I have a weird quirk. For some reason, I am always pulled in by news of freak accidents. The stories horrify me yet I find myself obsessing about how it happened, why it happened and what could have been done to prevent it. This is why, whenever I get the newspaper, I flip to the odd section about bizarre things happening to people. Maybe a part of me does it because I am quietly afraid it could happen to someone I know.
Recently, I remembered one very sad article about a boy who went to get his dental treatment and died because the anaesthetic used had side effects on him. No one thought to ask or to use something that was less risky. Naturally, it made me think about people who ingest things they are allergic to and have their bodies respond horribly.
Unfortunately, in this part of the world, very little is known about allergies. Allergies occur when your immune system reacts to or fights against something that shouldn’t be a threat to it.
I know some are already thinking the silent ‘ God forbid’ to any new ailment as if #Coronavirus is not bad enough. But no matter how much you bind and cast, knowledge is still power. You can’t afford to not ask the right questions about your medical or family history. It’s all about taking more responsibility. To get you started, here are a few tips to learning more about your allergies medical conditions.
Ask about your Medications
Don’t hesitate to ask about the medicines given to you. Whether they have side effects or not, your doctor should look at your health history before prescribing. And if that doesn’t happen, tell them. I have seen cases where the problem was simply the drug a patient was taking. Instead of curing the disease, it was causing more problems and immediately the drug was changed, they began to get better.
Do A Patch Test
This is often recommended by most lotions to check for possible skin reactions. Try not to skip it. A patch test should be done close to the area of application or on the inner side of the elbow. It’s like testing the waters and helps to prevent that breakout if the product is simply not agreeing with your system.
Get A good Doctor
Find a doctor who would take your concerns seriously and answer your questions. Not a doctor who’ll just prescribe medication and tell you what is supposed to be happening. Or one who refuses to listen to what is actually happening. So your health is the most important thing. Go where you are comfortable and to a doctor that would help you feel that way.
The goal is to become a much healthier you who is aware of what might affect you and how to prevent it from happening, not by saying allergies are not a Nigerian disease as if that would prevent it from happening.