natural healers know that they can be valuable for healing.
In fact, some natural healers even deliberately induce symptoms to speed up the body’s recovery processes. One symptom which comes to mind is fever, which helps to kill invading organisms, stimulates the body’s production of more immune cells, as well as increases the activity of these cells.
Suppressing symptoms may bring short-term relief for physical discomfort, but it has the potential to do untold harm to the body in the long run. Unfortunately, that is exactly what most people are doing today via the use of chemical medications, which are themselves a source of toxins for the body. What a strange irony.
Source
The Upside to Allergies: Cancer Prevention
Anti-allergen Ideas
We lost two older house pets in a period of about 16 months, which I’ve mentioned before on HealthBeat. What I haven’t mentioned is one upside to such sadness: A family member who visits can now enter our home without her allergies kicking up.
The University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health points out that allergens — the problems that irritate one’s allergies – can exist indoors, even in the wintertime.
Will the “Shot” give you allergy Relief?
What are allergy shots?
How do allergy shots work?
What kind of allergies can be treated with allergy shots?
Usually people get allergy shots after they have tried other treatments that haven’t worked. Other treatments include avoiding allergens and taking medicine, such as an antihistamine.
Can everyone get allergy shots?
You shouldn’t start allergy shots if you are pregnant. If you have been taking allergy shots for some time and become pregnant, talk to your doctor. You may be able to continue taking your allergy shots.
What will happen if my doctor and I choose allergy shots to treat my allergy?
How many shots will I have to get?
Are allergy shots harmful?
Some people can also have severe, shock-like reactions to an allergy shot. This type of reaction is called anaphylaxis. Anaphylaxis is rare but very serious. If you get your shots on schedule (every week or every month), you’re less likely to have this kind of reaction.
In case you have a bad reaction, your doctor will have you stay at the office for about 20 minutes every time you get your shot. That way, if you have a reaction to the shot, your doctor can give you something right away to stop it.
How long after I start taking the allergy shots before I feel better?
Other Organizations
Source
Written by familydoctor.org editorial staff.
Use of Immunotherapy in a Primary Care Office by T Craig, D.O., AM Sawyer, R.N., M.SC.N. and JA Fornadley, M.D. (American Family Physician April 15, 1998, http://www.aafp.org/afp/980415ap/craig.html)
Reviewed/Updated: 06/06
Created: 04/98
Types of Allergy Medication
Many people who suffer from allergies need some form of allergy medication to bring relief from their symptoms. Allergies can cause skin to itch and swell, the nose to run and feel stuffed up, and eyes to be itchy, watery and very irritated. There is no known cure for allergies but there are a variety of types of medications available, both prescription and over-the-counter.
Allergy medication can take the form of antihistamines, decongestants, combination medicines, allergy shots, and corticosteroids. Antihistamines have been around for many years and come in the form of liquid, nasal spray, eye drops or pills. Nasal sprays can be used during hay fever season or for bothersome allergies all year long. Some examples of prescription antihistamines include Allegra, Clarinex and Zyrtec. Some examples of over-the-counter allergy medications of this kind include Benadryl, Claritin and Tavist.
Decongestants are especially useful allergy medication for getting rid of congestion and can be used in conjunction with antihistamines for optimum relief from symptoms. They can be purchased as eye drops or nasal spray and in pill or liquid form. Prescription decongestants include Claritin-D and Allegra-D while over-the-counter kinds include Sudafed liquid or tablets, Visine eye drops and Neo-Synephrine.
Combination medicines are two-in-one medications that contain both elements of an antihistamine as well as a decongestant. Together they work to rid the body of a number of different symptoms that occur all at once. There are also combination medicines that bring together asthma and allergy meds, as well as those that combine antihistamine eye drops with a mast cell stabilizer. Prescription forms include Naphcon, Zaditor, Vasocon and Semprex-D, while the over-the-counter kinds include Tylenol Allergy and Sinus, and Benadryl Allergy and Sinus.
Steroid medications, known as corticosteroids work to decrease inflammation as well as prevent and treat the sneezing, itchiness, and congestion related to nasal problems that allergies cause. Corticosteroids are also beneficial for swelling and inflammation that is related to other causes besides allergies.
Steroids are a form of allergy medication that is available in pill form, as a nasal spray, as a cream or as eye drops. Examples of nasal steroids include Flonase and Nasonex; examples of eye drops include Alrex and Dexamethasone while an example of an oral steroid is Deltasone (or prednisone). Inhaled steroids are only available with a doctor’s prescription. Some examples of these include Azmacort, Beclovent, Flovent and Pulmicort. Advair is another form that is a combination of a steroid and another type of drug to help relieve asthma symptoms.
Non-drowsy anti-allergy medicine introduced
A capsuled liquid gel for relieving worst allergy symptoms without causing drowsiness is now available over the counter.
“New CLARITIN(R) -Liqui-Gels(R) is the latest advancement for the 50 million Americans who suffer from allergies,” said John O’Mullane, group vice-president, research and development, - Schering-Plough Consumer Health Care.
Liquid-filled capsules are extremely popular with consumers. A recent survey found that 75 percent of consumers who use liquid-filled capsules prefer them over tablets, he said, according to a Schering release.
The medication is available without a prescription and treats allergy symptoms like itchy, watery eyes, sneezing and runny nose without drowsiness. It has been approved for adults and children aged six and older.
Source: Indo-Asian News Service