When you have the unfortunate luck of suffering from allergies, you may find it difficult to enjoy your day to day life due to sneezing, difficulty breathing and running eyes. Additionally, there are some individuals that may suffer more severe reactions that can pose life-threatening consequences. If you have suddenly started to develop allergies, you may benefit from having the following two questions about this condition answered.

How Can You Determine What Allergies You Have?

In order to help you better manage your allergies, it is essential for your doctor to determine exactly which substances trigger your allergies. This will require you undergoing an allergy test. During this type of test, the doctor will make a small scratch on your skin before applying a very low dose of the allergen. If you have a histamine response to this exposure, then you have an allergy to the substance that was administered.

Unfortunately, this type of test can take several hours to complete. An allergy reaction can be delayed for some time, and this will require your doctor to wait for some time between exposures to allergens. While this may be somewhat inconvenient, it is the best way for determining which allergens cause this reaction in you.

What Treatment Options Are Available For Allergy Sufferers?

If you are suffering from allergies, you should rest assured knowing that there are several different treatment options that you can use. For example, minor allergies can likely be managed through the use of prescription medications that you can take during a reaction or daily to reduce your sensitivity or histamine production.  

For those that are suffering from particularly severe allergies, it may be necessary to undergo allergy shots. These shots contain minuscule amounts of the allergens, and while this may seem counterintuitive, repetitive exposure can help you to gradually build an immunity to the allergens. This type of therapy can last for several weeks to months, but it can greatly reduce your sensitivity to your worst allergies.

Allergies can be extremely uncomfortable, disruptive and may lead to dangerous health issues. Interestingly, it is possible for you to develop allergies over the course of your life, and as a result, you may find yourself facing this condition. Luckily, being as informed as possible about the processing for being tested for allergies as well as the treatment options that are available will make it easier for you to make decisions as an informed patient.

To learn more, contact an allergy specialist.