Symptoms and Diagnosis
By Daniel More, MD, About.com Guide to Allergies
Symptoms of allergies may be obvious, such as with hay fever, or not so obvious, such as with hives and trouble breathing after taking a certain medication. Learn how to recognize the various symptoms that suggest that a person has allergies. The diagnosis of allergies can be made in various ways, including the presence of allergy symptoms and positive allergy tests. Learn about the types of allergy tests that are available.
What is an Allergy?
Most people understand what you're talking about when you say that you're allergic to something, but what really is an allergy? Having an allergy to something doesn't just mean that there is a cause and effect relationship between being exposed to something and experiencing a symptom. Find out what an allergy is, why allergies are becoming so common, what an allergist is, and more.
- What Exactly Is An Allergy, Anyway?
- Why Are Allergies So Common?
- What Is an Allergy Doctor?
- What Are Seasonal Allergies?
- What Are Mold Allergies?
- What Is a Dust Allergy?
- What Is a Pet/Animal Allergy?
- What Is a Bee-Sting Allergy?
- What Is a Food Allergy?
- What Is a Medication Allergy?
- What Is a Latex Allergy?
Symptoms of Allergies
Do you know what symptoms to look for to determine if you have allergies? The symptoms may not be so obvious, especially in a young child. Allergy symptoms can vary from the classic hay fever symptoms of sneezing and itchy eyes, to a stubborn, itchy rash, to asthma symptoms such as wheezing and coughing. Often, it can be difficult to distinguish a lingering cold from allergy symptoms. Learn about the various symptoms that suggest that you might have allergies.
- Do I Have Allergies?
- Does My Child Have Allergies?
- Is It a Cold, or Is It Allergies?
- Symptoms of Nasal Allergies
Diagnosis of Allergies
The diagnosis of allergy is made in various ways, and most often is made based solely on a person's symptoms. However, allergy testing is critical to the diagnosis of allergies. Skin testing remains the test of choice for the diagnosis of allergies, although blood tests are becoming more popular. Learn about how various allergic diseases are diagnosed, and how allergy testing is done.
