Discounted by many as simply a party of life, allergies are in fact a significant health concern and a common cause of illness in the United States and around the world. Allergies affect nearly 50 million Americans in some capacity, and that number grows every year.  Allergies take their toll on adults and children, accounting for many missed school days and work days.  Allergy symptoms range from making you miserable to increased risk for life-threatening reactions.

An allergic reaction begins in the immune system. Our immune system protects us from invading organisms that can cause illness. With allergy, your immune system mistakes an otherwise harmless substance for something harmful; this is then called an allergen.  The immune system produces allergic antibody called Immunoglobulin E (IgE) specifically targeting that allergen. These antibodies then travel to specific cells all around the body, including the skin, and all mucosal surfaces including the eyes, ears, throat, GI tract, lungs, and genital tract. An allergic reaction occurs when the substance encounters these preformed IgE antibodies on the surface of specific cells called MAST cells.  This triggers the release of chemicals, the most well known of which is histamine, and dozens of others, in a cascade of events producing the symptoms you know as allergy.  The resulting conditions are known commonly as allergic rhinitis or hayfever, asthma, hives, anaphylaxis, and eczema.  The most common allergens include pollen, dust, food, insect stings, animal dander, mold spores, medications, and latex.  Allergies have a strong genetic component but usually do not involve inheriting a specific allergy; rather, parents with allergy will more likely have children with allergies who may be allergic to entirely different substances.

Our board-certified allergist/immunologists have advanced training in the diagnosis and treatment of these conditions. That training involves a minimum of 5 to 6 years of additional training after medical school. This expertise and experience is not something obtained from weekend courses offered to general practitioners, primary care providers, or other specialists treating the respiratory tract.

Common causes of allergy include:
Pollen (especially oak in our area)
Dust mite
Animal dander
Insect stings/bites
Medications, especially antibiotics and pain relievers
Skin contact allergens