The calendar tells us that Spring is here. Soon the flowers will start to bloom, trees will start to blossom and lawns will be waking up from the long winter. We will also be spending more time outdoors. With the beginning of Spring comes allergy season and all the discomfort some of us experience. It is estimated that 30 percent of Americans suffer from allergies.
With the new technology and equipment that is available at Jamaica Hospital, testing of a small sample of blood serum IgE, can determine if a person is allergic to any of the hundreds of known allergens. This quick testing will help to determine what course of treatment to begin. Another advantage of this testing is that it can be ordered by any physician, as opposed to traditional testing ordered and performed by an allergist. A correct diagnosis leads to a more accurate treatment plan.
Historically, allergy testing was performed by specialists in the field of Allergy and Immunology. Often times this involved performing skin tests and then monitoring the results. Now this whole process can be performed by a physician through a simple blood serum test and Jamaica Hospital is now one of the few hospitals in New York City that is offering this new and exciting technology.
Often times, allergy symptoms are similar to other health conditions such as colds and sinus infections. Allergies typically do not cause fever but they can cause itchiness, eye discomfort and a runny nose. It is important to determine the causes of these symptom before treating the symptoms. People tend to purchase over the counter medications over the counter to treat their symptoms, but they may not be treating the correct cause of their discomfort.
If you would like to schedule an appointment with a physician at Jamaica Hospital to discuss having allergies, please call 718-206-7001.
All content of this newsletter is intended for general information purposes only and is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please consult a medical professional before adopting any of the suggestions on this page. You must never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking medical treatment based upon any content of this newsletter. PROMPTLY CONSULT YOUR PHYSICIAN OR CALL 911 IF YOU BELIEVE YOU HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY.