What is Allergy & Immunology?
A physician who specializes in allergies, asthma, and other disorders of the immune system is called an allergist-immunologist or simply an allergist. Allergic reactions can cause a huge number of symptoms in the body, and allergy-immunology specialists treat a wide variety of problems, including:- Allergies affecting the respiratory tract, such as allergic rhinitis (hay fever) or asthma.
- Allergies affecting the skin, such as eczema, hives, welts, and allergic rashes.
- Adverse reactions to substances such as foods, drugs and vaccines, or stinging insects.
- Autoimmune diseases, where the immune system mistakenly attacks healthy tissues. Some examples are rheumatoid arthritis, where the immune system attacks the joints; celiac disease, where the lining of the small intestine is damaged; and Sjogren's syndrome, where the glands producing tears and saliva are attacked.
- Certain diseases of the immune system, such as antibody deficiencies, primary immunodeficiency disease, or in some cases, HIV.
Search for Allergy & Immunology near you.