Allergy Prevention, Management Lectured in BDH
By: Melanie Holt, GPC-BDH | Photo By: Mhark Parchamento, GPC-BDH | Date: July 8, 2019
ALLERGY PREVENTION AND MANAGEMENT. Dr. Jennifer Gamiao of Bacnotan District Hospital (BDH) lectures on Allergy Prevention and Management at Bacnotan District Hospital (BDH) out-patient department on July 8, 2019. Said activity is in observance of the National Allergy Day.
Dr. Jennifer Gamiao lectures on Allergy Prevention and Management at the out-patient department of Bacnotan District Hospital (BDH), Bacnotan, La Union on July 8, 2019. The activity was conducted in observance of the National Allergy Day.
“The most effective treatment of allergy is avoiding the allergen,”
She discussed that allergies are hypersensitive responses from the immune system to substances that either enter or come into contact with the body; that these substances are called allergens.
In her lecture, she mentioned the symptoms of an allergic reaction. To name a few are itchiness, skin rashes, flushing, swelling, runny nose, cough, sneezing, diarrhea, vomiting and shortness of breath. Moreover she said that anaphylaxis is a serious allergic reaction that sets in rapidly and is quick-escalating. It can be life-threatening and treated as a medical emergency.
Risk factors mentioned were family history of allergies, asthma, being a child, not being exposed to enough sunlight, and birth by Caesarean section.
Dr. Gamiao pointed out that the drugs such as antihistamines, decongestants and steroid sprays given to patients can only help treat or alleviate the symptoms of an allergic reaction but cannot cure the allergy. She also talked about desensitization or immunotherapy which is gradually increasing doses of the substances to which a person is allergic through injections received at regular intervals over a period of approximately three to five years to stop or reduce allergic response.
She emphasized that avoiding an allergic reaction is impossible but a person can limit his/her exposure by avoiding their known causes of reactions like pollens, animal fur, insects, chemicals, metals, medications and food. She also advised her audience to have an allergy test to know what substances to avoid.
