Wednesday, March 26, 2003

Is It Allergies?

Besides budding leaves and spring flowers, this time of year is known for nasal congestion and red eyes it's allergy season. But the good news is, with a simple blood test, you may be able to avoid suffering-perhaps without medication.

Most allergy sufferers are allergic to more than one allergen, so it's often difficult to pinpoint the exact cause of an allergic reaction. Also, people with allergy-like symptoms may not be allergic. They often take medications that are expensive and may not relieve their symptoms.

It's important to understand that allergy is a threshold disease. Think of it as a cup that has to fill and overflow before you have symptoms. Some of us have big cups, some small cups. If you're highly allergic to a substance, it might overflow your cup all by itself, but usually simultaneous exposure to several allergens is required to push you over your individual threshold.

This spring, it may be possible for you to keep your cup from filling and stay below your allergic threshold by following these three steps:

1. Ask your doctor to confirm a diagnosis and determine the true cause of your symptoms. The ImmunoCAP Allergy blood test can simply and reliably tell you if you're allergic at all, what you're allergic to and how allergic you are.

2. If you're allergic, keep a record of the things that trigger your symptoms and when. Talk to your doctor about ways to avoid key triggers to keep your cup from overflowing or about allergy medications that might be appropriate. By understanding your triggers and knowing about the medications that might help you, you'll be on your way to relief.

3. If the test shows you're not allergic, your doctor can determine another appropriate treatment strategy.

Understanding the true cause of your symptoms will help you and your doctor take control of your life-rather than letting them take control of you.

For more information about allergies and allergy testing, visit www.isitallergy.com or call 1-877-862-4948.