Sometimes, the amount of a certain vaccine cannot keep up with the number of people who need it. Vaccine shortages can affect certain areas of the country or the whole country. A shortage may last a few days to several months. In the past, the United States has had shortages of influenza (flu) vaccines, pneumococcal […]
Tag Archives: Allergy and Immunology
Overview What is latex? Natural rubber latex comes from a liquid in tropical rubber trees. This liquid is processed to make many of the following rubber products used at home and at work: In addition, many medical and dental supplies contain latex, including gloves, blood pressure cuffs, urinary catheters, dental dams and material used to […]
Why is a vaccine for chickenpox needed? Chickenpox is a disease that can be very easily spread from person to person. It is most common in children. Most cases occur in people who are younger than 15 years of age.Chickenpox is usually a mild illness, but it can cause problems such as brain swelling, pneumonia […]
What is asthma? Asthma is a disease of the lungs. The airways of people who have asthma are extra sensitive to the things they’re allergic to (called allergens) and to other irritating things in the air (called irritants). Asthma symptoms start when allergens or other irritants cause the lining of the airways to become inflamed […]
What are antihistamines? Antihistamines are medicines that help stop allergysymptoms, such as itchy eyes, sneezing and a runny nose. Sometimes, anantihistamine can also help itchy rashes (especially hives). Why did my doctor give me a prescription when I could buy an over-the-counter antihistimine? Compared to over-the-counter medicines, prescriptionantihistamines are less likely to have side effects, […]
Overview What is anaphylaxis? Anaphylaxis (say: “anna-full-ax-iss”) is a life-threatening allergic reaction. It starts soon after you are exposed to something you are severely allergic to. You may have swelling, itching or a rash with itchy bumps (hives). Some people have trouble breathing, a tight feeling in their chest or dizziness. Some people feel anxious. […]
How do allergy shots work? An allergy shot contains a very small amount of the substance that you are allergic to (called the allergen). Common allergens include mold and pollen from grasses, ragweed and trees. So, for example, if you are allergic to grass pollen, a small amount of grass pollen will be put into […]
Overview What is an allergy? You have an allergy when your body overreacts to things that don’t cause problems for most people. These things are called allergens. Your body’s overreaction to the allergens is what causes symptoms. What is hay fever? Hay fever, also known as allergic rhinitis (say:”rine-EYE-tis”), is an allergic reaction to pollen. […]