What is a Board-Certified Allergist?

Board certified allergists are specialists who have met the highest level of nationally-recognized standards for education and expertise in the field of allergy, asthma and immunology. This formal and lengthy education process is necessary to cultivate the expertise required to provide the highest-quality of care for patients with allergies and asthma. By achieving board certification, allergists demonstrate their commitment to excellence and expertise in their field, which translates to state-of-the-art, evidence-based care.

What are the Benefits of Seeing a Board Certified Allergist?

Board certification tells you that your doctor has attained the highest level of expertise to treat your health issues.

How do you find a Board-Certified Allergist?

When you start searching for an allergist/immunologist, it’s important to make sure you find a doctor you are comfortable with and you can trust. Search online for information about the doctors you are considering and ask people you trust for names of physicians they recommend. Then visit Certification Matters and enter your doctor’s name to determine if he or she is board-certified. This is a service that allows you to see if a specific doctor is certified.

Can you detect allergies through a blood test?

Yes. When you become allergic to an allergen, your body creates special antibodies to fight against it. These allergic antibodies are called IgE antibodies. IgE antibodies are formed in the bone marrow and travel in the bloodstream before being deposited in the skin and other tissues where they remain for weeks to months. Although allergy skin tests are considered the gold standard for allergy testing, blood testing can also be used to measure IgE antibodies circulating in your bloodstream

What types of tests are there for allergies?

There are three main ways to get tested for allergies: Skin Tests – Skin tests are commonly used to identify many potential allergens, including airborne, food-related, and contact allergens. Blood Tests – If you are not a candidate for an allergy skin test, your allergist may suggest a blood test. Elimination Diet – To detect which foods are causing an allergic reaction, your allergist may recommend an elimination diet. This involves removing certain foods from your diet and determining if you're symptoms improve, and then adding the food back to see if you have a reaction.

Do allergy tests hurt?

The skin prick or scratch test and intradermal test may cause slight discomfort. If you are sensitive to any of the allergens being tested, your skin may itch where the allergen was placed.

How can you treat non-life threatening allergic reactions at home?

The first step is to avoid the allergen if you know what triggers a reaction. But if an allergic reaction occurs, there are several ways to treat them at home: Antihistamines – Helps treat minor allergic reactions regardless of the cause. Anti-inflammatory Medication – Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDS) can help temporarily reduce allergy symptoms. Saline Sinus Rinse – If your allergies cause sinus problems, it’s recommended to rinse your sinuses with saline to clear the allergens from your airways. Skin Allergy Treatments – If a skin allergy occurs, you can apply corticosteroid creams or calamine lotion to reduce symptoms, an ice pack can also help reduce inflammation and allergy symptoms.

How long does an allergy test take to administer?

Not very long. The skin prick and intradermal tests are performed in the allergist’s office and take about 20 minutes total. Your skin may start to show reactions to certain allergens such as foods, environmental allergens or insect venoms. Patch tests are used to identify if a chemical may be the cause of delayed skin rashes. The patches are applied and worn for about 48 hours and then removed. Blood tests results may take up to a week to return from the laboratory.

Are hay fever and allergic rhinitis the same thing?

Yes, allergic rhinitis is simply the proper medical term for hay fever. “Hay fever” is somewhat of a misnomer since allergic rhinitis is usually not caused by hay, nor does it result in a fever.

When is hay fever the worst in Jacksonville?

The mild temperatures in Northeast Florida mean that trees start producing spring pollen early in our area– in some years as soon as December. Unfortunately, the Jacksonville area does not really have a hay fever “off-season.” Our warm winters and early springs mean that allergic rhinitis sufferers may be exposed to pollen year-round.

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Thomas Lupoli, D.O.

More tips for dining with food allergies.

More practical tips for dining with food allergies from a Dad with 3 food allergic children.

http://www.foodallergy.org/page/tips-for-dining-out-with-food-allergies

From the original post:

It’s 7:00 p.m. on a Saturday night south of Boston. I take my food-allergic sons to our favorite allergy-friendly restaurant, but the wait is too long. Two hours, many other restaurant stops, and a lot of groaning later, we find a basic pizza joint and begin our meal.
Typical weeknight in midtown Manhattan. Our family goes out for dinner with no specific restaurant in mind. How hard can it be with all the choices in NYC? We end up stopping in countless restaurants before finding a suitable, accommodating option an hour later.
Summer weekend in Lake Placid, NY. We visit multiple mom-and-pop restaurants that say they can’t accommodate our kids’ food allergies. At others, the staff clearly doesn’t understand what we’re trying to communicate. An unfortunate “hot dog night” is the result.
My family has faced many frustrations dining out with multiple food allergies for more than 10 years. The challenges were tougher early on, when we were “food allergy novices”, but we still encounter difficulties today. It’s not easy gaining the necessary comfort level that a restaurant is going to serve our food-allergic children a safe meal.
But it is possible.
More restaurants are starting to “get” the importance of accommodating guests with food allergies. Whether they’re motivated by profits or a desire to “do the right thing” is irrelevant. Either way, our dining options are expanding.
Yet the most important player in providing a safe and comfortable experience is still YOU.
Here are some tips to consider when you’re planning to dine out:
Conduct research in advance. Rather than wandering aimlessly around New York City as I did, go online before you go out. There’s a wealth of food allergy information on restaurant websites and other resources, such as AllergyEats (www.allergyeats.com).
Do not leave home without your epinephrine! If you only remember one thing, let this be it. Don’t let a mistake turn tragic by not carrying this livesaving medication.
Dine during off-peak hours. Going out at 7:00 p.m. on a Saturday night was a rookie mistake on my part. Restaurants are very busy on weekend nights, increasing the chances of accidental errors that could have severe consequences for food-allergic diners.
Upon arrival, inform the staff about your food allergies. If you’re not confident in their knowledge and understanding, speak to the manager and/or chef. Ask detailed questions about the menu, ingredients, and protocols, and how they protect against cross-contact. Most importantly, if after speaking to the manager or chef you’re still not entirely comfortable, leave and find another restaurant.
When your meal arrives, politely ask the server again if they’re sure the meal is free of your allergens. This is yet another opportunity to communicate with the restaurant staff to confirm that you have received the correct, allergen-free meal.
Visually inspect your meal. I’ve heard countless stories about allergens being clearly visible in a supposedly allergen-free dish.
After a safe and happy dining experience, thank the staff, leave a generous tip, recommend the restaurant to others, and visit again.
Dining out with food allergies can seem daunting, but let me assure you that it’s possible to have a safe and comfortable experience. It takes a little effort, but the results are well worth it.

Original post can be read from the Wayback Machine here

If you believe you or a loved one have an undiagnosed food allergy, contact us to schedule food allergy testing as soon as possible.

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Thomas Lupoli, D.O.

More tips for dining with food allergies.

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