allergist

Allergies are one of the most common human diseases. Anyone who has an allergic reaction or wants to have an allergy treated is at the Allergists at the right address. Usually it is specialists from other specialties who also offer allergological diagnostics and therapies.

What is an allergist?

Allergology deals with human allergies and their diagnosis and treatment.

The additional designation Allergist' can acquire dermatologists, ENT specialists, internists, paediatricians, general practitioners or pulmonologists and then work in allergology.

Allergology is thus already a sub-area of ​​the individual disciplines.

Treatments & Therapy

Of the allergist is, as the name suggests, specialized in allergies. Basically, humans can have an allergic reaction to all substances around them. This can be food, grass, pollen, house pigeon, animal hair, insect venom (bee or wasp sting), chemicals, cosmetic additives, medicines or metals.

Also unusual and rare allergies, such as B. against human sperm are known. Allergies can manifest themselves in watery eyes, rashes, scratchy throat and a "cold nose", but it can also lead to emergency situations, e.g. B. the anaphylactic shock. A substance to which one has an allergic reaction leads to a severe allergic reaction with shortness of breath, which can trigger a state of shock and potentially fatal if not treated immediately.

Such patients usually have an emergency kit with them that they can always use in an emergency. Allergies can be treated, for example by desensitization / desensitization, in which the allergy-causing substance is repeatedly administered to the patient in small doses in a controlled manner until the body no longer reacts allergic.

This is not possible for every patient and may only be done under medical supervision. Such a treatment is often carried out in the case of allergies to animal hair, grass and pollen or to bee venom or wasp venom.

Diagnosis & examination methods

The allergological diagnosis consists of several parts. First of all, the doctor will always try to determine the causes and possible treatment for the allergy based on the patient's medical history and physical examination.

Blood tests and skin prick tests are also available. In prick or scratch tests, allergens are pricked (prick test) or scratched (scratch test) and a certain period of time should have been waited for an allergic reaction to occur. If this is not done, there is no allergy to this substance. A control test with histamine is used to determine what an allergic reaction would look like in this patient.

Allergy tests can also be carried out with a so-called patch test, which is applied to the skin and read for the first time after approx. 48 hours and for the second time after 72 hours. There is also the RAST (radioallergosorbent test) blood test, in which blood is taken from the patient and tested for allergens in a laboratory. However, this only provides information about whether there is currently an allergy to a certain substance. In this context, doctors also hand out allergy passes.

These must always be carried with you and renewed regularly. Allergies to certain medications, which should also be noted in this passport, must be reported to any additional doctor. Allergies in this area are possible, for example, to antibiotics or penicillin or local anesthetics. All treating physicians need to know about this in order to be able to provide alternative treatment.

What should the patient pay attention to?

Patients who have a Allergists must visit, can primarily see a dermatologist, an ENT doctor, a pulmonologist, an internist, pediatrician or general practitioner who is also active in allergology. There are also special allergy test centers in clinics or skin clinics.

This can be inquired at the respective clinic. Only those who go to a registered doctor can have these tests and treatments run through their health insurance. If you need special testing, it is best to ask the allergist whether he offers it before visiting. He will certainly be able to offer alternatives or have suitable phone numbers ready.