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When to Call the Allergy Doctor?
There are many types of doctors who take care of people who
suffer from allergies. First of all, there are the general
practitioners that get involved in this problem. This happens
because the great number of allergens determines the frequency
of the allergies. In the second case, other doctors that can
offer advices regarding the allergies are the
dermatologists.
As it is already known, itch of the skin is a kind of
hallmark for all the type of allergies. In a particular case,
it makes even more sense to consult a dermatologist when a
person has skin allergy. In the third situation, an
immunologist should be consulted. In fact, no matter the
allergy or the type of allergen that provokes it, the allergy
doctor tells that the the treatment consists of immunotherapy
if the medications fail to improve the symptoms.
The main roles of the allergy doctor are to perform the
diagnosis and to prescribe the treatment. It is very important
to ask for medical advice as soon as any of the allergy
symptoms becomes visible. The diagnosis in all types of allergy
resumes to two tests. First of all, a skin prick test is
performed, in order to find the allergen that causes the
allergic reaction. A small portion of skin is peeled.
Next, various allergens are applied, so that the
doctor discovers the certain cause of the allergy. After the
allergen has been discovered, a corticosteroid cream is applied
on the skin, so that the discomfort decreases. The second test
that is performed during the allergy diagnosis is a blood test.
The results of the blood test that present interest to the
allergy doctor are the levels of lgE and histamine. These two
chemical substances are set free into the body when people make
contact to certain allergens. Increased levels determine the
presence of an allergic reaction.
By performing the diagnosis, the allergy doctor is the only one
able to realize the connection between the symptoms and the
disease. People tend to make confusion between cold and
allergy. Even though these two health conditions may have a few
similar symptoms, they are very different. Cold is provoked by
a virus, while allergy represents a disorder of the immune
system. Furthermore, the period of time in which the symptoms
are visible differs very much. Other times, the allergies are
confounded for intolerances. This happens especially when the
allergy is caused by allergens such as milk, peanuts and other
foods.
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