Maybe you tried to eat something new and after that, your body starts acting up causing you to vomit and break out into hives. Maybe you suspect environmental triggers such as pollen or dust are making you suffer from congestion. This will be why your doctor has referred you to an allergist.
The allergist will use your medical history and perform a physical exam to help point out allergies and figure out what triggers them.
If you need help in finding out what to expect during your first visit, you must read this article on what you can do so that your first appointment is not wasted.
What You Must Check Beforehand
You must speak to your allergy doctor to make sure that you do not have medications that might cause problems during your appointment.
That is because some medications interfere with others, especially antihistamines. Your allergist might ask you to stop taking certain medications for a few days before seeing going to your allergist for testing.
However, you must ask your healthcare provider before you discontinue any medications because you do not want to sacrifice one for the other.
Your Medical History and Symptoms
Your allergist is going to ask everything about your medical history. Aside from that, the specialist is going to assess any pre-existing conditions that you might have. People with asthma might have more complex and severe allergic reactions that require non-stop treatment.
In addition, observe where your symptoms occur. The signs you must look for are:
- Raised skin spots (hits)
- Wheezing
- Difficulty breathing
- Chest tightness
- Swelling and inflammation of different body parts
The doctor might ask you different questions to support your medical history that is related to possible and common allergens. You can expect questions about your pets, environment, proven allergic reactions, and current medications.
Questions to Ask
Aside from writing down your symptoms, there are questions you need to ask.
- What foods will I be tested for? Why?
- What will the test results mean?
- Do I require testing for this kind of allergy?
- How can I determine and avoid the triggers of my allergies?
- How serious are these symptoms?
- What are the available food allergy management tools?
- How can people best manage their food allergies?
- What should be monitored after my visit?
- When should I do a follow-up at the office?
- Do allergies worsen over time or can they improve?
If your allergy is diagnosed, including asking questions about how to treat questions, and concerns about the side effects of medications.
Treatment Plans
Your diagnosis will tell you what the appropriate treatment is. Commonly, your allergy doctor will ask you to avoid things that can trigger your allergies. The doctor might also prescribe medications like antihistamines.
What Happens After
As part of the first assessment, your doctor might also check your skin, nose, throat, and lungs. If your diagnosis is related to food or airborne allergies, they will need to run tests after that.
You might be asked to undergo allergy testing. In case this happens, your skin will also be tested for any reactions to different substances. According to the results, your doctor is going to recommend a treatment, which includes:
- Allergy shots
- Prescription medications
- Avoid certain triggers
- Make some lifestyle changes to reduce your symptoms, especially if your triggers are food-related or because of some environmental factors.
In case your allergy symptoms do not go away with regular treatment, you might have to undergo immunotherapy.
If you need to find an allergy doctor Manassas VA, do not hesitate to contact them and book an appointment.