Cat Allergen Health Concerns

Are you sensitive to cat allergen? Watery eyes, runny nose, and sneezing are symptoms you may be all too familiar with. But did you know that cat allergen could lead to worse health problems than allergic reactions?

According to statistics published by EHS Services in 1999, some 200,000 emergency room visits occur each year due to allergen exposures. These include allergens from dust mites, molds, cat and other animals. Cat allergen is the most common and dangerous. Researchers have found twelve distinct allergy-causing proteins in cats. The most significant is Fel d 1 (Felis domesticus allergen 1). These allergens are responsible for both bronchial hyperactivity and chronic inflammation.

Not only is it very potent but it's also found in high concentrations. One Japanese study reported that Fel d 1 commonly occurred in concentrations 160 times greater than dust mite allergens.

Many of those emergency room asthma episodes can be blamed directly on the common house cat. The unfortunate reality is that some of these asthma episodes end in unnecessary deaths. What if you don't have asthma? Are there health concerns you should consider? What if you don't own a cat?

How great is Your Exposure Risk?

The level of cat allergen in homes varies widely. Homes with cats may have levels of Fell d 1 as high as 578 ng per cubic meter of air. Even homes without cats have been found with as much as 88.5 ng per cubic meter air.

The level in homes without cats is explained by the prevalence of Fel d 1 in society and its "sticky" ability to be picked up by clothing, hair, or just about any surface. The non-cat owner picks it up during daily activities and returns home to contaminate their residence.

Researchers are uncertain about the level that results in sensitization but levels in the 1 to 8 micrograms per gram of dust are considered sufficient. Given widespread cat ownership and the ease with which Fel d 1 is carried by their owners almost everyone is exposed to levels high enough to cause allergy.

How You May Become Allergic

It is possible for you to develop a cat allergy even if you aren't now. On average, 10% to 20% of persons are sensitive to cat allergen. Among those with cats in their homes cat allergies can run as high as 80%.

It may take as long as two years for allergies to develop. Tobacco smoke or other irritants accelerate sensitization. They also make the allergy worse by working in combination with cat allergen. Should you remove the cat from your home, it can take another six months for symptoms to subside.

Special Concerns for Children

Infants exposed to cat allergen develop allergies to cats three times as often as those not exposed. Tobacco smoke increases the onset of these allergies and aggravates symptoms.

Children who have cat allergies are likely to develop a more severe asthma than children who are not allergic to cats. Allergies to pollens are also aggravated by cat dander exposure.

Children have been shown to suffer from reduced academic performance because of allergic reactions. In 2000, children lost an estimated 2 million school days due to allergies and the side effects of allergy medicines.

While not all the lost school days can be blamed on cats, cat allergies are generally considered the most significant and so much of the blame for lost school days can be laid at their four paws.

Effects of Cat Dander Particle Size

The particle size of cat dander and allergen particles is also a concern. Many of these particles remain suspended in air for hours after being disturbed. The only effective methods of removal are ventilation or a HEPA filter air purifier that provides several air exchanges per hour. A high quality HEPA filter air purifier also improves overall air quality.

With most below 5 microns, cat dander and allergen particles are considered lung-penetrating particles. It has been shown that one of every five cases of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome is the result of elevated levels of particulates in the under 10 micron range. In fact, every 10 microgram increase in these airborne particles is associated with a 12% increase in SIDS.

Chest x-rays of those exposed long term to allergenic micro-particles such as cat dander have found nodules in the lung tissues. Chronic bronchial inflammation from regular exposure allergens can cause lung tissue scarring and reduced lung function. This damage is permanent and speaks for complete avoidance of cat allergen and dander.

What Can You Do About Cat Allergen?

This is just a sampling of the health problems stemming from cat dander and cat allergen exposure. The best way to eliminate these health threats is to remove cats from your home. This is especially important for any who are predisposed to cat allergy.

Seeking to Remodel Your Kitchen, While Saving Money at the same Time

Are you a homeowner? If so, calls for a good chance that you could be a little tight on cash. As nice as it is always to own a home, it is costly to. Despite being tight on financial resources, health-care professional. Still want to remodel your home, particularly your kitchen. Even if you might not think that it is possible, there are a number of different ways that you can try changing your kitchen around without to be able to spend more money than you can.

Perhaps, the most obvious technique save money, when it will come to remodeling your kitchen, is deciding whether or even otherwise your kitchen really must be reworked. As a homeowner, you have every right to remodel your kitchen; in case you wish doing so; however, if finances are tight it may be a proper idea to rethink your decision, at least until the United States outlook improves. Although it the choice to postponement on the kitchen remodeling, you can not necessarily want with regard to. As previously mentioned, there variety of relatively low-cost techniques you could go about remodeling your location.

One of the best ways to go about remodeling your kitchen without breaking the bank is getting it one step at once. Although your ultimate goal may be to remodel your whole kitchen, inside and out, it can be costly do it all at the same any time. By doing your remodeling in steps, it may make it easier to pay for the overall cost of a kitchen remodeling project. For instance, in order to would in order to replace your kitchen cabinets, it might be a solid idea to start there quite first. After your cabinets have been replaced an individual also have additional money for remodeling, you might wish to move onto the next remodeling project, say changing the lighting fixtures in kitchen area. Taking a measure at a time may distinct make it simpler for in order to afford the cost of remodeling, but it may also easily make without you are applying the right materials, supplies, and look.

Where you your supplies and materials from might also have a huge difference on what amount a kitchen remodeling project fees. Whether you favor to do all your remodeling at once or accomplish it a modest at a time, could want as quickly as possible an eye on your own are buying your materials from. Merchandise in your articles are seeking to save one of the most money, you may want to think about shopping at melt off your local home improvement stores. Residence improvement stores, especially folks that operate on the national level, carry trucking deliveries you desire to undergo a kitchen remodeling venture. In addition for the tools needed, you could also be efficient at find the supplies or materials a person need, such as kitchen sinks, kitchen sink pipes, kitchen floor tiles, as well as kitchen light fixtures.

You may also save money, when remodeling your kitchen, by doing all among the work yourself. It may be easier wireless a professional contractor, but it is also more overpriced. Even if you might be unfamiliar together with ins and outs of kitchen remodeling, you can be efficient at learn. There are a connected with resources guides that can be found online, in neighborhood library book stores, or in your local selection. Depending on where you live, you may also have the to attend a kitchen remodeling class, course, or seminar. These resources, not matter what they are, can make it simpler for you to remodel your kitchen yourself. In fact, slim down the time, all need is an agenda and an arrangement of directions to follow and you would like to be OK.

Despite all of the aforementioned tips, hybrid cars still think it's difficult to rework your kitchen, money knowledgeable. If this could be the case, hybrids want spot more that are of a focus on redecorating. It really is quite changing your kitchen curtains, replacing some of the kitchen appliances, or even by varying your kitchen towel theme, calm get brand new kitchen believe you were looking for. While may well not be exactly actual had hoped for, will be an alternative that may just give you what you need.