Allergy Doctor

What is an allergy doctor?  In general, a physician who helps in the treatment of an allergy, regardless of his field of specialization can be considered as an allergy doctor.  General physicians, pediatricians, pulmonologists, dermatologists, immunologist and allergists all have the knowledge and ability to treat allergies. 

However, immunologists and allergists are considered to be the experts in this specialty.  These doctors have gone through a special training and passed a certification of studies focusing on allergy treatment.  Therefore, they are capable of treating more serious cases of allergies in people.  In most cases, a general physician will collaborate with an allergist if one of his patients has an allergy problem. 

A person’s immune system is directly connected to his acquiring allergies.  Allergic reactions are often triggered by substances in the environment like dusts, smoke, molds, animal dander, latex, pollen, certain foods, etc. These substances are referred to as “allergens”.  The immune system sees the substance as harmful to the body and therefore, it begins to produce antibodies called immunoglobulin.  These antibodies attach into mast cells which are found in the blood.  Mast cells release chemicals that cause tissues to swell.  Mast cells also release “histamine” which causes the allergic symptoms we often see in a person such as sneezing and itchiness.
In extreme cases, an allergic reaction can become so severe that a person may experience difficulty in breathing, swollen glands, abdominal pain, vomiting, cramps, diarrhea, and nausea.  Yes, severe allergic reaction can also be life threatening.
According to a study conducted by the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, about 20 percent of the U.S. population are suffering from a kind of allergic disorder.  A parent with an allergy can pass this disorder to his children.  Although allergies cannot be prevented, they can be controlled.
How would you know if you have an allergy?  Allergy tests can be done by the skin prick test.  In this test, the allergen is pricked into the person’s skin to see if there is a reaction.  This test will help identify what kind substances the person is allergic to.  Another type of allergy test is called radioallergosorbent blood test or RAST.  However, doctors prefer the skin test over RAST since it has been proven to be more accurate.
Do you think you have an allergy disorder? If you’ve experienced symptoms of allergic reactions, don’t take them for granted.  Don’t risk going through serious allergic reactions.  See an allergy doctor right away.