The Star Online: Lifestyle: Health
The Star Online: Lifestyle: Health |
| Posted: 25 May 2011 04:24 AM PDT There are an estimated 2.3 billion allergy sufferers in the world. ALLERGY is a familiar term among many Malaysians, but not many may realise the severity of it. It is estimated that 30%-40% of the world's population is affected by one or more allergic conditions. And it's just as bad here at home. About 15%-20% of Malaysians are suffering from allergies and this figure is expected to increase to 50%, 10 years from now. So it's time for us to learn more about allergies and try to prevent this from happening. "An allergy occurs when our natural immune mechanism overreacts with substances that are normally not harmful to the body," says Dr Amir Hamzah Abdul Latiff, a consultant immunologist/allergist and consultant paediatrician. Any substance can become an allergen – the allergy-causing nuisance. House dust, pollens, moulds, foods and even pets can cause allergic reactions. Food allergy is becoming increasingly common for young children. Highly allergenic foods include cow's milk, egg white, soy, fish, shellfish, crab, shrimp, lobster and peanut. Allergy to cow's milk is particularly common. While most allergies appear during the early years of childhood, they can develop in any person at any age. And they are never outgrown! While allergies are not inherited, the chances are greatly increased if members of the family are allergy sufferers. Allergy is also influenced by environmental conditions. Our world of urbanised living has created excessive environmental toxins such as smoke, chemicals and fumes that expose us to the risk of allergies. Physical agents like sunlight, humidity and haze have also contributed to the problem. And let's not forget the food we eat. The increased usage of food additives and preservatives makes it hard to gauge the freshness of our food intake. Allergic problems will continue to escalate as air pollution and ambient temperatures increase due to environmental and climate changes. Perhaps this is a good time for us to start going green as well! Symptoms Allergic reactions range from minor nuisances such as itches, sneezing and watery eyes to more acute cases like a fall in blood pressure or severe breathing difficulties. According to Dr Amir, president of the Malaysian Society of Allergy and Immunology (MSAI), if your child is suspected of suffering from an allergy, an experienced doctor is necessary to conduct allergy tests and to analyse the results accurately. The doctor should try and find out every detail of the individual's case as allergies can manifest in unusual forms, which makes it difficult to detect the main cause of the allergy. So don't be surprised if your doctor asks questions that seem irrelevant. Allergic or intolerant What's the difference between allergic and intolerant? Well, food intolerance is a digestive system response rather than an immune system response. It occurs when your child's digestive system is unable to break down the food properly. "A lot of people assume their children are allergic when they have symptoms such as hives or a rash, vomiting and diarrhoea," says Dr Amir. It is more likely parents who will avoid the presumed food causing the allergy, and this could deprive children of the necessary nutritional benefit of those foods. But why leave it to chance, especially when it's easy to differentiate between being intolerant and having allergies. If your child is milk intolerant, he might get reactions from drinking three glasses of milk but is fine if he drinks just a single glass. But when the child is allergic to milk, a single drop may be sufficient to trigger allergic reactions. Prevention Dr Amir explained that while ongoing research is being conducted, there isn't a cure for allergies at the moment. Many parents out there think there isn't a test for allergies. In fact there are two main tests that doctors can use to identify allergies. Either perform a simple skin prick test or bring your child for a blood test and request for an lgE (immunoglobulin E) allergy test. You should abstain from feeding your child foods that may trigger allergies. And do not introduce solid foods to your child until he is physiologically ready. Prevention also begins with you as a parent. Do you know that if one parent has allergies, the child has a 20%-40% risk of developing one? And if both parents are allergic, the risk goes up to 60%. If your child has a family history of allergies, hydrolysed milk formula or probiotics may help ward off the risk of your child developing eczema by as much as 30%-50%. In view of its prevalence, allergy must be regarded as a major healthcare problem, especially among young children. MSAI is actively spreading awareness by organising events such as the Malaysian Congress and Exhibition on Allergy and Immunology which was held in March, and participating in the World Allergy Week (April 4-10). With greater awareness, we will be better equipped to combat this healthcare issue. – Article courtesy of the Malaysian Society of Allergy and Immunology Log on to www.allergymsai.org/index.php to learn more about allergies. Full Feed Generated by Get Full RSS, sponsored by USA Best Price. |
| Posted: 25 May 2011 04:07 AM PDT What irregular menstruation is. RECENTLY, my periods have become quite irregular. I had one period that was more spotty than usual, and it lasted for just three days. Then two weeks later, I had my period again. This one lasted for five days and was associated with heavier bleeding. What is the cause of this? In order to understand abnormal periods or menstruation, we have to understand what goes on in normal menstruation. The menstrual cycle is a series of changes a female body goes through every month to prepare for a possible pregnancy. For most women, this takes up the duration of 28 days. Around once a month, your uterus or womb grows a new lining, called endometrium. This is to get ready for a possibly fertilised egg to nest in. How is the menstrual cycle regulated? I heard it has something to do with my hormones? Yes. The hormones concerned are oestrogen and progesterone. During each menstrual cycle, your brain sends hormonal signals back and forth to your ovaries. Let's talk about the average menstrual cycle of 28 days. Day one is considered the first day of your period. Day one to 14 is considered the follicular phase of your cycle, and ends at your ovulation. Here, a hormone called FSH (follicular stimulating hormone) rises and stimulates the development of ovarian follicles. This in turn stimulates the release of oestrogen from the ovarian follicles. As more oestrogen is produced, FSH declines. One follicle usually develops into the dominant one destined for ovulation, and the rest regress. This follicle aggressively secretes oestrogen, so much so that there is a LH (luteinising hormone) surge. LH causes ovulation, and the egg is expelled into the Fallopian tube. Then we enter the luteal phase. Now the ovaries are converted by LH to secrete progesterone instead. Progesterone induces the womb's lining (endometrium) to become thicker and secrete more. Many women tend to gain a little weight during this period in the cycle. In the absence of fertilisation by day 23, the ovarian follicle which had discharged the egg degenerates, and oestrogen and progesterone levels decrease. So the endometrium undergoes thinning, or involution. Finally, by day 28, the womb lining begins to shed. Then we go back to day one, the start of your menstrual period. If I don't have a 28-day menstrual cycle in the first place, is that normal? Of course. Although the average cycle is 28 days, it is perfectly normal to have a cycle as short as 21 days, or as long as 35 days. Some teenagers can have normal cycles that last up to 45 days because of low or changing progesterone levels. Women close to menopause also have abnormal cycles, such as changing lengths in cycles and heavy menstrual bleeding. Women usually start to have fewer and fewer periods between ages 39 and 51. When you are nearing menopause, your cycles will probably get longer, and then finally stop. So what causes irregular menstrual cycles? Speaking strictly about the timing (too short or too long), there are many causes, a lot of them benign. Stress is a very common cause. When you are facing a particularly anxious period in your life, such as a huge office project, or an exam, or a wedding, your cycles can go off a little. Naturally, when you are at the onset of your menstruation – at puberty – your cycles can be a bit irregular before falling into an established pattern. Your diet can also affect your cycles, such as during a new crash course diet (starvation). People who have anorexia can experience the absence of menstruation. If you exercise too much, this can also cause your cycles to go off, or even stop completely. That's why female marathon runners, swimmers or other athletes sometimes don't get their periods. Other causes include certain types of drugs, a break in your normal routine (travelling), new sexual activity, and illness. Naturally, a delayed menstrual period may also indicate that you are pregnant! Should I go see a doctor? If the irregularity has occurred for a long time, then yes, especially if it's associated with excessive bleeding, pain, or having no cycles for months on end. Go see a gynaecologist as you may have some underlying condition. But if the irregularity only occurs as a once off, then your cycles are likely to get back on track. Eat normally, don't exercise too hard, and try to deal with stress! Dr YLM graduated as a medical doctor, and has been writing for many years on various subjects such as medicine, health advice, computers and entertainment. The information contained in this column is for general educational purposes only. Neither The Star nor the author gives any warranty on accuracy, completeness, functionality, usefulness or other assurances as to such information. The Star and the author disclaim all responsibility for any losses, damage to property or personal injury suffered directly or indirectly from reliance on such information. Full Feed Generated by Get Full RSS, sponsored by USA Best Price. |
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