2016年8月30日 星期二

秋天濕疹易復發 如何改善?

踏入秋季天氣開始乾燥,皮膚裏面的水份也更易流失,令濕疹更易復發,病情更為反覆,令不少家長和孩子困擾和無奈。但其實只要有適當的治療,病情可得到應有的改善。






病徵及成因

異位性皮炎(Atopic Dermatitis)是一種有復發性的皮膚炎,受影響位置會痕癢,常見於面頰、關節位置。而當中不少患者或家人也會有其他敏感如鼻敏感和哮喘。

秋天皮膚開始乾燥,遺傳因素亦會令皮脂不足,引致表皮屏障功能障礙,皮膚細胞之間出現裂口,令細菌或致敏原較容易進入皮膚。當環境中的致敏原: 如塵蟎、花粉、堅果等進入皮膚後,會令部份人的免疫系統對過敏原反應過大,引起皮膚炎。

治療方法

1. 避免刺激因素,包括致敏原和微生物: 可留意皮膚炎發作前有否使用新的皮膚產品或藥物。可選用吸汗的純棉衣物,盡量避免用地氈、有毛玩具或飼養有毛的寵物。經常以暖水清洗床單,枕套,窗簾以減少塵蟎。


2. 皮膚護理: 一日可多次使用溫和,不含防腐劑的護膚品可有助補充皮膚水份,減少復發,如用含補充皮脂成份(如Ceramide)的產品更佳。洗澡的時間不宜太久,盡量避免浸浴,應以溫水洗滌以減少皮脂流失。


3. 當病發時應以藥物控制皮膚炎,消炎方法取決於當時的嚴重程度。輕微情況下通常可以連續使用潤膚膏和短暫使用外用低強度的類固醇來控制,口服抗敏感藥可幫助 舒緩瘙癢。在嚴重的情況下,可能需要較強力的外用類固醇,甚至利用紫外線光療和口服免疫系統抑製劑以控制病情。

很多患者或家長忽視了潤膚膏的重要性,或太擔心外用類固醇的副作用而放棄使用,其實只要有皮膚科醫生密切監測,使用適當強度的藥物,病情受控時間歇性用藥的話,出現嚴重副作用的風險將大大減少。




資料來源: www.allergic-rhinitis.com.hk
以上所提供的資訊僅作為教育及參考用途,如果你有任何醫療問題,
應向自己的醫生查詢,而不應單倚賴以上提供的資料。

2016年8月17日 星期三

過敏反應的原理





當身體遇上致敏原,免疫系統便會產生一連串的反應。免疫細胞會針對該類致敏原製 造出大量特定的免疫球蛋白(Specific IgE,以下簡稱IgE)。當肥大細胞(Mast Cell)遇到 這種IgE,並受到特定的刺激時,便會釋放出引致發炎的物質如組織胺(Histamine)、前列 腺素(Prostaglandin)、及白三烯素 (Leukotriene)等。


這些物質在身體會引發過敏徵狀 :包括皮膚出疹、紅腫、氣喘、嘔吐、流眼水及鼻水等。嚴重過敏反應更會引致氣管腫脹 ,誘發急性哮喘,導致呼吸困難;也可使血壓下降,引致突發休克,若未能及時急救,足以致命。








參考資料: www.allergic-rhinitis.com.hk
以上所提供的資訊僅作為教育及參考用途,如果你有任何醫療問題,
應向自己的過敏病科醫生查詢,而不應單倚賴以上提供的資料。

2016年8月4日 星期四

Teenagers with asthma have increased risk of anaphylaxis, study finds

Teenagers with food allergy are four times more likely to report having asthma than those without, according to new data from the Murdoch Children's Research Institute.
The link between asthma and anaphylaxis was made from the results of a study of 10,000 adolescents (aged 10-14) in metropolitan Melbourne.

It found people with multiple food allergies report 10 times the incidence of asthma.

Health experts are warning people of the risks of delaying administration of an adrenaline auto injector if anaphylaxis ...
Health experts are warning people of the risks of delaying administration of an adrenaline auto injector if anaphylaxis is mistaken for an asthma attack. increasing the risk of fatal attacks. Photo: Eddie Jim

The link has prompted concerns among health professionals, that a teenager's anaphylactic reaction could be mistaken for an asthma attack, leading to a delay in the administration of a life-saving adrenaline auto injector.

"If a person is coughing, wheezing or experiencing breathing difficulties, sometimes it can be hard to work out if they are having an asthma attack or having anaphylaxis," said lead researcher Professor Katie Allen, from the Murdoch Children's Research Institute.


Up to two per cent of Australian adolescents aged 10-14 have a nut allergy.
Up to two per cent of Australian adolescents aged 10-14 have a nut allergy. Photo: William Meppem
 
"Instead of immediately administering valuable time can be wasted administering the asthma inhaler."

The findings come at the launch of Food Allergy Week 2016, which runs from May 15 to 21, and aims to raise awareness about food allergies.

Every year there are around 30,000 new cases of food allergy in Australia. Experts estimate that, at the current rate, there will be 7.7 million Australians with allergy by 2050.
Maria Said, President of Allergy & Anaphylaxis Australia, said the rate of allergy incidence in Australia was growing at "an alarming rate."


Experts estimate there will be 7.7 million Australians with allergy by 2050.
Experts estimate there will be 7.7 million Australians with allergy by 2050. Photo: Patrick Sison
 
 
"Australia has one of the highest rates of food allergy in the world … With such a rapid increase in food allergy over the last 10 to 15 years, our current generation of teenagers is one of the fastest-growing demographics for allergy management."

She pointed to the story of 15-year-old Jack Irvine, who tragically died in 2012 after mistakenly eating biscuit containing macadamia nuts.

Suffering from both nut allergies and asthma, Jack's symptoms initially presented as asthma-related, however his reaction was later identified as anaphylaxis.

Ms Said said Jack's story proved the importance of allergy education within the community.
In Australia up to two per cent of children and adolescents aged between 10 and 14 suffer from a nut allergy, while five per cent suffer from food allergy.

Professor Allen said the results of the Institute's study allowed researchers to look at the full spectrum of food allergic disease, including patients who were seeing doctors about their allergies and those who were not.

"A study of this type and size has never been undertaken anywhere in the world," she said.

"There have unfortunately been some deaths from anaphylaxis in recent years where children with food allergy and asthma have not been seeing an allergist for their problems and we wonder whether they have been poorly educated about the signs and symptoms and that's been a factor in their death."

If a person believes they may have eaten a food they are allergic to and they experience breathing difficulties, even if they have asthma, "anaphylaxis should be top consideration," Professor Allen said.

"And it's certainly not going to hurt to give the adrenaline anyway."




Reference information:  http://www.smh.com.au/business/consumer-affairs/teenagers-with-asthma-have-increased-risk-of-anaphylaxis-study-finds-20160515-govmnj.html
It is not intended as medical advice to any specific person. If you have any need for personal advice or have any questions regarding your health, please consult your doctor for diagnosis and treatment.