Allergist

An allergist is a medical specialist who studies the causes, course, and symptoms of allergic reactions and diseases. A doctor of this specialization has methods for diagnosing, preventing, and treating allergies and immune-related manifestations.

[ 1 ], [ 2 ]

Who is an allergist?

Allergology is a relatively young branch of medicine, which is becoming increasingly popular among patients of all ages. Sadly, there is a tendency for the number of people suffering from allergic diseases to increase.

A competent allergist should not only have extensive knowledge in the medical field, but also be able to distinguish a cold from an allergy attack. The task of a highly qualified specialist is to detect the cause of the disease and prescribe the optimal treatment.

Who is an allergist? First of all, a doctor who recommends preventive measures to prevent seasonal discomfort as a result of a reaction to pollen, etc. This specialist solves issues related to the correction and enhancement of immunity, and also gives instructions on changing the diet in order to improve the patient's condition.

When should you see an allergist?

A person can adapt to discomfort in his life. Ignoring the first signs of allergy, we continue to give all our strength to work, "eating away" the disease with another pill. Many have to avoid certain foods, contact with animals, experience unpleasant moments during the period of lush flowering and poplar fluff. Assuring ourselves that it will pass, we just need to be patient, we completely forget about the serious consequences of such behavior. Constant attacks of allergens have a destructive effect on the human body, leading to irreversible processes.

The question: "When should I see an allergist?" has a clear answer - at the first suspicion of an allergic reaction. The sooner you see an allergist, the better for you.

Symptoms that are a reason to visit a doctor:

• chronic runny nose, incessant sneezing, itching and congestion in the sinuses;
• seasonal manifestations of rhinitis;
• sudden coughing fits that do not produce sputum and that do not go away for a long time;
• sudden shortness of breath, respiratory spasms, lack of oxygen;
• persistent redness and discharge from the eyes;
• rashes or a constant urge to scratch the skin.

An allergist also deals with identifying the causes:

• exacerbation of chronic diseases;
• sleep disorders;
• increased fatigue;
• decreased performance;
• headaches associated with eating certain foods.

What tests should you take when visiting an allergist?

Laboratory research methods are necessary for establishing an accurate diagnosis. Depending on the specific symptoms of the patient, it will be determined on an individual basis which tests need to be taken when contacting an allergist.

Basic laboratory examination methods:

• if a fungus is suspected, a scraping is taken for cytology from the surface of the tongue, from the external auditory canal and tonsils;
• the presence of dysbacteriosis and detection of sensitivity to bacteriophages are determined by stool analysis;
• blood culture test;
• study of discharge from abscesses, scrapings from the skin, from the ear, etc. (determine the predominance of flora, reaction to antibiotics/bacteriophages);
• It is possible to confirm the presence of bacterial, mycoplasma, and viral infections, as well as the presence of parasites, using serological and molecular biological (PCR) methods of study;
• detection of specific IgE in blood serum for sensitivity to plant pollen, house dust, food or fungal allergens, as well as epidermal intolerance;
• Diagnosis of reactions to food allergens using a test kit.

What diagnostic methods does an allergist use?

During the initial consultation, the allergist talks with the patient and finds out when the allergic manifestations first appeared, their course and the current state of health.

For more accurate diagnosis, the doctor uses:

• computer diagnostics of the condition of the entire body, which allows us to determine whether the described manifestations are of an allergic nature or are a consequence of another disease;
• hemoscanning – shows the activity of blood cells, as well as the presence of parasites in the internal environment or infections;
• food hypersensitivity testing.

A comprehensive examination allows for a correct diagnosis. What diagnostic methods does an allergist use for bronchial asthma and allergic exacerbation?

If bronchial asthma is suspected, the doctor will first ask about any allergic diseases in your family and close relatives, as well as your living conditions and workplace. Auscultation helps determine the presence of wheezing against the background of weakened breathing. Allergists use bronchoprovocation testing to study respiratory function. The doctor will need blood/sputum test data and a cytological examination of nasal secretions.

Doctors have skin testing methods and blood test to detect allergies. In some cases, an allergist prescribes an ultrasound or X-ray examination to rule out diseases of internal organs.

It should be noted that the diagnostic option is selected individually in each specific case.

What does an allergist do?

A person with allergy symptoms can rarely independently understand the root cause of the painful condition, and an allergist comes to his aid. During the consultation, the doctor collects data on the course of the disease, finds out a possible hereditary predisposition, and only then prescribes laboratory research methods.

What does an allergist do:

• preventive, diagnostic and therapeutic measures to get rid of bronchial asthma, dermatitis (including atopic), conjunctivitis and rhinitis, hay fever, Quincke's edema, etc.;
• the introduction of allergen-specific therapeutic interventions, which are divided into short-term, full pre-seasonal and year-round therapy;
• special diagnostics of the immune system (conducting an immunogram) and its correction;
• maintaining or restoring the body's protective functions.

Human health directly depends on the body's defenses, on the result of the fight between immune cells and pathogenic carriers. The list of painful manifestations from immune disorders increases almost daily. An allergist-immunologist will help cope with relapses of herpes on the lips, with confluent pneumonia, rhinitis, anaphylaxis, thyroid problems, collagenoses and many other diseases.

What diseases does an allergist treat?

The first manifestations of an allergic disease in the form of a rash, swelling, general painful condition require consultation with an allergist. Timely contact with a specialist will protect you from a lot of unpleasant and severe consequences such as immunodeficiency, leukocytosis, idiopathic urticaria, bronchial asthma, Quincke's edema, etc.

What diseases does an allergist treat? The list of diseases that fall within the competence of this specialist includes:

• bronchial asthma;
• hay fever;
• incurable, year-round rhinitis;
• conjunctivitis;
• urticaria in acute and chronic form;
• Quincke's edema;
• atopic/seborrheic dermatitis, as well as contact allergic dermatitis;
• allergic reactions caused by the intake of a certain type of food or medication;
• insect allergic reaction - after an insect bite;
• chronic diseases caused by secondary immunodeficiency;
• problems of the upper/lower respiratory organs (rhinitis, sinusitis, tonsillitis, pharyngitis, bronchitis, etc.);
• chronic fatigue syndrome;
• recurrence of viral infections – herpes, HPV, etc.;
• recurrence of purulent infections - for example, furunculosis;
• progressive fungal infections;
• gynecological diseases – papilloma virus, colpitis, etc.;
• urological diseases – chronic prostatitis, pyelonephritis;
• persistent itching of the skin.

Why is it so important to visit an allergist on time? Taking a runny nose for a sign of a cold, a person begins to treat a viral infection. As a result, the balance in the body is disturbed, the immune functions are weakened. The allergen, in turn, continues its destructive effect, turning the runny nose into a chronic one, adding bronchitis or asthma to the cough. Self-medication should not be done.

Advice from an allergist

It can be very difficult for allergy sufferers to live a full life: constant monitoring of nutrition, preventive measures before active flowering, giving up pets, etc.

The advice of an allergist includes the need to completely protect yourself from the allergen. Of course, not everyone has the opportunity to leave in the spring and summer to avoid contact with pollen. If you stay at home, you should avoid going outside on a hot, windy day and going out into nature. Air conditioners and air purifiers help to survive the state of increased discomfort.

If your allergy gets worse, you will have to do wet cleaning more often, and replace your old vacuum cleaner with a new model with a HEPA filter. You can ease another attack by rinsing your sinuses with saline solution and your eyes with regular warm water.

If you are at risk or already suffer from allergic reactions, you need to boost your immunity.

A competent allergist has general clinical knowledge that allows him to assess the therapeutic, endocrinological and immune status of a patient, to recognize the most common diseases that manifest themselves against the background of an allergic reaction, including skin and infectious diseases.

[ 3 ]