Rodney Ford

Pets, House Dust Mites and Pollens cause a lot of people a lot of trouble (you need to Log-in to access these documents).  It is a good idea to get tests done for this type of allergy.

• Dust mites
• Pets (cats, dogs, horses, rabbits, feathers, etc)
• Pollens (grass, trees, flowers)
• Moulds, fungus
  

Diagnosis

Tests to find out what specific allergens are causing the problem are:

• Skin Prick Test
• Blood tests for specific IgE allergens (RAST/ EAST tests)

Common inhalant allergens to test for:

• Rye grass  (and other prominent grasses in your local area)
• Birch Pollen (and other prominent trees and shrubs in your local area)
• Cat fur & dog hair ((and other animal that you suspect in your local area)
• Moulds

You should ask your own health professional about the most common allergens in your area. In general, the bigger the size of the result, the more likely it is to contribute to symptoms.

What to do?

Inhalant allergy persists for years.  So it is important to reduce the impact on you as much as you can.  Avoidance strategies are available for dust-mite and pets.

Pollens from grasses and trees are not so easy to manage. So think ahead – if you going to a high allergen zone, then take an antihistamine or an allergy preventer prior.

Symptoms

The symptoms of asthma (cough and wheeze) and hayfever (sneezing, runny nose, itchy eyes) usually indicate an inhalant allergy.   Also: hives/urticaria, sore throat, eczema.