Allergy History ― The Most Important Thing to Determine Allergic Problem

Patient’s allergy history is one of the most important elements to evaluate of possible allergic problem. Sometimes this important factor is overlooked. Background information regarding patient’s allergy history will be used in following physical examination and allergy testing. Patient allergy history is made up of major complaints, determination of seasonality or variations of symptoms, trigger’s identifications, response to medication, exposure in job environment, family allergy history, and other relational medical history. At first, it may not obvious to patient, which past allergy history are important. It is the duty of physician to conduct some questionnaire and highlight what is important history is essential.

Screening patient allergy history is to search the patient’s major complaints and focuses on the details. If the major complaint is narrow in scope, for example, patients mentioned that he or she sneeze frequently, then the clinician may be tempted to direct the majority of the questionnaire toward a given organ system. This method will narrow the possibility of other organ such as sinus allergies or sinus infection.

Patients with allergy complaints are commonly using the same lexicon. They will mention that they have “sinus” or “hay fever” to describe a wide array of symptoms ranging from itchy nose, eyes or palate to runny nose. Others terms that frequently addressed are “sinus pressure”, “allergy cough”, and “headaches”. In symptoms like asthma, patients often mention tightness in the chest, difficulty in breathing, shortness of breath, and letting all air out the lungs. Physicians and doctor who conduct the history list should aware of this possible “common and often misleading answer”.

During gathering information session, another critical aspect to be asking is where and when the symptoms occur. Are they occur or interfere during daily activities, school or work or during exercise. When the allergy symptoms worse in any particular time of day? Is it in the morning, afternoon, night, during sleep? Where the allergy symptoms severe most, is it in indoor or during outdoor activities?

As you know that family history or heredity factors play significant role for someone to develop allergy. Even though allergy and heredity are not entirely understood, but if patients had parents with atopy allergy, it will double the chance a patient’s probability of being atopic. The risk of atopy is increased from a quarter in general population and will be three quarter when both parents are atopic. Another research study found that 90 percent of asthmatic children had one or both parents who were atopic asthma.