Discovery

Allergy is often confused with other pathologies, especially if the symptoms are rhinitis and food intolerance.

The diagnosis of an allergy has to be made by an allergist. The most used tests are:

Laboratory tests: this is an analysis that serves to confirm the diagnosis and quantifies the degree of sensitization. With it, the presence of antibodies is detected.

Prick Test or skin test: used to determine which allergens can cause an allergic reaction. To do it, the allergist injects a little synthesized allergen into the skin of the forearm and after about 15 minutes the reaction produced is analyzed. If an allergic skin reaction occurs then the result is positive.

Patch test or patch test: used to investigate certain allergic skin diseases.

Provocation tests: it consists of administering a food or medicine under medical supervision.

allergy at work

There are more than 300 substances that can cause allergies in the workplace, giving rise to occupational allergies.

Its manifestations are respiratory and cutaneous. The most frequent are:

occupational asthma

Rhinitis

Contact dermatitis

In the face of this type of allergy, it is essential to prevent by taking the necessary measures to reduce exposure to allergens. In the presence of symptoms, it is essential that a specialist make the diagnosis to apply the precise treatment. Sometimes it may be convenient to change jobs to avoid exposure to the allergen.

allergies at school

In Europe a quarter of children have allergies.

The school must have all the information regarding diagnosis, treatment and what to do in an emergency. This must be administered by the parents.

If the child suffers from asthma, the following must be taken into account:

The first symptoms of a crisis are:

Cough

Whistling when breathing.

Difficulty breathing.

The lips and nails turn bluish.

If he suffers an asthmatic crisis, the child must be reassured and given the prescribed rescue medication.

An asthmatic child always has to carry his rescue medication with him.

In the case of allergy to pollen, the biggest problem is that an asthmatic crisis occurs in which it will be necessary to act as explained in the previous point.

If an insect bite causes difficulty breathing, wheezing, coughing, stomach problems... it is a good idea to call 012 or take them to the center's medical service. If there is a diagnosis of this type of allergy and an adrenaline regimen will be administered.

Food allergies are the first cause of anaphylaxis in children between 0 and 14 years of age. Symptoms can be skin, respiratory and/or digestive. Symptoms usually appear within 30-60 minutes of ingestion. In cases of severe reaction, the indications prescribed by the doctor should be followed.

travel with allergy

It is essential that all allergic people who travel carry the medication prescribed by their doctor.

In the case of suffering from pollen allergy, it is advisable to assess the area to which you are going to travel and know the existing pollen levels.

A patient with a respiratory allergy must always carry an updated medical report of the pathologies suffered and the treatment schedule, mask, sunglasses and prescribed medication.