Allergy is one of the diseases of civilization because it is becoming more and more common and affects almost everyone at least once in their life. It is a disease involving a pathological reaction of the body to factors that are usually not dangerous to a healthy person. This reaction may occur in various forms, e.g. as a rash, wheals, runny nose, cough, or difficulty breathing. Untreated allergy may lead to the development of asthma, and an extremely strong reaction of the body to the allergen, the so-called anaphylactic shock, it can even cause death.
Allergology is always a second specialization and may occur not only together with dermatology. Allergic symptoms are associated with different parts of the body and affect people of different ages, therefore at the Derm-Al Center patients are provided with doctors specializing in allergology, specialization in dermatology, laryngology, pulmonology or pediatrics.
The Derm-Al Center houses an allergy clinic for adults and children. Allergic diseases occurring in older people with additional diseases, e.g. atherosclerosis, hypertension, diabetes, circulatory failure, etc., are treated differently from those in children.
What is allergology?
Allergology is a field of medicine that deals with the diagnosis and treatment of the body's allergic reactions to substances called allergens. The allergist's task is not only to recognize the type of allergy and treat its symptoms, but also to educate the patient on how to prevent allergic reactions and to supervise preventive therapy if the patient undertakes it.
Depending on the type of sensitizing substance, the following allergens are distinguished:
- inhalant allergens (pollen, dust, animal hair, mold, mites),
- contact antigens (preservatives, dyes, metals, fragrances),
- food allergens (milk, wheat, soy, nuts, eggs and other products and substances),
- medications (antibiotics, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, anesthetics).
Allergic diseases
Allergic diseases are diseases caused by the action of allergens. Some occur only seasonally and cover specific months of the year, e.g. during grass pollen or the flowering of certain plants. Others, however, bother patients all year round, regardless of the weather or place of residence. Allergies are most often chronic diseases and include many different conditions, such as:
- respiratory infections,
- recurring laryngitis,
- recurrent bronchitis,
- bronchial asthma,
- inflammation of the mucous membranes caused by allergies,
- recurring pneumonia
- atopic dermatitis,
- hives,
- food intolerances.
Treatment carried out at the Derm-Al Center
To diagnose an allergy, the allergist conducts a very thorough interview during the consultation. Its aim is to collect the necessary information about the ailments, their probable source and frequency of occurrence. Performing additional diagnostic tests is helpful in determining the direction of treatment. Based on the diagnosis, the allergist may suggest desensitization. The allergology clinic for adults at the Derm-Al Center performs:
- allergy patch and prick tests,
- spirometry,
- desensitization (allergen-specific immunotherapy).
