Allergology

Allergology deals with the prevention, detection, and treatment of allergies.

What is an allergy?

Allergies are overreactions of the body’s own defence system to foreign, actually harmless substances.

How common are allergies?

Allergies are among the most common diseases in industrialised nations and are rapidly increasing in frequency. It is estimated that almost one in three people in Europe currently suffers from an allergy.

Increasing hygienic environmental conditions, changing eating habits and air pollutants probably have a harmful effect.

What are common triggers of allergies?

Common allergens are:

• Tree and grass pollen
• House dust mites
• Pets, especially cats
• Insect venom, especially wasps and bees
• Rarely medication
• Occasionally also foods such as nuts or seafood
• Contact allergens, for example nickel (dermatologist’s domain)

Are all food intolerances allergies?

Definitely not! In addition to genuine allergies, so-called pseudo-allergies, digestive enzyme disorders (intolerances such as lactose intolerance), other diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and irritable bowel syndrome also play a major role.

The often complex diagnosis usually requires interdisciplinary collaboration with gastroenterologists or dermatologists, and it is often helpful to pool the data with the GP internist.

How does an allergy develop?

Allergies are usually triggered by proteins (including fungal proteins), metals or chemical substances (e.g. isocyanates or colouring agents often seen in connection with occupational medicine).

These actually harmless substances either come into contact with the human body via the skin, mucous membranes of the respiratory tract or the gastrointestinal tract, or are injected (e.g. medicines or insect poisons). The foreign substance is absorbed into the body, processed by the defence system (immune system) and wrongly classified as dangerous and stored. This process is known as immunisation; the foreign substance is the allergen. Upon renewed contact with the substance, the immune system reacts with an overreaction, which triggers the allergic symptoms. The symptoms usually occur in the organ of contact (e.g. nose and eyes in pollen allergy sufferers), but can also affect other distant organs and, in the worst case, lead to cardiovascular failure.

The familial tendency to sensitisation and the frequent occurrence of the three clinical pictures of hay fever, neurodermatitis and allergic asthma is also known as atopy.

What are cross-allergies?

Some substances contained in certain foods can be related to the allergens in pollen and thus trigger corresponding symptoms after ingestion.

Tree pollen (e.g. hazel, alder & birch)

• Pome fruit (apple, pear), stone fruit (peach, apricot, cherry), hazelnut, walnut, kiwi, lychee, blackberries, raspberries, strawberries, peanut, celery, carrot, potato, aniseed, almond, pumpkin seeds, many spices

Herb pollen (e.g. mugwort)

• Celery, camomile, aniseed, carrot, paprika cucumber, melon, nutmeg, pepper, ginger, cinnamon, many spices

Grasses and rye

• Soya flour, cereal flour, peanut, potato, tomato, beans, peas

What allergic symptoms can we help you with?

Allergic reactions can trigger a variety of symptoms, for example

• Unexplained runny nose or blocked nose
• Sneezing irritation or sneezing attacks
• Itchy eyes, watery eyes
• Itching, swelling and reddening of the palate
• Seizure-like breathlessness after contact with allergens
• Collapse and allergic shock
• Nausea, stomach cramps, diarrhoea
• Skin rash

What are the most common allergic diseases?

• Allergic nasal and conjunctival inflammation, known as allergic rhinitis and conjunctivitis
• Allergic bronchial asthma
• Oral allergy syndrome, cross-allergies and food allergies
• Allergic reactions of the delayed type (e.g. bird lung or contact allergies)
• Allergic skin diseases, hives
• Angioedema, severe swelling of the skin and/or mucous membranes
• Allergic or anaphylactic shock (information and prescription of an emergency kit)

Which examination methods can we use to detect or rule out allergies in you?

Modern and classic diagnostic procedures are available in our practice:

• Prick tests
• Immunological laboratory diagnostics in the blood
• Provocation procedure with allergens (rare)

Occasionally, cooperation with dermatological or ENT specialists is required to complete the diagnosis or therapy.