Allergies

[Emdiesse]

I'm guessing i would place this here.

What are ways to overcome allergies whilst in the wilderness without prescribed medicine?
What are ways to avoid allergic reactions?
(if any are possible)

Please can you post as much allergy related stuff here as possible as i would very much like to have the knowledge at hand, just in case.

I am allergic to wasps , is there anyone else here with the same problem?

Thank Emdiesse

[tomtom]

i have had sucess with homeopathic medicen, it is difficult to find the right ones perhaps if you know what it is that sets you off then go and see a homeopath!

[Abbe Osram]

I'm guessing i would place this here.

What are ways to overcome allergies whilst in the wilderness without prescribed medicine?
What are ways to avoid allergic reactions?
(if any are possible)

Please can you post as much allergy related stuff here as possible as i would very much like to have the knowledge at hand, just in case.

I am allergic to wasps , is there anyone else here with the same problem?

Thank Emdiesse

Hi Emdiesse,
if you already know that you are allergic to wasps you are a step ahead of most folks. Tell, your medic that you love to be in the outdoors and get him to fix you some emergency medication, you will carry in your survival pack, and take it if you suffer a allergic reaction.
I know about a guy who even learnt from his medic to give himself injections so he is on the safe side! If you suffer under a food allergy you will have to keep your diet simple and write down how you feel, introducing step by step more food until you find the allergic food type and stop eating it in the future. Try out the food which could be new for your system they are most likely no harm for your body. Instead of pig and cow meat eat some other kind you never eat usually like rabbit, moose, turkey etc. Instead of normal potatos eat sweat potatos etc etc. Don't forget to write down what you eat and how you feel. If you have a backslash back of with the safe food and try again. After some weeks you know what you can eat and what you cant.

hope that helps
cheers
Abbe

[match]

There generally isn't really a lot you can do if you're stuck right in the middle of a forest, full of pollen/animals/insects you're allergic to!

This is more for hayfever sufferers, but there are some obvious simple solutions are covering your face with a dustmask/bandana to keep pollen particles out, but this won't help your eyes.

Three 'natural' ways of reducing the effects:

1)Try and keep your eyes and nose wet - regularly splashing water on your face will wash away a lot of pollen. Another way to achieve this is to try and eat things that naturally make your eyes/nose increase mucus production, or that make you sweat. Garlic and ginger are good examples of suitable foodstuffs - and ransoms (wild garlic) works very well for this in the wild.

2) Make up a wash for your eyes/face - something that will reduce swelling and inflammation - elderflowers, chamomile, yarrow etc are all good for this. When I've had a long day at work, and my eytes are sore, I find boiling a mug of water, adding a tablespoon of elderflowers, leaving it to go cold, and then washing my eyes with this helps a lot. I've used the same thing for friends with hayfever, and they've all said it offers good temporary relief.

3) Try to increase your contact with the allergens - this is most useful if you're allergic to something, and have no way of getting away from it. Consumption of allergens (i.e eating them) is one of the best ways to reduce your reaction to them - and for this, wild honey and flowering parts are good sources of allergens. Eating these regularly over a period of 1-2 weeks will have a significant effect. I have been informed that people with allergies to cats/dogs can help reduce this by making an infusion or tincture of freshly brushed fur and drinking this 3 times a day for 2-3 weeks - however, I've not yet met any one who fancies the idea of catfur tea! (although, knowing bushcraftuk, someone will already be boiling the kettle ) No idea if eating wasps would have the required effect either...

I think for serious allergies that can result in anaphylactic shock (bee/wasp stings being the most common) then the only solution is to always carry appropriate medical treatement, or be very very careful if you don't have this with you!

[greg2935]

I do not want to tread on anyones toes but as there is always a chance of the body going into anaphylactic shock, I would err on the side of caution and keep to the prescribed medication, The only treatment as far as I am aware for Anaphylaxis is epinephrine, which is extremely dangerous if used incorrecty.

Greg

PS. I am not an MD but have some experience from working in Africa as a game keeper foe a number of years, as far as I'm aware there are no "native" cures either for this condition.

[arctic hobo]

I was about to ask in fact, do you ever get anaphylactic shock. How bad is your reaction usually? I have a friend with your allergy, but if he takes the sting out with tweezers and puts mud/honey/vinegar on it he's right as rain in a few minutes.
I myself am only allergic to penicillin, so it's civilisation I need to watch out for - I'm safer in the bush! Unless I eat Stilton :shock:

[Emdiesse]

I have only ever had an allergic reaction to wasps once in my life. It was the last time i got stung by one. It just suddenly developed

I came out in hives and then decided to go to the hospital, who then gave me an epi-pen to carry with me.

So ussually can not be answered in my case.

Thanks for the replies
Emdiesse

[Tantalus]

I have a friend with your allergy, but if he takes the sting out with tweezers and puts mud/honey/vinegar on it he's right as rain in a few minutes.

wasps dont leave a sting in , you mean bees surely?

sorry for being pedantic but allergies can kill quickly if they affect the throat / airway and so it is vital to get facts right

if someone is looking for a stinger from a wasp they are wasting valuable time

Tant

[Emdiesse]

Maybe i'm being too optimistic, however is there any possibility that allergys like this can dissapear?

I have never been bushcrafting properly before and this is my main concern.


What are the chances of getting stung by a wasp while bush crafting on comparison with normal life?
I'm not sure what one would be higher??
Would it be bushcrafting because of all the vegitation, etc?
Would it be more likely in every day life because of the rubbish bins, etc?

[JakeR]

Maybe i'm being too optimistic, however is there any possibility that allergys like this can dissapear?

I have never been bushcrafting properly before and this is my main concern.


What are the chances of getting stung by a wasp while bush crafting on comparison with normal life?
I'm not sure what one would be higher??
Would it be bushcrafting because of all the vegitation, etc?
Would it be more likely in every day life because of the rubbish bins, etc?

I'd be very careful mate. A friend of mine carries a epipen always, if he got stung and he didn't have one, he'd die.
Another friend was out walking with another friend who got stung, he started having an anaphylactic shock. He lay down and my other friend asked what to do, by this time he couldn't speak apart from letting her know he was gonna die. So she ran down to the car park and there just so happened to be a boy with an epipen. Which saved his life.

So i'd go to your doctor and get him to assess your needs, as it's very hit and miss whether, even if the allergy was mild, you'd find anything to give you comfort.

Cheers.

[arctic hobo]

wasps dont leave a sting in , you mean bees surely?

sorry for being pedantic but allergies can kill quickly if they affect the throat / airway and so it is vital to get facts right

if someone is looking for a stinger from a wasp they are wasting valuable time

Tant

Sorry, you are quite right :roll:

[Kim]

he takes the sting out with tweezers and puts mud/honey/vinegar on it he's right as rain in a few minutes.

This may be an old wives tale but I've always been told never to pull out stings because it can leave part of them still inside, but always to flick them out...? Have no idea if this is true or not since I've only ever been stung once and that was because I stood on the poor thing.

[arctic hobo]

The important thing is not to squeeze the poison sac on the end when you pull it out, as it's got extremely nasty stuff in it. I think as long as it all come out you're fine. Maybe flicking it out is a better way.

[JakeR]

That seems logical...i've only ever been stung about 3 times.

Not sure if i have allergies, but i did get a rash on half of my body when i was on penicilin, i looked like the mask, straight down the middle! Is that an allergy or a side effect?!

:biggthump

[Burnt Ash]

I'm guessing i would place this here.

What are ways to overcome allergies whilst in the wilderness without prescribed medicine?
What are ways to avoid allergic reactions?
(if any are possible)

Please can you post as much allergy related stuff here as possible as i would very much like to have the knowledge at hand, just in case.

I am allergic to wasps , is there anyone else here with the same problem?

Thank Emdiesse

Usually, the only way of avoiding allergic reactions is to avoid exposure to allergens (the things that cause the allergic response).

Allergies tend to get worse with successive exposure to allergens. My late father became increasingly allergic to wasp/bee stings. My first girlfriend would be unconscious within 20 minutes of a wasp/bee sting and had to be rushed to hospital on at least a couple of occasions.

I consider myself very lucky that I don't really have anything serious in the way of allergies. I sometimes get a bit sneezy when I'm tying flies with deer hair, but that seems to be it for me (touch wood!). One of our neighbours' children hates summertime because of the misery he suffers through hayfever.

Anaphylaxis is too serious and potentially life threatening to mess about with self remedies and old wives tales. In this case, I'd stick to best current medical advice/practice.

Here is a source of information that you might find helpful.

Burnt Ash