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General Medical Clinics Ltd.
Registered Office 242 Marylebone Road, London NW1 6JL. Tel 020 7427 0605
Allergies have been increasing at an alarming rate since the early 90's.
- The UK has an estimated 15 million hayfever sufferers.
- One in three Britons suffers from an allergy.
- A child goes to hospital with asthma every 19 minutes.
- 40,000 children born each year have a nut allergy.
- Hospital admissions for anaphylaxis have risen fivefold since 1990.
- Between 1990 and 2003, 49,000 people were admitted to hospital with severe allergic reactions.
- Nuts, eggs, milk, fish, wheat and soy account for 90% of all food allergies.
An Allergy is a response within in the body to a substance which manifests itself with symptoms which range from a mild itch through to shock and even death. Our modern lifestyles and the environment in which we live mean that the population of allergy sufferers is increasing by about 5% each year. Those who are fortunate enough to be free of allergies could soon be a minority.
The substances that cause allergic reactions are known as allergens. The most common are pollen (see our special feature on Hay Fever), the house dust mite, moulds, pets such as cats and dogs, wasps and bees, household and industrial chemicals, some medicines, and foods such as milk, eggs and particularly nuts. This is not to dismiss the huge range of other allergens; physicians are reporting more and more and increasingly unusual allergic reactions. Cell phones and even flutes have been recorded – both almost certainly as a reaction to nickel. Some people are allergic to sunlight and even chocolate.
Reactions manifest themselves most commonly as sneezing, a runny nose, itching of the eyes, coughing and wheezing – often severe, shortness of breath, sinus problems, rashes and itching of the skin, and a sore throat or palate. Asthma, eczema, lethargy and tiredness, headaches and lack of concentration are also symptoms, and many people have regular allergic reactions (such as headaches or a constant lack of energy) without recognising them as an allergy.
The increase in allergic reactions in recent years has been matched with an explosive growth in our understanding, and allergy testing is far more efficient and accurate than it was even ten years ago.
During your consultation, we'll ask about:
- Your symptoms and how often they occur
- How they affect you, and which parts of your body are affected
- How severe the symptoms are
- Any 'triggers' : is there anything in particular which starts you off or makes things worse?
- Any history of similar complaints in your family
- Your occupation and pastimes and whether the symptoms appear to be linked to a particular place, i.e. home or work environment.
- Any self-
help remedies you have used which offer some relief
We may advise to investigate further to see if the allergen can be identified using a simple blood test. To see just how extensive our range allergen testing is, see the Allergen Profiles screen.
Having identified the allergen or allergens in question, we can then advise you of
the best way tackle your allergy. This may range from the simple avoidance of certain
foods or materials through to a prescription. For further information or to book
an allergy consultation, please do not hesitate to get in touch.
Please note that
we do not administer steriod injections for hayfever.
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