Question by Amber: Allergies? My eyes itch like crazy..?
So, for the past few days, my eyes have begun to itch to the point that the skin around them hurts to touch. I’ve been rubbing them, but last night, started putting a damp, semi-frozen washcloth over them which helps, but only temporarily (about 30min-1hour).
Before my eyes started itching, the roof of my mouth and top of the back of my throat itched really bad too.
The itch is so maddening that sometimes I feel like crying. My dad just gave me some medicine about an hour ago and that seems to be helping (for now), but any ideas as to what could have caused it? Or how to fix it permanently?
The only thing that’s changed over the past month is that I’ve got Bear (my chow dog). He was a stray that we brought in and seems to have digestive problems (irregular pooping. sometimes he doesn’t go for a day or so). He’s grown fond of sleeping in my room. He doesn’t sleep on the bed, but on the other side of the room. The factor that I think may have a lot to do with it though, is that I’m in my room nearly all day (because the car’s out of commission), and Bear stays in with me, 70% of the time with the door shut. I’ve thought about it being his dander, but I just don’t know. Any ideas? We’ve got another dog that we’ve had for a year or so and it doesn’t bother me.. But it also doesn’t sleep or sit in my room.
Thanks
Please keep in mind that I’ve never had an allergic reaction to a dog before. I want to know why my eyes are reacting so I can both take meds or find relief AND eliminate a possible repetition of the problem.
Best answer:
Answer by Hope
I have suffered with bad allergies, so I did a bit of research and have found things that really work and are much better for you than claritin etc..
- First, your body makes histamine when it encounters something it can’t handle. Histamine is made in mucus membranes – your eyes and nose, for example, which is why you can get a runny nose and sore, watery eyes. The good news is that you can cut down on the amount of histamine in your body, but simply washing it out. Splash your eyes with cold water when they bother you. You really can wash it away, and the cold water reduces swelling and itching..
- Second – vitamin C is an immune booster and cuts down on the body’s production of histamine. It helps your body to fight off the allergens. Vitamin C is water-soluable, which means that what you can’t use, your body gets rid of. We cannot store Vitamin C, which makes it extremely safe to use. There are no known side effects for Vitamin C.. Take 1 gram, 4 or 5 times a day, and you will notice a difference within hours.. this works better than claritin, with no side effects. Vitamin C is good for you. Going over 7 grams a day can give you the runs, so stay under that, and spread the vitamin C out over the course of the day..
- Certain foods – the white part of a grapefruit, cut down on histamine production, as do onions, papaya and broccoli.. you might want to look into that..
If you see a doctor, be prepared for him/her to tell you “just take claritin” etc.. but these drugs are not the answer – they have many side effects..
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