This question requires its own frequently asked questions page. See our extensive Allergy Guide for information including a comparison of the advantages and disadvantages of commonly used decongestants, antihistamines (including Allegra), and intranasal corticosteroids for allergy-relief .

allergist or immunologist can diagnose your allergies using allergy skin tests, which show if your immune system reacts to specific allergens. You can also test your reactivity to common allergens using a home allergy test.

Allergies can be treated with medicine that alleviates symptoms or immunotherapy (allergy shots) that desensitize the patient to specific allergens with weekly shots over several years. However, the best method of treating allergies is allergen avoidance. If you're allergic to dust mites, for instance, your most effective path to wellness would be to eliminate the dust mites from your home.

Over 50 million Americans suffer from allergies, and approximately 55 percent of all U.S. citizens test positive to one or more allergens.

There is a genetic factor in the development of allergic disease. If one parent has allergic disease, the estimated risk of a child to develop allergies is 48%; the child's estimated risk grows to 70% if both parents have a history of allergies.

We know that the predisposition to allergies is genetic. While we are not sure of the exact mechanism of inheritance, we know that children born to allergic parents have an increased risk of developing allergy. The exact risk has not been established but one can consider that approximately one-third to one-half of children born to parents where only one parent is allergic will have allergies, and 50 to 70 percent of children born to parents both of whom have allergies will become allergic.

Allergy testing is done to help gather specific information so your doctor can determine what you are allergic to and how to provide the best treatment for your allergy. A common test used to determine the allergic sensitizations of a patient is called the RAST test. This is a test that is done with merely a blood sample. The results are not affected by any medication a patient may be taking.

Feel funny after you eat that barbeque chicken? Find out if your allergy and asthma symptoms at the neighborhood barbecue are related to the type of wood that was burned.

The substance which provokes an allergic reaction is called an allergen or antigen. This can be a substance that is ingested, such as milk, corn, fish, or other foods. Allergens can also be substances in the surrounding environment, such as house dust, animal dander, chemicals, bacteria and pollens, which induce allergic reactions after being touched or inhaled.

Allergies have been around for a long time. A case of food allergy was recorded over 2000 years ago by the ancient Greek physician Hippocrates, who observed that milk could cause gastric upset and hives. In modern times, food and environmental allergies have increased dramatically. It has been estimated that at least 60% of the American population suffers from symptoms associated with food reactions.

No one knows for sure why allergies are on the rise. But some scientists believe that increased chemical pollution in our air, water, and food is causing an escalation in the frequency and severity of allergic reactions. Most commercial foods now contain hundreds of hidden ingredients--both natural and synthetic--that have been identified as agents in many allergic reactions.

FlexGelÂ? is hypo-allergenic; it has undergone testing related to cytotoxicity, hemolisis, and latex allergies and passed with flying colors. FlexGelÂ? will not harbor dust mites.

Seasonal allergies are also called outdoor allergies or hay fever. Seasonal allergies come and go with the change of season that causes particular plants to release pollen. You will usually experience seasonal allergies for a few weeks to a few months at about the same time every year.

Perennial allergies are also called indoor or year-round allergies. Indoor allergies do not come and go with changes in the season. They are triggered by substances that are found indoors throughout the year such as dust mites, mold and animal dander.

People suffering from Food Allergies need to be able to get information about the food you make or sell in order for them to decide can they eat this food without having an allergic reaction. Without medication these reactions can be serious. For more information on food allergies see: www.allergyfacts.org.au For information on how your business can deal with food allergies see: www.anaphylaxis.org.uk/cater.html

There are many symptoms, some which include sneezing, runny nose, watery eyes, itchy eyes, nose and throat, cough, postnasal drip, hives or other skin rashes, difficulty breathing, and anaphylactic shock, which is a life-threatening condition.

No. However, allergy symptoms often change with age and certainly with exposure. If you are allergic to something, such as peanuts, and you strictly avoid exposure to peanuts you have no symptoms, but your allergy persists and can cause problems years later with an unexpected exposure. Medication for allergic symptoms can often control the symptoms, but the allergies persist. Allergy symptoms may change with age and may be affected by hormone changes (puberty, pregnancy, menopause).