Guide to Visit an Allergy Specialist
When you have been suffering from allergies for a long time, it's time to see a specialist about your allergic problem. Before setting your appointment, prepare a list of questions to discuss with your doctor. The guide below can help you.
When to see a doctor
Patients often suffer from allergies for years without seeking treatment. Many symptoms are treated with antihistamines and decongestants, especially for those who suffer from seasonal symptoms. However, for some cases, the symptoms can be severe enough or long enough to interfere with living normally. In such cases, patients should consider seeking treatment.
You should especially seek medical help if a market drug fails to provide assistance or if you have to use this medicine for more than a few weeks. These drugs are intended for short-term use because, over time, they begin to lose their effectiveness.
If you or your child starts showing asthma symptoms, it is important to seek guidance from a doctor immediately. Symptoms of asthma are excessive coughing that may or may not include wheezing, shortness of breath, and tightness in your chest. Asthma can be life-threatening if not examined, and allergies can worsen this problem.
Keep a daily journal of your symptoms
Part of the diagnosis of your allergy is to determine the year it occurred and how the situation caused you to experience symptoms. If, for example, your allergies are more severe in the rainy season, this is important information for your doctor to know. It might be helpful to track your symptoms on a calendar or in a journal for a while. If your allergy is related to food, keep a daily journal about your food, jot down the symptoms in relation to what you eat.
Make an appointment with a doctor
In some cases, general practitioners can treat and diagnose allergies. However, if your case is moderate to severe or your doctor does not feel he can treat your case, you may be referred to a specialist.
When you make your appointment, ask if there are special instructions for preparing your appointment. Your doctor may have special document requests and if testing may occur during your first meeting, you may be asked to refrain from eating or drinking for a certain period of time before your visit.
During a visit to your doctor
Your doctor may compile a complete family medical history, so it is important to have as much information as possible about your family history of allergies, especially if your allergy is a food-related allergy.
You will be given a series of questions about your own medical history as well, including your childhood allergies that you may have. Bring any medical records you have or if your family doctor refers you to a specialist, ask for records that will be needed by a specialist before your visit. This will help the allergist get a clue as to any life problems that might be caused by your current problem.
When you meet your doctor, be ready to ask your own questions. It might be helpful to compile a list of questions you have for the doctor in the days before your appointment. This will help you if you forget when the doctor asks if you have questions.
Some examples of questions include:
- Is there anything I can change in my environment or lifestyle to prevent these symptoms?
- What treatment can I take?
- Are there any side effects for prescribed drugs?
- What tests are available to determine what is causing my allergic reaction?
After your visit
Your initial examination is usually less than half an hour, during this examination, your doctor may examine the nose and throat. If you are diagnosed with food allergies or air allergies, the next step is to treat your symptoms and/or tests to determine the exact cause of the symptoms.
During your initial visit, you and your specialist may decide to test for allergies. If this happens, your skin will likely be tested for reactions to various substances. Based on the results, the doctor will recommend treatments in the form of allergy injections or prescription drugs. He may recommend various lifestyle changes to reduce symptoms, especially if what happens is a food allergy.
If you have questions after your visit, don't hesitate to contact your doctor. He might recommend a follow-up meeting, especially if the medication has been prescribed.
