September 11, 2019
Go See an Allergist!
Seeing an allergist can save you precious time and money versus chasing down answers yourself or from other, less specialized doctors.
If you have (or even suspect you have) allergies, asthma, or an immunodeficiency condition, visit an allergist to get to the bottom of your problems and receive your personalized solution. Sure, you can cover these topics with a general practitioner or your child’s pediatrician, but allergists are unparalleled experts in these fields
Allergists specialize in the diagnosis and treatment of allergies, asthma, and immunodeficiency diseases (these involve weakened immune systems and can cause recurrent infections). To become an allergist, physicians must complete four years of medical school followed by three years of residency in pediatrics or internal medicine.
But they’re not done yet! Next up, they train specifically in allergies, asthma, and immunology for two or three more years before finally becoming an allergist. Many then continue on to achieve board certification by the American Board of Allergy & Immunology.
That’s a whole lot of specialized training to ensure that patients get the very best care that’s backed by experience and expertise. In the vast majority of cases, your allergist can do everything you need to get things under control. They have a number of tests available to determine what allergens are making you miss work/school, keeping you up at night, or just making you wander through life in a fog.
Allergists also offer asthma tests that can get to the root of lung function and inflammation, as well as track how well your treatment plan is working.
If you can’t seem to shake a pattern of infections, or if they are severe or unusual, an allergist can do the detailed medical investigation needed to figure out what’s causing the recurrent infections. Treatment typically involves jump-starting your immune system and addressing the source of the problem.
Once your allergist has determined what you’re up against, they will work with you on how to tackle the issues. Allergists stay up-to-date on the latest research and can recommend prescription and over-the-counter medications that suit your needs, tweaking the plan as necessary. You can also learn the benefits of allergy shots (immunotherapy) in your particular case. If you go that route, shots are given in the office and will help your body achieve immunity to the problematic allergens.
You are not doomed to suffer with allergies, asthma, or recurrent infections forever! Seek out the expert help of an allergist so you can breathe easier and get back to enjoying life.
