- Institute
- Allergy & Immunology
Allergy & Immunology
Sprint Medical Allergy and Immunology service treats allergy and immunological diseases including:
Asthma, contact dermatitis, drug allergies.
Food allergies, and immunodeficiency disorders.
Allergy & Immunology department also treats immunologic conditions including Asthma:
(both allergic and non-allergic), Allergic rhinitis (hay fever), Angioedema (swelling)
Urticaria (hives), Food and medication allergies.
Atopic dermatitis (commonly known as eczema, characterized by itchy, red, and inflamed skin)
The department team analyses patients with symptoms caused by an allergy, such as sinus headaches, coughs, or itching. The team also treats patients suffering from rare conditions, such as recurrent infections, due to their immune systems problems.
What is Allergy?
Allergies develop when our immune system responds to a foreign antigen— such as bee venom, pet dander, or pollen. Allergies are developed with the intake of food that can cause a reaction in some people. Our immune system is the part of white blood, and they consist of antibodies. When a foreign particle or an antigen enters our body, our immune system starts reacting and producing antibodies if they identify a particular antigen as harmful or not harmful. When we contact an antigen, our immune system starts reacting and can affect our digestive system, skin, sinuses, or airways.
The intensity of allergies differs from Patient to Patient and can range from minor irritation to serious illness and potentially life-threatening.
Symptoms of Allergy:
Allergy symptoms majorly depend on the substance/ food involved, and it can affect your nasal passages, skin, airways, sinuses, and digestive system. Most reactions are mild, but in few cases, it can be severe. In some Patients, allergies can trigger a life-threatening, dangerous problem called anaphylaxis. Further to the above below are some major allergy symptoms.
Hay fever: AKA: allergic rhinitis:
Runny, stuffy nose
Itchy nose, eyes, or roof of the mouth
Sneezing
Watery, red, or swollen eyes (conjunctivitis)
An insect sting allergy:
Anaphylaxis
Itching or hives all over the body
wheezing, cough, and shortness of breath
Swelling (edema) at the sting site
A food allergy:
Hives
Anaphylaxis
Tingling in the mouth
Swelling of the tongue, face, or throat
A drug allergy:
Itchy skin
Hives
Facial swelling
Anaphylaxis
Rash
Wheezing
Atopic dermatitis: also called eczema:
Redden
Flake or peel
Itch
Anaphylaxis
This allergy includes allergies to insect stings and foods, and It can trigger a dangerous reaction commonly known as anaphylaxis. It's a life-threatening medical emergency, and anaphylaxis can cause you to go into shock. Signs and symptoms of anaphylaxis include:
A rapid, weak pulse
Loss of consciousness
Lightheadedness
A drop in blood pressure
Severe shortness of breath
Skin rash
Nausea and vomiting
When to see a doctor for an Allergy reaction?
You need to see a doctor if you are having some symptoms you may think are caused by an allergy and you are not getting any relief from over the counter medicine. If you didn't get any relief after starting a new medication, call the doctor who prescribed it right away.
Common allergy triggers:
Airborne allergens: such as dust mites, pollen, mold, and animal dander
Foods: shellfish, particularly peanuts, tree nuts, wheat, eggs and milk, soy and fish,
Insect stings: such as from a wasp or bee
Medications: particularly antibiotics which are penicillin-based
Latex or other chemical substances that you touch can cause some allergic skin reactions
Patient Risk Factors:
You are more prone to have or develop some allergies if the patient might have a family history of allergies or asthma, such as eczema, hay fever, and hives.
Patient Complications:
Having an allergy can increases your risk of other medical problems, which may include:
Asthma: If you have a common allergy, you're more likely to get asthma. In major cases, asthma is triggered by exposure to an allergen in the environment.
Sinusitis and ears or lung infections: Your risk of getting this problem is higher if you have asthma or hay fever.
Prevention of Allergies:
Preventing allergic reactions can depend on what type of allergy patients have. Following are few preventive measures:
It would be best to avoid known triggers that might get you symptoms: try to avoid triggers. If you're allergic to pollen, please stay inside your home with doors and windows closed if pollen is high in the environment. If you're allergic to dust mites, please dust and vacuum regularly and wash your bedsheet and pillow.
Tracking or Keep a diary: Patients need to educate themself and keep track of the main causes that might cause the allergic symptoms; patients need to track their activities, including what they are eating. This will help the patient and the doctor to identify triggers and causes of your allergies.
Wear a medical alert device or Indicator: If the patient had a severe allergic reaction that might be dangerous, a medical alert bracelet or a device may help others know that you have a serious allergy if you have a reaction and you're unable to communicate.
Frequently asked questions
You should visit an allergist or immunologist when:
You experience sinus infections or nasal congestion during a specific period of the year.
The congestion does not get cured by the common antihistamines or antibiotics, or cause severe side effects like drowsiness.
You find yourself unable to carry on day-to-day activities.
You sometimes cannot breathe properly, feel shortness of breath and tightness in the chest region.
You get fits of cough at night or after exercise.
An allergist and immunologist are closely related and nearly do the same job; however, the specific area of an allergist is to diagnose and treat patients with allergies while an immunologist focuses on new medical research and cure patients having immune system disorders.
Immunology is a branch of biology that deals with the study of the immune system in all organisms including humans. The important organs of the immune system include the spleen, lymph vessels, lymph nodes, bone marrow, and thymus.
The reaction of the body to a foreign material like pollen grain, bee venom, or some other specific food material is called Allergy. The immune system of the body produces antibodies that identify certain substances as foreign material and harmful to the body. The reaction of the immune system against that particular substance results in the occurrence of certain symptoms such as sinuses, skin inflammation, rashes, and discomfort in the respiratory or digestive system.
An immunologist and allergist diagnoses and treats all the autoimmune diseases such as systemic lupus erythematosus, scleroderma, hay fever, sarcoidosis, CREST syndrome, Raynaud's disease, arthritis, Sjogren's syndrome, allergy, urticaria, chronic fatigue syndrome, urticaria, and anaphylaxis.
An allergy triggers the production of antibodies by the immune system. Common allergies such as asthma are linked to an antibody named immunoglobulin E (IgE). IgEs are very specific in their action. When a person at risk gets exposed to an allergen (a substance that causes the allergy), his/her immune system starts producing lots of IgE antibodies thereby causing allergic reactions. The symptoms of these reactions can be mild or severe depending upon the quantity of allergen encountered and also how an individual’s immune system reacts to that particular allergen.
A qualified allergist tests whether your body is susceptible to a certain allergen or not. The tests can be done in the form of a blood checkup, a skin test, or eliminating a possible allergen present in food from the diet. After testing, you will be able to know which particular substance is triggering allergic reactions in your body. The allergist may prescribe some medicines to cure your allergy or alternatively, you could try to avoid the allergen as much as possible.
The ten most common allergens include pollen grains, cosmetic products, house dust mites, pets or other animals, certain food such as peanuts, eggs, and milk, insects, some drugs or medicines, molds, perfumes, and cockroaches.
No, an immunologist focuses on new medical research and cure patients having immune system disorders while the specific area of interest of an allergist is to diagnose and treat patients with allergies; however, both these professions are closely related and a specialist of either two can work as both.