Elimination and Avoidance
Many times when the allergic culprit, such as a pet, is identified, removing it is all that is needed to control allergies. However, oftentimes the offending agents can only be decreased and not avoided, as in the case of dust mites or molds. If you are allergic to dust mites, it is important to follow such simple instructions as obtaining dust mite proof covers for your mattress, pillow, and box spring and using washable bedding. With some allergies, like pollen allergies, the environment cannot be controlled except by closing the windows or staying indoors, and thus only partial or little improvement may take place. In these cases, additional measures are needed.
Medication
For some allergic illness, medication may be able to decrease most of the symptoms and return the patient to good health. The allergy specialist is knowledgeable in the currently approved methods of treating allergic disorders. Recently, many new drugs have become available that improve allergic symptoms without making the patient forgetful or sleepy as did older medications. Most of these newer drugs are only available by prescription, and the allergy specialist has considerable experience in choosing the best medication for the individual patient.
