What are the Most Common Allergens?
A number of common allergens could be making you or your child just miserable. Generally, allergens are grouped into categories, including:
- Environmental Allergies: Environmental allergies include pet dander, pollen, mold, dust, and many trees and flowers. They’re some of the most common allergies among kids and adults.
- Stinging Insect Allergies: Stinging insect allergies include bee, wasp, hornet, yellow jacket, and fire ant allergies, among others.
- Medication Allergies: Medication allergies are less common than environmental allergies. They include penicillin, antibiotics, NSAIDs, local anesthetic, steroid, and vaccination allergies.
- Contact Skin Allergies: Contact skin allergies are triggered by many different possible things, including shampoo, soap, metals, topical medication, latex, and others.
- Food Allergies: Food allergies are most common in children. Peanuts, eggs, wheat, and milk are among the most common food allergies.
The Specialty Physician Associates team are experts in allergy testing and treatment, so they’ll identify the allergy and prescribe an effective treatment for you or your child right away.
What Kind of Allergy Testing Will I Have?
Depending on the type of suspected allergy, your doctor does specific tests to confirm the problem. Skin tests are the most common allergy testing procedure. In this test, your doctor places very small quantities of a suspected allergen into tiny punctures on your skin. If the skin shows a reaction, that confirms the allergy.
Food allergies can be tested with skin testing, patch testing, or an oral food challenge. In an oral food challenge, you or your child eats a food that’s a suspected allergen in very controlled amounts under medical supervision. This can verify the difference between a sensitivity and a true food allergy.
If you have symptoms of both allergies and asthma, you’ll likely need additional tests like spirometry to check your lung function.
How are Allergies Treated?
Allergy treatment, like allergy testing, is customized for your needs. Immunotherapy, better known as allergy shots, is often the best way to reduce or eliminate allergic reactions. Allergy shots are customized based on your or your child’s particular allergies, so many patients have immunotherapy for multiple allergens at once.
If you or your child needs allergy help, you can count on the best ENT team in the Lehigh Valley area, Specialty Physician Associates. Book now through the online scheduler or by calling the office closest to you.
