Doctor Allergist

Consequently, allergology is a branch of medicine that studies the symptoms and causes of these diseases, develops methods for timely diagnosis and treatment programs for allergic diseases. These diseases are characterized by the fact that it is impossible to completely cure them, therefore the activities of an allergist should be aimed at competently explaining to patients how to prevent the development of allergic diseases, avoid complications, how to lead a lifestyle, what foods to limit in consumption, and what therapy is necessary to maintain the normal functioning of the human body prone to allergies.

Allergist: types of specializations

Therapy of allergic diseases can be carried out both by the allergist himself directly, and by doctors of narrow specializations from the field of pulmonology, dermatology, otolaryngology, etc. First, let's figure out what an allergy is?

Allergy is a manifestation of the sensitivity of the human body to a certain type of pathogen, the so-called allergen. This can be either a separate component or a group of allergens. The disease manifests itself as allergic rash, rhinitis, conjunctivitis, coughing fits, etc. The strength of the pathogen and the individual characteristics of the patient with allergies are important.

A pulmonologist-allergist treats problems associated with shortness of breath, attacks of bronchial asthma and other ailments of the respiratory system

A dermatologist-allergist treats types of allergies that manifest themselves in skin diseases: dermatitis, urticaria, itchy skin, redness.

An allergist-immunologist not only eliminates the symptoms of allergies, but also tries to eliminate the causes of their occurrence, develops complex treatment systems for the general restoration of immunity and the prevention of such diseases.

It should be noted that for successful treatment of allergic diseases, patients prone to allergies must constantly consult a specialist and follow the doctor's recommendations.

What does an allergist treat: types of allergic diseases

The spectrum of diseases that fall within the scope of medical activity of this specialist is very large. The ailments that can be treated by an allergist include:

• allergic rhinitis - the disease may have seasonal manifestations (for example, during the flowering period of trees), or year-round - it depends on the pathogen that causes the allergy;
• allergic cough - by the nature of the pathogen is close to allergic rhinitis. It is also characterized by both seasonal manifestations and the appearance of paroxysmal symptoms from pet hair, household dust, etc.;
• allergic conjunctivitis - characterized by swelling and puffiness of the eyelids, redness of the eyeball, lacrimation, stinging in the eyes, photophobia. It may not occur immediately, but some time after contact with the pathogen. The disease brings particular discomfort, since a person with conjunctivitis cannot lead a normal life, full-fledged work activity;
• bronchial asthma - the disease is dangerous because it can occur suddenly, so a person who is prone to this disease should always have a special inhaler with them, it will immediately relieve an attack.
• urticaria - an allergic reaction, which is characterized by a rash on the skin when exposed to a pathogen. It manifests itself as acute irritation and itching, up to the appearance of blisters. It can be caused by the action of various allergens in the form of certain products, components, plants, less often - an emotional stress state;
• allergic contact dermatitis - a rash is formed directly at the point of contact of the patient's skin with the allergen;
• atopic dermatitis - can be caused by certain products, allergens, but also often occurs as a consequence of genetic disorders;
• Quincke's edema, or as it is also called - angioedema - is characterized by swelling of the body tissues in the face, oral mucosa. This is a peculiar reaction of the body to an allergen. The duration of the reaction is from a couple of hours to 3 days. A dangerous feature of Quincke's edema is that it can make breathing difficult, up to suffocation;
• food allergy - the disease is provoked by the use of foods that can cause an allergic reaction to certain food components. It manifests itself in different ways - from the appearance of such a symptom as an allergic rash, up to bronchial asthma, cough, rhinitis, etc.

Children's allergist: what does he treat, when to contact him?

Allergies in children are quite common in modern society. It has not yet been possible to fully study this problem and determine all the factors that provoke this problem. This may include genetic abnormalities, living conditions, and environmental conditions, each with its own sources.

If your child has any signs of allergy, you should immediately contact a specialist and not wait for complications to develop, in order to prevent chronic forms of the disease.

Symptoms of allergies in children:

• sneezing, nasal congestion, itching in the nose;
• prolonged dry cough;
• redness of the eyeball, swelling and lacrimation;
• rashes on the skin, itching.

The doctor provides consultations to children with symptoms of diathesis. Which is not a disease, but occurs as a symptom when exposed to an irritant. Therefore, an experienced specialist first of all looks for the cause of the diathesis, and then eliminates the symptoms.

Atopic dermatitis is also one of the reasons for visiting a doctor, since this is a chronic disease and requires constant monitoring and observation by medical personnel.

The doctor is obliged to identify the causes of the disease, if necessary, prescribe appropriate tests and diagnostics, and monitor the recovery of the child's body.

When is an allergist appointment necessary?

In what situations should you contact an allergist? Let's try to figure this out. The patient should contact a trusted specialist in this field when the first symptoms appear, which include:

• sneezing, persistent rhinitis, congestion;
• prolonged unproductive cough;
• shortness of breath, spasms in the respiratory organs;
• redness of the eyes, swelling of the eyelids, photophobia;
• rashes on different parts of the body, itching.

What types of tests and diagnostics does an allergist prescribe?

According to the symptoms and objectives of the study, the allergist prescribes the following types of tests:

• scrapings from the oral mucosa, tonsils;
• blood test for various indicators;
• urine and stool analysis;
• scrapings from the skin, ear cavity, nose;
• PCR diagnostics;
• blood composition analysis to determine the body's resistance to a specific allergen;
• scarification test;
• princ-testing.

Also, magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography, x-rays can be additionally prescribed.

Prevention of allergic diseases

To prevent relapses of allergies, doctors recommend adhering to a hypoallergenic diet, excluding from the patient's life components that can cause allergies: pet hair, flowering houseplants, household dust, medications (everything depends on each specific case and individual characteristics patient).

Currently, hyposensitization is quite popular - a procedure during which the patient is given medications on the eve of the beginning of tree blossoming that reduce the severity of allergic reactions to pollen, poplar fluff, etc.

Allergology is quite developed, and there are many ways to make life easier for a patient suffering from such a disease. The main thing is to prevent complications and contact a qualified allergist in time.