Allergy – it can be treated

The number of people suffering from various types of allergies is growing every year, and the list of allergens is growing. Many sufferers experience symptoms year-round, depending on what they are allergic to.
Medicine has made significant progress in the fight against allergies, from diagnostics to the latest treatment methods, including desensitization.

The number of people suffering from allergies is growing in countries where civilization is developing rapidly. This led to the development of the so-called hygiene theory of allergy, which posits that one of the causes of the disease is sterile living conditions. When the human immune system develops in an environment where there are few bacteria and viruses—because we eliminate them through vaccinations and personal hygiene—it becomes unable to cope with various substances.

Many experts believe that it's not sterility that leads to allergies, but environmental pollution—preservatives in food, chemicals, car exhaust, and industrial pollution—that leads to allergies. Although scientists more often believe that these substances don't cause allergies so much as exacerbate them.

However, everyone agrees on one thing: the tendency to develop allergies begins in our genes. If one parent suffered from allergies, there's a 50% chance the child will also develop them. From our parents or grandparents, we inherit only the tendency to develop allergies, not the type of allergy.

Allergy diagnosis – allergy tests

It develops rapidly. The specific allergen can be identified to initiate appropriate treatment. The doctor conducts a thorough interview and decides what tests should be performed. The basic screening method for diagnosis is skin prick testing. These can only be performed after the age of three.

Modern and more detailed tests include blood tests, which measure specific IgE antibodies. These newer blood tests have higher sensitivity and specificity. A panel containing 10 or 20 allergens is relatively inexpensive, and a single prick test can yield IgE results specific to individual allergens.

This method is safe, non-invasive, and, above all, more accurate. It requires no preparation or discontinuation of antihistamines, which can sometimes be difficult due to the symptoms of the disease. Blood tests can be performed on infants with suspected food allergies, on pregnant women, and on individuals with dermatological lesions. Patients with suspected Hymenoptera venom allergy are also better off with blood tests, as a skin test carries the risk of an anaphylactic reaction. In this case, a full specialist diagnosis is performed in allergy departments. It's worth noting that individuals allergic to wasp and bee venom should carry an adrenaline pre-filled syringe.

Allergy – desensitization

Simply put, it involves administering appropriate doses of the allergen that causes the patient to develop an immunity to the substance. Currently, this is the most effective way to combat allergies. Most importantly, it eliminates not only the symptoms of the allergy but also, and more importantly, its cause. It restores the patient's normal response to the intolerant substance. Treatments can begin as early as age 5.

Of course, the first step is to see a specialist, such as an allergist in Lublin, and undergo tests to precisely determine the allergen. The doctor then selects the type of vaccine. It can be administered subcutaneously or as drops under the tongue. The injectable vaccine is initially administered weekly or biweekly, later monthly. The oral vaccine is recommended for children who have difficulty with injections. It is also recommended for those who cannot regularly attend a treatment center. It is more convenient because it can be administered anywhere, even while traveling.

The vaccine contains an appropriate dose of the allergen. The dose is gradually increased until a maintenance dose is established, which must be taken for several years. The effects are visible after about a year of immunotherapy. Therefore, desensitization is not a one-time procedure, but it is effective. This method treats many types of allergies, including those to insect venom, pollen, and dust mites.

Pregnant women, people with cancer or chronic heart disease cannot undergo desensitization.

The Luxmed CM Allergy Clinic offers skin testing and desensitization procedures. The Luxmed Laboratory performs blood tests in single tests or in batches.

Frequently asked questions – FAQ