Allergies Treatment Doctors in NYC (Brooklyn, Manhattan, Harlem)

Allergies

Allergies can be slightly annoying, or they can lead to life-threatening situations. It’s best to get an accurate diagnosis before treating allergies yourself. Contact the experts at Century Medical and Dental Center, with three convenient locations in Brooklyn, to find the actual cause of your symptoms. Treatment may be as simple as changing a few of your daily patterns or avoiding certain triggers. You may discover that your allergies could lead to serious consequences. Don’t take chances; call today.

One of the most chronic conditions worldwide, allergies pose a growing problem, affecting more than 50 million Americans today. Research suggests that being overly concerned with germs and the need to be extremely clean at all times may be at the heart of the rise of allergies, according to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. Children raised on farms tend to have far fewer allergies than aggressively hygiene-conscious city dwellers.

Your condition may be genetically related or connected to your lifestyle. Allergies can result from the reaction of your body’s immune system to exposure to substances, stimuli or foods that are benign to other people. An allergic reaction occurs when your immune system produces antibodies to fend off an attack from a perceived dangerous — though actually harmless — element.

This immunologic reaction inflames the tissues of your skin and sinuses, as well as your respiratory and digestive systems. The consequences can be quite uncomfortable and even dangerous, which is why you need expert care and treatment at Century Medical and Dental Center in Brooklyn.

Allergy Causes

A wide range of substances can cause your immune system to overreact. Some of the most common ones include:

• Stinging insects, such as wasps and bees
• Animals, typically cat and dogs, but even horses
• Medications, including penicillin and other antibiotics
• The outdoors, where pollen and ragweed flourish
• Indoors, when dust mites and mold cause reactions
• Foods, the most common being peanuts, eggs, seafood and dairy products
• Fabrics, especially those containing formaldehyde resins
• Latex, commonly used to make medical gloves

Allergy Symptoms

Allergic symptoms depend on the type of allergy involved. Food allergies, for example, affect the digestive system, while airborne substances irritate the sinuses and lungs. Contact allergies typically generate reactions on the skin. Allergic reactions are highly variable and can range from minor discomfort to anaphylactic shock. The symptoms depend on the type of allergy you’re experiencing. Some of the most common types include:

Mild food allergy symptoms, such as:

• Diarrhea
• Nausea
• Hives that cause Itchy, red or swollen skin
• Angioedema, a hive-like condition that appears on your face, lips, mouth or throat
• An eczema break-out
• Abdominal pain
• Mild coughing or sneezing
• Runny nose or nasal congestion
• Itchiness or tingling in your mouth

Severe food allergy symptoms, such as:

• Breathing difficulties, such as wheezing
• Difficulty swallowing
• A pain in the chest
• Low blood pressure and weakness
• Turning blue
• Unconsciousness
• Anaphylactic shock

Rhinitis (hay fever) allergy symptoms, such as:

• Coughing and sneezing
• Itchy eyes, nose, mouth and throat
• Puffy and swollen eyes
• Runny nose
• Nasal congestion
• Fatigue

Insect sting symptoms, such as:

• Hives or itching throughout the body
• Excessive swelling at the point of the bite
• Coughing and wheezing
• Anaphylactic shock

Medication allergy symptoms, such as:

• A swollen face
• Hives, rashes and itching
• Coughing and wheezing
• Anaphylactic shock

Anaphylactic shock, also called anaphylaxis, is a life-threatening allergic reaction. If you or someone you know is experiencing an anaphylactic shock, get to the nearest emergency room. Symptoms include:

• Coughing, sneezing and wheezing
• Chest constriction and shortness of breath
• Hives and rash
• Reduced blood pressure
• Difficulty swallowing

Allergy Diagnosis and Treatments

If you feel your symptoms indeed stem from an unknown allergic reaction, your doctor may review your symptoms and perform skin and blood tests. If a cause can’t be quickly determined, your Brooklyn specialist may recommend that you to keep a diary of your reactions. Such a simple device helps you identify the triggers.

Allergy treatment depends on the type of allergy you have. The surest form of allergy treatment is to avoid whatever’s causing your reaction. For example, regular house cleaning can eliminate mold and dust mites, while avoiding certain foods is easy once you understand the consequences of triggering another attack.

But evasion and elimination are not always possible, and this is especially true for hay fever, where drug allergy treatments are particularly effective. Often known as seasonal allergies treatments, these medicines are available both over-the-counter and in prescription-strength to combat your symptoms. Medicated remedies include:

• Antihistamines
• Medicated corticosteroid and non-medicated saline sprays
• Eye drops that contain an antihistamine

Treating Serious Conditions

For allergies that don’t respond to traditional treatments, you can rely on allergen immunotherapy. This treatment lasts several years, during which time you receive a series of injections or sublingual tablets containing purified allergens. The process eventually desensitizes you to the allergen in the same way as vaccinations work.

A form of adrenaline, epinephrine is used in injections to treat the most extreme allergic cases that lead to anaphylactic shock. It’s available as an auto-injector and can be administered without medical training. People with severe, life-threatening reactions to an allergen carry these around with them and often wear a medical alert bracelet to inform emergency personnel.

If you’re suffering from allergies and your home care isn’t working, contact our Brooklyn medical practitioner to schedule a consultation. Your allergy treatment may include a clear set of instructions for lifestyle changes, or it may produce a diagnosis that could save your life.