Important Links

Allergists at Strong Health

Questions To Ask Your Doctor About Allergies:

1. How can I quantify/categorize my symptoms to help you understand their severity?
2. What causes someone to be allergic?
3. How confident are you that my problem is allergies?
4. If I’ve taken allergy medicine and it didn’t work, does that mean I don’t have allergies?
5. Do I need blood, skin or other tests? What is the best method for testing for allergies?
6. What substance or substances are causing my allergies?
7. Are there other substances or circumstances that might contribute to my symptoms?
8. What can I do to prevent or minimize my allergies?
9. What allergy reactions, other than those I’m already having, should I expect?
   • Asthma
   • Congestion
   • Conjunctivitis (inflammation of the membrane covering the eye)
   • Coughing
   • Digestive disturbances
   • Drowsiness
   • Ear infections
   • Eczema
   • Hay fever
   • Hives
   • Hyperactivity
   • Itchiness
   • Loss of sense of smell or taste
   • Migraines
   • Muscle cramps
   • Nasal irritation
   • Ringing in the ears
   • Rash
   • Shortness of breath
   • Sneezing
   • Sinusitis
   • Swelling
   • Wheezing
   • Other_____________________________________________________
10. If your symptoms resemble cold symptoms: How can I tell the difference between allergy symptoms and cold symptoms?
11. What are my treatment options?
    • Over-the-counter or prescription medications?
    • Allergy shots (immunotherapy)?
    • Diet and dietary supplements?
    • What about complementary and alternative therapies?
12. About medication:
    • Should I take my medicine just when I have symptoms, whenever I know I will be exposed to allergens or all the time?
    • Do I have any medical conditions that might limit my use of over-the-counter medications?
    • If your doctor prescribes an antihistamine and you are concerned about drowsiness: Is there a non-sedating antihistamine that would be effective for me?
    • How do I avoid a “rebound” or “addiction” effect with medication like nasal sprays?
13. About allergy shots:
    • What percent of people with an allergy profile like mine show improvement as a result of allergy shots?
    • How do allergy shots work?
    • How often and how long will shots be necessary?
    • How long is it likely to take before I see results?
    • What are the possible side effects?
    • Can any medication I take for other conditions interact with the shots?
14. Can allergies be cured?
    • Do people ever "outgrow" allergies?
    • Can they become less severe over time?
15. Is my allergy potentially dangerous?
    • Under what circumstances should I seek professional medical care after an allergic reaction?
    • What is anaphylactic shock? Am I at risk for it? If so, what precautions can I take?
16. About anaphylactic shock:
    • If I have an anaphylactic reaction that self-injectable epinephrine seems to cure, should I still seek emergency medical care?
    • Should I take antihistamines or steroids along with my self-injectable epinephrine in the event of an anaphylactic reaction?
17. If I have one allergy, am I likely to develop more?
18. If I have had an allergic reaction in the past, will I always react the same way to the allergen again?
19. Can allergies lead to other, more serious conditions and have a long-term effect on my overall health?
20. Can allergies be a sign of future immune system problems I should know about?
21. Especially for new parents with a history of allergies: How can I avoid or delay the development of allergies by my baby?
22. For food allergies:
    • What is the difference between a food allergy and food intolerance and how do you know which applies to me?
    • Will I always have to avoid these foods?
    • Do they have something in common with other foods I should avoid?
    • If I’m allergic to an “ingredient” food or food additive, how do I detect dishes that include them?
    • How are the food items I’m allergic to listed on food labels? (Examples: For a soy allergy look for vegetable protein or textured vegetable protein; For an egg allergy look for vitellin or albumin, which are parts of an egg.)
23. For allergies to animals:
    • Are some animals more likely to cause allergic reactions than others?
    • Are there alternatives to finding a new home for my pet?
24. Should I wear an medical alert ID bracelet?
25. Should I consult an allergy specialist?
26. What will testing and treatment cost?
27. Where can I go to learn more about my allergies?
    • How can I allergy-proof my home?
    • How do I avoid allergens outside?