The only way to determine which Allergy in Allentown PA you’re allergic to is to visit a specialist. Allergy tests can be performed in infants, contrary to the general belief that skin tests cannot be performed in young children. Waiting for a child to reach the age of 5 or 6 years prior to the initial test results in delayed diagnosis and treatment and aggravates the symptoms. The current consensus is that these tests can be performed early on, even before the child turns a year old. Oral, nasal or bronchial provocation tests are sometimes used when a certain Allergy in Allentown PA is difficult to establish. An X-ray of the thorax and sinus proves to be useful. In the vast majority of cases, the patient discovers the allergy within one or two consultations. But in some cases, it is necessary to undergo months of testing before the answer is found.
Pollen allergies affect more and more patients of all ages each year. More than 25% of Americans have “hay fever” allergies. All age groups are affected, but there is a predominance among adolescents and young adults. Some allergists now schedule consultations with 2-year-old children annoyed by pollens, others see people over 75 years old presenting their first allergies whereas they had never been allergic before. Pollen is released by plants into the atmosphere to allow fertilization. Pollination corresponds to the transport of pollen grain on the female flower stigma. Pollens causing allergic reactions must be emitted in large quantities, small in size and have a high allergenicity. Anemophilous pollens are small and light to be transported by the wind, travel tens, even hundreds of miles before settling on a surface. Pollens transported by insects, called entemophiles, play a secondary role in triggering allergies.
Patients with pollen rhinitis suffer during the same period every year: itchy nose, violent and repetitive sneezing, runny nose, stuffy nose, etc. Tearing and red eye and itching manifestations are very common with allergic rhinitis as well. The mouth and ears may also itch. Pollen allergic rhinitis can be accompanied by asthma. More and more people who have never had allergic episodes start with sneezing and coughing “fits”. Visit for more details.
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