Common Questions Allergy Service

Why is it important to educate the asthmatic patient?
Asthma is a chronic disorder that is frequent in childhood and has major repercussions for the asthmatic’s quality of life. Asthma is a disorder that if treated well, will treat the patient well, and that’s why health education is important. If the asthmatic understands their illness well, they know how to react at all times without having to depend on doctors.

What is an allergy?
An allergy is a specific immunological reaction of the organism towards a normally inoffensive substance that does not affect other people.

How can an allergy be detected?
The most common methods are skin tests, which determine the patient’s reaction to the test allergen, a tiny amount of which is injected into the skin (prick-test).

How is the allergy diagnosed?
The most important element in diagnosing an allergy is the patient’s clinical record. The patient needs to provide information on: the conditions of their surroundings (residence, work, contact with animals, etc.), the factors that cause or aggravate the symptoms, a calendar of symptoms, previous and current illnesses. Once orientated by this information, the methods used most for diagnosing the cause of the allergy are: skin tests, which are quick and colourless, provocation tests and laboratory tests.

Is it true that allergies are increasing?
Yes, mainly in developed countries, where over 20% of the population suffer from some kind of allergy.
It seems that the factors behind this increase are associated with the Western lifestyle. One of these factors could be that our society spends most of its time in closed spaces. The increase in humidity due to air conditioning promotes the growth of moulds and dust mites. The increased number of pets has also increased the risk of developing an allergy. In addition, the reduction in infections in childhood could be responsible for deviating the immune system towards allergic reactions.

What symptoms do allergies cause?
Allergy symptoms vary according to the organ affected by the allergic reaction. If the eyes and nose are affected, resulting in conjunctivitis or rhinitis, the symptoms are watery eyes, a runny/blocked nose, itchy nose and eyes, sneezing, etc. If the reaction occurs in the bronchi, it is called bronchial asthma and has symptoms such as coughing, wheezing and a sensation of suffocating. A reaction on the skin causes rashes and hives. Finally, if the entire person is affected, the worst allergic reaction can occur, which is called anaphylaxis. Anaphylaxis starts with itching all over the body followed by breathing problems, redness and dizziness with a sudden drop in blood pressure. If this reaction is not treated very quickly it can lead to death.

Which things normally cause allergies?
The substances that cause an allergic reaction are called allergens. Respiratory allergens enter the body through the respiratory tracts. Pollen, dust mites, moulds and animal hair are the main causes of respiratory allergies. An allergen can also enter the blood through food. The most common food allergens are cow’s milk, eggs, nuts, shellfish, fish and many vegetables and fruit. There are allergens that cause a reaction through skin contact, including metals, cosmetics, plants and medical creams, among others. Insect stings and medicines are also common allergens. Why are some people allergic and others not? It is possible to have a tendency to be allergic if you are allergic to certain substances, but you have to be exposed to the allergen when your defences are low, or while pregnant, to develop the allergy.

What is an allergic reaction?
Normally, our immune system reacts to invading agents such as bacteria or viruses. In most allergies the immune system reacts to a false alarm.
When an allergic person comes into contact with the allergen for the first time their immune system treats this element as an invader and gets ready to fight it, which it does by creating a large quantity of antibodies (proteins to fight illnesses) called immunoglobulin E, or IgE. Each IgE antibody is specific to a type of allergen. In the case of pollen, each antibody is specific to the type of pollen.
When the allergen finds its specific IgE it gives the signal to the cells to release powerful inflammatory substances, such as histamines. These chemical substances act on different parts of the body, such as the respiratory system, and cause the allergy symptoms.

Is it possible to treat asthma with natural medicines?
Scientific medicine recommends its treatments based on the most in-depth knowledge possible of the causes of the illness, its physiopathologic mechanisms and the rational use of the medicines available. The medicine and therapeutic techniques are clinically tested and only when their effectiveness has been thoroughly demonstrated are they prescribed to patients.

Are allergies hereditary?
People with allergies can pass the predisposition to “become allergic” onto their children, which means that when the child is exposed to certain conditions they are more likely to develop the allergy. If one of the parents is allergic, the child has nearly a 40% probability of being allergic as well. If both parents are allergic the possibility is almost 70%.