June 2016 magazine

What are Allergies and Its
Symptoms (Continued from previous page)
Weather plays an important part for many
allergy sufferers. This is why we include the
extended weather forecast weather forecast on
Pollen.com. We are not weather forecast
specialists therefore we get this data from the
experts at NOAA and Weather Trends.
Our allergy forecasts include daily allergy
reports that note the pollen count for your
location. Find out more about our Allergy
Alerts that can be mailed directly to your
inbox. This allergy information can help
sufferers manage their allergy symptoms.
Finally, doctors find clues in the recent
activities patients engage in by asking a battery
of questions to gauge allergy information. For
example, to determine whether your reaction
is a result of food, airborne or chemical
allergens, the doctor might ask, "Have you
eaten anything unusual recently?", "Have you
been working or exercising vigorously
outdoors?" or "Did you come into contact with
anything which might have irritated your skin
and eyes?" Your doctor will likely ask if you
suffer from asthma, since allergies increase the
risk of an asthma attack.
How Can You Learn What Type Of Allergens
Affect You?
The most common method doctors use to
identify specific allergies is a skin test. By
scratching the skin, or making an injection just
underneath it, the doctor can observe your
body's reaction to various allergens.
This skin test cannot classify all allergies,
however it does cover major categories, such
as common respiratory allergies, penicillin,
food, and insect stings. Being aware of your
allergy could prevent a future allergic reaction
that could be life threatening.
The children of those with allergies have a
greater chance of having allergies themselves.
As a result, doctors often learn about a
patient's allergies based on family and personal
medical records.
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