Allergy
Allergists are doctors who treat individuals affected by abnormal immunological responses to substances taken into the body. They provide both active intervention and allergen avoidance for sufferers.
This page provides useful information on the nature of the work, the common procedures/interventions, sub-specialties and other roles that may interest you.
Nature of the work
Allergic disorders are wide ranging including anaphylactic shock, respiratory allergy, skin allergy, food allergy, drug allergy and allergy to latex rubber and venom. Specialists deal with conditions that range from mild to life-threatening.
Some people have allergic responses if one or more of the following are ingested through the lungs (eg extrinsic allergic alveolitis), the skin (eg eczema, contact dermatitis), the stomach or mucous membranes such as the lining of the eye:
- pollen
- house-dust mite faeces
- the saliva and skin of pets
- mould spores
- bee and wasp venom
- milk
- eggs
- peanuts
- food additives
- antibiotics
Allergists treat conditions such as:
- asthma
- hay fever
- dermatitis
- eczema
- urticaria
- angioedema
“We deal with conditions involving almost every part of human body, literally from heads to toes” Dr Joanna Lukawska Consultant in allergy medicine Guy's hospital London.
Common procedures and interventions
Common procedures and interventions include:
- skin prick, RAST (blood), patch and food tests to identify what is triggering the individual’s allergy
- desensitisation treatments
- corticosteroid treatments to suppress allergic reactions such as vasculitis (chronic inflammation of the blood vessels)
- prescription of antihistamines to treat urticaria (skin rashes)
- injection of adrenaline to treat anaphylaxis (an immediate and potentially life-threatening allergic reaction)
- treatment of allergic rhinitis with antihistamine drugs
- intramuscular adrenaline and antihistamine treatment for angio-oedema (build-up of fluid beneath the skin)
- lung x-rays, blood tests and lung function tests to assist in the diagnosis of extrinsic allergic alveolitis (resulting from prolonged exposure to animal and vegetable dusts)
Sub-specialties
It is possible to sub-specialise in adult or paediatric allergy medicine.
Find out more about:
- working in allergy medicine
- the entry requirements and training and development
- two first-hand accounts of life: