Allergies

We hear about allergies all the time, but what exactly are allergies? It’s a condition where a foreign substance (allergen) attacks the immune system and the human body has an abnormal reaction. Allergies are a major cause of illness in the United States and about 1 in 5 Americans have allergies.

There are many different types of allergies including, environmental, seasonal, pets, food and medications. The best way to find out what types of allergies you have is by completing an allergy test provided by a Physician. Care Cube offers year-round allergy testing at all locations to assist Patients in fighting their allergies.

Symptoms & Tests

Allergy symptoms or allergic reactions can vary from person to person depending on the allergy. The most common symptoms include: runny nose, stuffy nose, sneezing, wheezing, shortness of breath, coughing, rashes, fatigue and headache.

If a Patient is experiencing symptoms that could be related to allergies, they should complete an allergy test with a Physician to identify the allergen and create a treatment plan to help alleviate symptoms. A Physician will evaluate the Patient’s medical history and perform a skin or blood allergy test in order to identify the allergic disease and alleviate their symptoms.

Common Types of Allergies

Pollen is one of the most common triggers of seasonal allergies. Trees, weeds and grasses are the source of most pollens that cause allergic reactions. People with pollen allergies usually have symptoms of sneezing, coughing, runny nose, itchy or stuffy nose and swollen eyes.

One of the most common allergies in children and adults are pet allergies as 3 in 10 people with allergies have allergic reactions to cats and dogs. An allergy test completed by a Physician will expose what kind of pet dander someone is allergic to.

After eating a certain food, the immune system can have an abnormal reaction which most likely indicates that a food allergy is present. Some symptoms include; trouble breathing, digestive problems or rash / hives. Food allergies can be life threatening and should be taken seriously.

Most allergic reactions to drugs (medications) are not actually an allergy, but are side effects of the contents in the medication. Diagnosing a patient with a drug allergy is mostly based off the patient’s medical history and symptoms that occur when having a reaction. A skin test by a Physician can be done to identify the cause of the reaction.