The symptoms and signs of allergic rhinitis are:

• coughing and postnasal drip
• itching eyes, nose and throat
• sneezing, often accompanied by a runny or clogged nose
• allergic shiners (dark circles under the eyes caused by increased blood flow near the sinuses)
• watery eyes
• conjunctivitis (an inflammation of the membrane that lines the eyelids, causing red-rimmed, swollen eyes and crusting of the eyelids)
• the "allergic salute" (in a child, persistent upward rubbing of the nose that causes a crease mark on the nose)

The signs and symptoms of eczema, contact dermatitis and urticaria are:

• red, itchy skin
• welts (in hives)
• inflamed skin

The signs and symptoms of asthma are:

• breathlessness
• a feeling of tightness in the chest
• difficulty inhaling and exhaling
• coughing
• noisy breathing ("wheezing")

WARNING: If a person is experiencing more severe symptoms than what is listed above, they may be in anaphylactic shock.

Anaphylactic shock is a medical emergency which is an acute systemic (affecting the whole body) allergic reaction. It occurs after exposure to an antigen (allergen) to which a person was previously sensitized.

The signs and symptoms of anaphylactic shock include the general symptoms of a common allergic reaction, PLUS:

• rapidly worsening symptoms (or previously severe reactions to this allergen)
• wheezing, noisy breathing or shortness of breath
• swelling of tissues such as lips or joints
• rash or redness of the skin
• anxiety
• loss of consciousness
• itching of the skin
• nausea and vomiting
• headache
• diarrhea
• abdominal cramps
• convulsions
• low blood pressure
• chest pain and tightness
• a feeling of warmth and flushing
• itching of the mouth and throat
• hoarseness, change of voice
• the feeling of having to urinate
• cramping of the uterus
• sweating
• confusion

Allergens more commonly associated with anaphylactic shock are: certain insect venoms; drugs such as penicillin; and foods like fish, peanuts, nuts, eggs and seeds.

Call 911 if any of these symptoms occur with an allergic reaction. If not treated promptly and properly, anaphylaxis can result in death. Fortunately, the tendency to have such serious reactions is rare.

Treatment of anaphylactic shock is first to inject adrenaline (epinephrine) to constrict the small blood vessels, raise the blood pressure and dilate the airway. This may be followed by injection of antihistamines and/or steroids, plus the use of life-support systems.

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The fundamental cause of allergy is not yet known. The problem tends to run in families. An allergic persons is more likely to have relatives who are allergic than would be expected on the basis of chance, but non-hereditary factors apparently play a role too. The reason an individual becomes sensitive to some substances and not to others remains a mystery.

Individuals can be affected by a variety of allergic diseases. Most often, allergic diseases are allergic rhinitis, non-allergic rhinitis, asthma, allergic dermatitis, contact dermatitis and hives. (Allergic rhinitis is the most common of allergic diseases and the main purpose of this profile health. Further information on other conditions May be found within this term.)

Allergic rhinitis is a general term used to apply to anyone who has allergy-based symptoms. Allergic rhinitis can be a seasonal problem (commonly known as "hay fever" or pollen allergy) or a year-round problem (commonly known as perennial allergic rhinitis). Hay fever or seasonal allergic rhinitis is caused by allergy to pollens of trees, grasses, weeds or mold spores. Perennial allergic rhinitis is caused by house dust, animal danders, mold and some foods.

Asthma is caused by intrinsic and extrinsic (inhaled) factors. Intrinsic factors are pollens, dust, dust mites, animal fur, animal dander or feathers. Extrinsic factors are respiratory infections; a cough, cold or bronchitis; exercise and tobacco smoke or other air pollutants, and can be caused by an allergy to a particular food or medication.

Urticaria, also known as "hives", is caused by allergy to foods, such as nuts, tomatoes, shellfish and berries. Hives can also be caused by medications, such as aspirin and penicillin.

Contact dermatitis is caused by exposure to certain plants (such as poison ivy or poison oak), cosmetics, medications, metals and chemicals.

Eczema, also known as allergic dermatitis or atopic dermatitis, can be caused by foods or other allergens.

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Some doctors strongly believe that a person who is allergic to an animal should find the creature a new home. This is certainly the best treatment.

But getting rid of a cat or dog can be a sad story when the pet is loved. And unfortunately, people who have not had much exposure to animals may not develop an allergic reaction for many months, sometimes up to two years later. By this time, the pet may have become a member of the family.

Anyway if you want your pet stay in your house then you should not brush or wash a cat or dog yourself if you are allergic to it. Nevertheless, the animal should be kept well groomed, with a good brushing or washing each week. The undercoat should be clipped and combed regularly, especially in spring.

If your pet groomer is too expensive, grooming is a good chore for a young child or teenager. The animal can be washed and dried in a bathroom, then put towels in the laundry. Brushing should be done outside the home. The brush and comb should be washed afterward. An allergic person should not empty a cat litter box or should wear a mask while doing so.

To restricting a pet's range, the first step is to keep the animal outside the bedroom. Then, being held away from your favorite chair or sofa. A cat or dog should have its own bed of pet house. If the pet has a particular chair or sofa it rests on, it may help to cover that piece of furniture with a sheet. Wash the sheet daily or at least regularly.

Allow the pet to spend some time outside, if possible. This solution is especially appropriate if the pet is a dog or rabbit since a doghouse or hutch will allow the pet to spend time outside comfortably and safely.

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Of course, sometimes you can not remember where you put your keys. But that does not mean that your steel-trap mind is doomed to turn into a colander as you get older. "You can build up your brain, just like a muscle," says Stephen Kritchevsky, Ph.D, director of the Sticht Center on Aging at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center in Winston-Salem, N.C. Researchers haven't yet found a way to prevent Alzheimer's disease, but they have uncovered plenty of defenses against the mental missteps we all experience.

Eat salad every day
People who consumed about three servings of vegetables daily had a 40 percent slower rate of cognitive decline over 6 years than those who shunned veggies, leaving the produce lovers the mental equals of someone 5 years younger. Green leafy vegetables seemed to have the strongest effect, perhaps because of their high vitamin E content, say researchers. Add vitamin E–rich spinach, almonds, or sunflower seeds to the mix for a smarter salad.

Test your hearing
Have your hearing tested every 3 years after age 50. Prevent further hearing loss by turning down the volume. If you have an MP3 player, make sure you set it no higher than 80 percent of the maximum, says Brian Fligor, ScD, director of diagnostic audiology at Children's Hospital Boston.

Give better attention
As you get older, you become less efficient at sifting through different types of sensory information — so much so that a distracting environment can interfere with memories forming in your brain. But a recent study suggested a fix: Participants were asked to pick out certain letters among a jumble of them while ignoring superfluous sounds. Those who first completed an attention-training course in noisy rooms had significantly higher scores.

Keep your BMI below 25
In memory tests, people with a healthy BMI of 20 recalled an average of 9 out of 16 words, while those with a BMI of 30 — the threshold for obesity — remembered just 7, found a study in Neurology. That difference sounds small, but researchers say it can be enough to have a noticeable impact.

Eating a fish
Eat two fish dishes weekly. If you're not a seafood fan, experiment with mild (and low-mercury) varieties such as tilapia, scallops, or shrimp.

Eat for lower blood pressure
Consume at least three servings of calcium-rich foods daily. Doing so slashes your risk of developing hypertension, research has found.

Check your blood sugar
Have your blood sugar checked once a year, take a 30-minute walk, Eat four to six small meals a day; this also keeps your blood sugar on an even keel.

Be like a boy scout
Spend 20 minutes a day tidying the house to nurture this trait.

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EHS (Electromagnetic Hypersensitivity Syndrome) is a condition in which people are highly sensitive to electromagnetic fields. In an area like a wireless hotspot, they experience pain or other symptoms. People with EHS experience a variety of symptoms including burning and itchy skin, headache, panic attacks, chest pain and heart problems, nausea, fatigue,confusion/poor concentration and/or memory loss, ear pain/ringing in the ears, paralysis, insomnia, feeling a vibration and muscle aches. These symptoms are subjective and vary between individuals, which makes the condition difficult to study.

More than 30 studies conducted to determine what link the condition has to exposure to electromagnetic fields from sources such as radar dishes, mobile phone signals and, Wi-Fi hotspots.

Why is WiFi Potentially Worse than Other Radiation?

These day, electomagnetic fields are all around us, no matter where you live. They emanate from power lines, household electrical wiring, appliances and microwaves, televisions. Then you have the information-carrying radio waves of cell phones, cell phone towers and wireless internet connections.

WiFi is a kind of radio wave that operates at either 2.4 or 5 gigahertz – slightly higher than your cell phone. Since they’re designed to allow for transmission of very large amounts of data, WiFi radio waves also emit greater amounts electromagnetic radiation.

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