13 May May is National Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month
Family Practice Associates of Lexington offers Blood test (RAST test) instead of a skin prick test, which can be uncomfortable for some patients. Skin prick testing can also present a risk for an allergic reaction to the testing itself. For blood tests (RAST), a sample of your blood is sent to our lab for testing. The test measures the amount of IgE antibody in the blood. The body makes this type of antibody when trying to fight off allergy-causing substances. The test results show whether you are making antibodies to certain allergens and thus whether you are allergic to those allergens.
Did you know that Family Practice Associates of Lexington offers easy & quick Allergy Testing?
Family Practice Associates of Lexington offers Blood test (RAST test) instead of a skin prick test, which can be uncomfortable for some patients. Skin prick testing can also present a risk for an allergic reaction to the testing itself. For blood tests (RAST), a sample of your blood is sent to our lab for testing. The test measures the amount of IgE antibody in the blood. The body makes this type of antibody when trying to fight off allergy-causing substances. The test results show whether you are making antibodies to certain allergens and thus whether you are allergic to those allergens.
Ask your provider about allergy testing and your best options.
Allergy Facts and Figures
An allergy is when your immune system reacts to a foreign substance, called
an allergen. It could be something you eat, inhale into your lungs, inject into
your body or touch. This reaction could cause coughing, sneezing, itchy eyes, a
runny nose and a scratchy throat. In severe cases, it can cause rashes, hives,
low blood pressure, breathing trouble, asthma attacks and even death.
There is no cure for allergies. You can manage allergies with prevention and
treatment. More Americans than ever say they manage allergies. It is among the
country’s most common, but overlooked, diseases.
Signs and symptoms
Allergic symptoms can range from rashes, watery eyes, runny nose and congestion to difficulty breathing. Severe allergic symptoms could affect breathing and swallowing, cause abdominal cramps, vomiting, diarrhea or dizziness. Severe reactions can lead to anaphylaxis, a rate but life-threatening condition.
Treatment
Diagnosing an allergy is just the first step. Management of allergies can be a complex process involving one or multiple treatment options. Common course of treatment for allergy symptoms are below.
Immunotherapy involves injection of an allergen solution into the patient to develop tolerance. These are your typical “allergy shots” and treat the cause of the disease rather than manage the symptoms. Our practice administers these allergy shots to our patients. If recommended by your provider, your allergy shots can be scheduled conveniently at our office by calling (859) 278-5007.
Avoidance and environmental control aims to manage the patient’s surroundings to minimize exposure to things that trigger allergy reactions. For example, if a patient has a food allergy, then that food item is avoided.
Pharmacotherapy is the prescribing of antihistamines for patients. Most times, these drugs are given without knowing the allergens that are causing the symptoms, and often the drug may not adequately manage the patient’s symptoms.
How Many People Do Allergies Affect?
- More than 50 million Americans have experienced various types of allergies each year.13
- Allergies are the 6th leading cause of chronic illness in the U.S.1
How Many People Get Sick from Allergies?
- Allergic conditions are the most common health issues affecting children in the U.S.1 In 2015, 8.2 percent of adults and 8.4 percent of children were diagnosed with hay fever.2
- People visit the emergency room about 200,000 times each year because of food allergies.1
What Are Indoor and Outdoor Allergies?
Types of indoor and outdoor allergies include sinus swelling, seasonal and returning allergies, hay fever and nasal allergies. Many people with allergies often have more than one type of allergy. The most common indoor/outdoor allergy triggers are: tree, grass and weed pollen, mold spores, dust mites, cockroaches, and cat, dog and rodent dander.
How Common Are Skin Allergies?
Skin allergies include skin inflammation, eczema, hives, chronic hives and contact allergies. Plants like poison ivy, poison oak and poison sumac are the most common skin allergy triggers. But skin contact with cockroaches and dust mites, certain foods or latex may also cause skin allergy symptoms.
- In 2015, 8.8 million children had skin allergies.2
- Children age 0-4 are most likely to have skin allergies.2
- In 2015, African-American children in the U.S. were more likely to have skin allergies than white children.2
How Common Are Food Allergies?
Children have food allergies more often than adults. Eight foods cause most food allergy reactions. They are milk, soy, eggs, wheat, peanuts, tree nuts, fish and shellfish.
- Peanut is the most common allergen followed by milk and shelfish.3
- In 2015, 4.2 million children in the US have food allergies.2
- In 2014, 5.4 percent of US children under age 18 had food allergies.1
Want to learn more? visit https://www.aafa.org/allergy-facts/