Who are allergists?
Allergists are medical experts who specialize in diagnosing, treating, and preventing conditions that affect the immune system. These conditions include allergies, asthma, and other immunodeficiency disorders. Allergies are overreactions of the immune system. Therefore, allergists require a thorough understanding of how the body reacts to different substances, fights infections, and treats allergy-causing hypersensitivities.
Education and training of allergists
Allergists are medical doctors with focused training in immunology. They complete a pre-medical undergraduate degree and four years of medical school. After graduating with an MD (Doctor of Medicine) or a DO (Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine), they enroll in a three-year residency program in pediatrics or internal medicine.
Upon finishing the program, they take a standardized exam to earn certification from the American Board of Pediatrics or the American Board of Internal Medicine, depending on their specialty. Finally, they complete a two- to three-year allergy and immunology fellowship and pass an exam to receive an American Board of Allergy and Immunology certification.
When should you see an allergist?
You should see an allergist near you for any of the following reasons:
- You need help figuring out what is triggering your allergic reaction
- You have severe allergic reactions like hives, a swollen face, and difficulty breathing
- You cough, wheeze, or feel short of breath often, especially at night
- You are frequently sick, or it takes you a long time to recover from common illnesses
- Your allergies are not under control despite lifestyle changes and medications
The responsibilities of allergists include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Test your lung function to diagnose asthma
- Test for allergies to a wide range of triggers, such as foods, pollen, mold, and pet dander
- Suggest ways for people with immune system disorders to avoid infections
- Prescribe medications to manage, treat, and prevent allergic reactions
- Perform drug desensitization to ensure you can safely take your medications
- Administer allergy shots and other forms of immunotherapy to reduce allergic reactions
What conditions do allergists treat?
Allergists treat several medical conditions, some of which are as follows:
- Allergies: Allergies are a common medical condition occurring when your immune system reacts to an object like pollen, certain food items, medicines, animal fur, etc., that does not elicit a reaction in most people. Allergy symptoms include sneezing, a runny or itchy nose, red and watery eyes, etc. Food allergies cause a tingling sensation in the mouth and swelling of the lips and throat.
- Allergic rhinitis: Allergic rhinitis, or hay fever, causes nasal congestion, sneezing, watery eyes, headache, and dark under-eye circles. Pollens, mold spores, dust mites, and cockroach droppings are common triggers for this condition. Your allergist can help manage the symptoms by prescribing antihistamines, decongestants, and nasal sprays. Immunotherapy, comprising a series of injections, is also a potent treatment for allergic rhinitis.
- Asthma: Asthma is a respiratory condition. It occurs when your airways narrow, swell, and might produce excess mucus. Due to this, you might find it difficult to breathe, have bouts of coughing, and notice a wheezing sound when you exhale. Treatments for this condition include long-term and instant relief medications. In severe cases, your doctor might perform bronchial thermoplasty, where electrodes are used to heat the insides of your airways in the lungs.
- Hives: Hives, a type of allergic reaction, are red, raised bumps on your skin. In some cases, multiple hives can join together, forming larger areas known as plaques. Hives are itchy and can cause a burning sensation. While they typically go away without any medical intervention, treatments for hives include allergy medications and oral steroids.
- Anaphylaxis: Anaphylaxis is a severe allergic reaction. It can be caused by food allergies, stinging insects, latex, or certain medications. Symptoms of this condition include difficulty swallowing, shortness of breath, abdominal pain, and wheezing. If untreated, anaphylaxis can cause severe symptoms like increased heart rate, unconsciousness, and cardiac arrest.
- Angioedema: Angioedema is an allergic reaction to a trigger that causes the tissue below your skin's inner layer to swell. It usually develops quickly and lasts for a couple of days. There are several types of angioedema: acute allergic, idiopathic, hereditary, vibratory, non-allergic drug reaction, and acquired C1 inhibitor deficiency.
- Eczema: Eczema is a type of dermatitis. It weakens your skin's barrier and causes your skin to become dry, itchy, and bumpy. There are multiple kinds of eczema, including atopic dermatitis, contact dermatitis, neurodermatitis, seborrheic dermatitis, nummular eczema, and dyshidrotic eczema. Each type has unique triggers, and it is possible to have more than one type of eczema at the same time.
- Eosinophilia: Eosinophilia occurs due to an unusually high number of eosinophils (one of several white blood cells that support your immune system) in your blood. Sometimes, this can cause inflammation in specific body parts, causing conditions like eosinophilic gastrointestinal disorder, cystitis, fasciitis, and pneumonia.
- Sinus infections: Sinusitis refers to inflammation of the tissue lining your sinuses. Its symptoms include cough, headache, tiredness, ear pain or pressure, bad breath, stuffy nose, and postnasal drip (mucus dripping down your throat). Sinusitis has various types, categorized according to how long the condition lasts (acute, subacute, chronic, or recurrent) and what is causing it (bacterial, fungal, or viral).
Getting the most out of your first allergy consultation
If you're dealing with persistent or severe allergy symptoms, your primary care doctor might refer you to a specialist. While some general practitioners can manage mild allergies, more complex or ongoing cases often require the expertise of an allergist. Once you receive a referral or decide to book an appointment with a specialist, make sure to ask if there are any specific instructions to follow beforehand. For example, you may need to fast if certain tests are planned, or complete documentation related to your symptoms and medical background.
When preparing for your visit, gather as much information as possible about your family's history of allergies, especially food allergies, as this helps your allergist identify patterns or genetic links. Bring any previous medical records, or request that your primary doctor forward them to the specialist's office in advance. Your allergist will likely ask detailed questions about your health history, past allergy symptoms, and the effectiveness of any treatments you've tried. It's also useful to bring any allergy medications, sprays, creams, or ointments you've used so the doctor can evaluate them firsthand.
To make the most of your appointment, write down any questions you have ahead of time. This ensures you don't forget important concerns during the visit. Some helpful questions might include: What environmental or lifestyle changes could reduce my symptoms? What does the treatment process involve? Are there side effects to the medications you're prescribing? What testing options are available to confirm the cause of my allergic reactions?
During the visit, your allergist might perform a physical exam, including an assessment of your skin, lungs, nose, or throat. If allergies are suspected, they may recommend skin tests or blood tests. Based on the findings, your doctor will suggest a treatment plan. This may include allergy shots, avoidance strategies, prescription medication, or lifestyle adjustments. After your visit, don't hesitate to follow up if new questions arise or if symptoms persist. A follow-up appointment may also be necessary to monitor your progress, especially if you're beginning a new medication or treatment protocol.
How to find the right allergist near you in San Jose, California?
If unchecked, allergic reactions can be life-threatening. Therefore, it is essential to consult a top-rated allergy specialist to know what triggers allergic reactions in you, take preventive measures, and avoid medical emergencies. While it might be difficult to find the right doctor, on Zocdoc, you can find allergy specialists in your area with just a few clicks!
Visit the Zocdoc website and create a free account. Next, select your preferred specialty (in this case, allergist), condition, location, and date and time of the appointment, which will generate a list of doctors who match your search criteria. You can also choose your insurance carrier and plan from a drop-down menu, narrowing the list to allergists who accept your plan.
If you do not see your insurance plan listed on Zocdoc, try uploading an image of your medical insurance card (not applicable for vision and dental plans). The website will automatically scan the picture and show you your most likely plan. Get in touch with Zocdoc's service team if you face any problems uploading the image, and visit Zocdoc's patient help center for other insurance-related queries.
On Zocdoc, each doctor has a unique profile containing information about their education, experience, specialization, and certifications. Go through the profiles to make an informed decision. To refine your search, filter the doctors by gender, languages spoken, and whether or not they treat children.
With Zocdoc, you can book both in-person and online appointments with allergists. While browsing doctor profiles, look for a purple video-shaped icon. Every provider offering virtual consultations will feature that icon next to their name. You can also refer to the reviews and ratings other patients have left, so that the allergists can pick the right one for you.
Booking an appointment with the best allergist near you on Zocdoc is 100% free, quick, and secure!
Statistics on allergic conditions in California
The National Center for Health Statistics (NHCS) data for 2021 indicates that 31.8% of people had seasonal allergies, food allergies, and eczema. Of this, 25.7% of adults in the country had a seasonal allergy, 6.2% had a food allergy, and 7.3% had eczema. Women were more prone to seasonal allergies (29.9% vs. 21.1%) and eczema (8.9% vs. 5.7%) than men. Additionally, the prevalence of food allergy reduces with increasing age.
As per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the morbidity among adults with allergic conditions in 2021 was as follows: 31.8% (any allergy), 25.7% (seasonal allergy), 7.3% (eczema), and 6.2% (food allergy). Among children, the morbidity was 27.2% (any allergy), 18.9% (seasonal allergy), 10.8% (eczema), and 65.8% (food allergy).
California ranks eighth regarding the percentage of adults with asthma, according to the 2-year estimate for 2020-2021. Approximately 8.8% of the state's adult population had asthma, lower than the US average of 9.8%. Furthermore, about 5.3% of children between 0 and 17 and around 10.9% of women between 18 and 44 in California had asthma.
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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention[2]
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