Aaaaaaccchhhhhooooooooooo!
Ah, the symphony of spring for many allergy sufferers.
Allergies are a common cause of illness in the United States for both children
and adults. In fact, as many as one in five Americans have allergies,
according to the
American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology.
There are many different forms of allergies, which can include drug, dust,
eye, food, insect sting, latex, mold, pet, and skin, among others. For
allergy sufferers, allergy symptoms crop up when your immune system overreacts
to something that is harmless to most people but triggers a reaction to
those sensitive to it—this is knows as an allergen.
Allergies can be seasonal and may worsen during certain times of the year
(such as pollen allergies that many of you may be suffering with this
spring) or occur year round. When you come in contact with something that
you are allergic to, your immune system considers it dangerous and releases
histamine to counteract it. This causes an allergic reaction, which can
be a skin rash, headache, sneezing or runny nose, among others. The most
severe reaction, known as anaphylaxis, can be life-threatening.
If you suffer from allergies, you really don’t have to! Consider
scheduling an appointment with an allergy specialist such as an Ear, Nose
and Throat doctor to help you determine the severity and cause of the
problem. At an appointment, you will likely discuss your medical history
and symptoms, and may use blood or skin tests to find out whether you
have an allergy and what the allergen is. Medications, both over-the-counter
and prescription, or allergy shots may provide some relief from your allergies.
In Gillette, there are two Otolaryngologists, or Ear, Nose and Throat specialists
you can schedule appointments with to discuss your allergies—Dr. Tom Davis of
Davis ENT Specialists (307.686.7346) and
Dr. Ian Swift of
WYO ENT (307.670.8290).
For more information, check out Dr. Swift’s video about allergies
and his allergy program below! Dr. Davis’ allergy program is outlined on
his website.