{"id":12380,"date":"2016-03-17T13:59:27","date_gmt":"2011-03-17T13:59:27","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.accessrx.com\/blog\/?p=1456"},"modified":"2011-03-17T13:59:27","modified_gmt":"2011-03-17T13:59:27","slug":"patch-cure-peanut-allergies-l0317","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.edrugstore.com\/blog\/current-health-news\/patch-cure-peanut-allergies-l0317\/","title":{"rendered":"Could a patch cure peanut allergies?"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"For years, Megan Williams has avoided peanuts for fear of an allergic reaction.\u00a0 One bite into any food containing peanuts leads to itchy hives sprawling across her body.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve been allergic to peanuts since I was a kid,\u201d Williams said.\u00a0 \u201cNow, even in my late 20\u2019s I still have to be careful about what I eat.\u201d<\/p>\n

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, eight percent of kids have some sort of food allergies, with peanuts topping the list of allergens. Hives, labored breathing, and digestive problems can all be caused by peanuts.<\/p>\n

There is no cure, but doctors are working on a patch that could help people like Williams.\u00a0 The patch is similar to what smokers\u00a0use to kick the habit, and the concept is the same.\u00a0 Just as smokers absorb a small amount of nicotine into their body through the patch, those allergic to peanuts would absorb a small amount of peanut protein into their body.\u00a0 The idea is to build up a tolerance against peanuts.<\/p>\n

\u201cI would certainly consider wearing a patch to get over this allergy,\u201d Williams said.\u00a0 This working mother carries an EpiPen with her at all time in case of a severe allergic reaction.\u00a0 The EpiPen is a portable dose of epinephrine, which can fight the adverse effects of an allergic reaction.\"\"<\/p>\n

Doctors at National Jewish Health in Denver are testing the quarter sized \u2018peanut patch\u2019 now and hope to start clinical trials this fall.<\/p>\n

If the patch proves successful it could mean fewer trips to the doctor for those suffering with peanut allergies.\u00a0 Currently the only solution is for patients to undergo a lengthy round of\u00a0 immunotherapy drugs.\u00a0 If the patch works, it means patients could handle their\u00a0 treatments at home, with limited follow-up visits.\u00a0 Patients would wear the patch on their skin for 24-48 hours.<\/p>\n

For Williams, the patch could mean a life without worry.\u00a0 \u201cIf I didn\u2019t have this allergy it would seriously change my life,\u201d she said.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ll be curious to see if goes mainstream.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

For years, Megan Williams has avoided peanuts for fear of an allergic reaction.\u00a0 One bite into any food containing peanuts leads to itchy hives sprawling across her body. \u201cI\u2019ve been allergic to peanuts since I was a kid,\u201d Williams said.\u00a0 \u201cNow, even in my late 20\u2019s I still have to be careful about what I […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_autoblog_aioseo_focus_keyphrase":"","_autoblog_aioseo_title":"","_autoblog_aioseo_description":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-12380","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-current-health-news"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t