Allergic rhinitis, a chronic irritative cough, excessive allergic reactions to certain drugs or certain foods… An allergy perhaps? All the more reason to see an allergist in Louisville, KY.
What is an allergist?
An allergist in Louisville, KY is a specialized doctor who diagnoses and treats the various forms of allergies. He or she may be a general practitioner but specializes in Allergology (the diagnosis and treatment of allergies). A consultation can be either in his or her private practice or in a hospital setting.
Since allergies are considered a disease extremely linked to the patient’s “environment”, the allergist takes the patient’s entire life into account and gives great importance to their social and individual aspects.
When to see an allergist?
When the following signs become chronic and affect the quality of life, it is necessary to consult an allergist because it could be related to allergens:
• Frequent rhinitis with knowledge of the triggering factors (cold, dust, pollen…);
• Rhinitis which often requires antibiotic treatment, evolving for several months or years;
• Signs of chronic bronchitis: chronic and irritative coughs, asthma, whistling and shortness of breath;
• Eczema diagnosed by a treating physician, which does not improve under treatment;
• The appearance of urticaria or choking after taking medication or eating food;
• Repeated conjunctivitis with precise environmental triggers; and
• Immediate and severe reactions after an insect bite.
Several situations can lead people to consider consulting an allergist. However, it is advised for the patient to see his or her primary physician first. Allergology is the specialty of medicine that studies allergy and its treatments.
This specialty takes care of diseases caused by a specific and different response of the patient to his or her environment.
Allergology
A cross-disciplinary section of medicine, which affects the whole organism as an entity, Allergology must manage the difficulties of the patient’s relationship with everything that surrounds him or her: nature, food, housing, work environment, etc. Consultations are oriented towards diagnosis and treatment, but also to environmental consulting. Whether a general physician or specialist, the allergist must have completed specific training in Allergology.
In the US (and several other countries), there are allergists that work solely in this field and then there are others who jointly work inside another specialty (pneumo-allergy, dermato-allergy, and so on). Contact Accredited Asthma, Allergy & Food Intolerance Center for more details.
