Indoor allergies; Pet allergies; Dust allergies; Mold allergies; Animal dander allergy

• Coughing
• Difficulty breathing
• Hives
• Itching of the nose, eyes, throat, or skin
• Rash
• Redness in the eyes
• Runny nose
• Sinus pressure
• Sneezing
• Tearing eyes
• Wheezing

The doctor will perform a physical exam and ask you questions about your symptoms. The history of symptoms is important in diagnosing allergies, including whether the symptoms vary according to time of day or the season and possible exposures such as having a pet in the household.

Allergy testing is done to see identify the specific allergens that are causing your symptoms. Skin testing is the most common and useful method.

If your doctor determines that you cannot undergo skin testing, a RAST blood test (to look for IgE antibodies to a specific allergen) may be helpful.

Having allergies may also alter the results of your white blood cell (WBC) count, particularly an eosinophil count.

Images

HEPA air filter

Allergy symptoms

Dust mite-proof pillow cover

Yeast and mold

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Review Date: 06/29/2010
Reviewed By: Paula J. Busse, MD, Assistant Professor of Medicine, Division of Clinical Immunology, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org)