Many of us know that in case of allergies, the patient is prescribed drugs that should eliminate the effect of a substance such as histamine. What it is? This is one of the neurotransmitters (mediators) that regulate the important functions of the human body. Histamine is localized in all cells of the body and is inactive under normal conditions. When an allergen penetrates, it activates and is released into the blood in a large volume. The amount of this substance in each person is different.
How to determine the level of histamine?
To find out the approximate content of this substance in the body, you can pass a simple test. To do this, slightly scratch the hand from the elbow to the wrist. After a while, the scratch turns red. This suggests that histamine enters the damaged area, which helps to eliminate inflammation. The stronger the redness and swelling, the higher the histamine content in the body. If skin changes are significant and do not disappear for a long time, then a person has increased histamine.
Its concentration must be reduced, since a high level of this substance in the blood can provoke anaphylactic shock. This can be done with a timely injection of adrenaline.
Histamine - what is it, and how to reduce its concentration in the body?
In order for the body to eliminate the undesirable properties of inflammation, it is necessary to lower the concentration of histamine in the blood. This can be done with a certain diet that excludes foods with a high content of this substance, such as:
- alcoholic beverages (in particular, red wine);
- smoked products;
- cheese;
- yeast;
- seafood;
- cocoa, coffee;
- pickled vegetables and fruits;
- Wheat flour;
- citrus.
The following products are allowed:
- milk, cottage cheese;
- bread;
- cereals;
- sugar, vegetable oils;
- fresh meat;
- vegetables, with the exception of tomatoes, spinach, cabbage, pumpkin, eggplant.
Histamine as a medicine
So, we learned a lot about histamine: what it is and what role it plays in the human body. But it turns out this substance may be a cure. Indications for its use can be polyarthritis, migraine, muscle and joint rheumatism, radiculitis, allergic reactions. In the latter case, the dose of histamine is gradually increased, thereby trying to achieve a more stable state of the body to various manifestations of allergies. However, there are a number of contraindications for taking this substance, these include:
- heart disease
- dystonia;
- hypotension;
- hypertension
- respiratory tract diseases;
- impaired renal function;
- pheochromocytoma;
- pregnancy;
- lactation period.
Taking histamine can cause side effects such as severe continuous headache, dizziness, fainting, cyanosis, diarrhea, cramps, tachycardia, nervousness, shortness of breath, nausea, vomiting, a sharp decrease in blood pressure, stomach cramps, redness of the skin of the face, metallic taste in mouth, blurred vision, pain in the chest, swelling of the injection site.
We hope that now you know the answer to the question: "Histamine - what is it?"