Allergies: Symptoms and Causes

Featured Article The Role of Allergy Testing in Diagnosis Determining whether you have allergies, and then finding out what the allergen is, can take time and patience. Some allergy symptoms have obvious causes: If you break out in hives every time you eat shellfish, chances are good there's a connection. Other allergy symptoms don't stem from an obvious source: If you suffer from hay fever, is it because of tree pollen, dust mites, or the family dog? Allergy testing may be necessary to identify the offender. The first step is to talk to your doctor or health professional about your allergy symptoms. Expect to answer a number of questions. Your doctor may ask whether you have a family history of allergies, when the symptoms occur, and what you were doing at the time the symptoms appeared. The doctor may also want to know where you were when you reacted, if you're taking any medications, or if you have a medical condition that might mimic an allergic reaction. Depending on the results of the exam, you may be referred to an allergist for testing. continued			Blogs
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