It is very important that adults with symptoms of allergic diseases, mainly asthma and allergic rhinitis, are diagnosed and treated by experts in allergic diseases. Adult allergists (immunology and allergy specialists) are specialists in internal medicine or pulmonology who have received advanced training in adult asthma and allergic diseases and have been awarded an adult allergy specialist diploma. Even people with allergies are unaware or know very little that there are adult allergists available to treat their condition. So, did you go to an adult allergist for your allergies? In this article, we have explain you who the adult allergy specialists are.
Allergy and Immunology is a branch of medicine that covers many different subjects. In particular, it deals with the state and physiological functions of the immune system of the human body in healthy or diseased states, and immunological disorders (for example, immune deficiencies, autoimmune disorders, allergic diseases) resulting from improper functioning of people’s immune systems. Adult Allergy Diseases is the branch of medicine that deals with allergens and the problems and diseases that develop in adults related to the development of allergy to them. If allergic problems seen in adults are not treated early, they can cause serious adverse events in later years, sometimes leading to death. Allergic problems that occur in adults should be followed and treated by an Adult Allergy Specialist. Adult allergy specialists work in university hospitals, training-research hospitals, adult allergy departments in private centers.
What Diseases Do Adult Allergist Deal With?
Adult allergists include respiratory diseases such as allergic rhinitis (hay fever) and allergic asthma; conditions that can affect the whole body, such as food allergy, drug allergy, bee allergy, latex allergy, anaphylaxis; It deals with different diseases such as contact allergy, urticaria, eczema (atopic dermatitis), hereditary angioedema that are effective on the skin.
Adult allergic diseases, especially adult allergic diseases specialist should deal with.
These allergic diseases that develop after the age of 18 are of interest to Adult Allergy specialists. Because they receive training on allergic diseases seen in adults in the most detailed way in the context of diagnosis and treatment. They help adult patients for the diagnosis and treatment of allergic diseases, especially by combining their training in internal medicine/chest diseases and allergic diseases.
How to Become an Adult Allergist?
In order to become an Adult Allergist, one must first graduate from medical school. Those who graduate after six years of medical education can practice medicine. Then, in the specialty exam, it is necessary to win the departments of internal diseases or chest diseases. Those who successfully complete 4-5 years of specialization training receive the title of specialist doctor.
Adult allergy specialist requires training at a university or training hospital with an adult allergy department. There are certain conditions to receive this training. First of all, it is necessary to be an internal medicine or chest diseases specialist. After gaining knowledge and experience about many diseases in their own specialization, it is necessary to take the specialty examination in the sub-branch, which only specialist doctors can take and which is held every year by the higher education institution. If you are successful in this exam and get enough points, you are entitled to receive adult allergy specialist training.
After the internal medicine or chest diseases specialist training, the allergy department receives training on the development mechanism, diagnosis and treatment of allergic diseases in adults for 3 years. In this training, competence in the technique of allergy tests, pulmonary function tests and various tests is provided. Treatment and follow-up of adult allergy sufferers are learned. Immunodeficiency diseases are followed. The latest developments in treatment and diagnosis are followed. Research is done. At the end of this period, the final exam is taken. 2 years of state service obligation is made. He can then work independently as an adult allergist.
After all, it is necessary to know that adult allergists are internal medicine or pulmonologists, but also specialists with advanced training in adult allergic diseases. Since most of the diseases involve many systems and organs, the patients should be evaluated as a whole and the treatment and diagnosis of other diseases should be made in addition to their allergic diseases. Adult allergists are the most experienced doctors in adult allergic diseases.
What Kind of Training Is Adult Allergy Specialist Training?
Adult allergy residency training consists of a detailed training on asthma and allergic diseases in clinical immunology and allergy science. In the first year, theoretical training is taken on how allergic diseases develop. In the next 1 year, practical training is taken about the tests to be used in the diagnosis of theoretical and allergic diseases. In the last year, he is now responsible for the diagnosis and treatment of allergic diseases. Responsible for the laboratory where the diagnosis of allergic diseases is made. At the end of 3 years, after giving the graduation thesis, the final exam is taken. If it is sufficient, it is entitled to receive an adult allergy specialist diploma. In total, a minimum of 13 years of medical education is required to become an Adult Allergist.
Internists or pulmonologists are not allergists. Adult allergists are authorized experts in the diagnosis and treatment of allergic diseases such as asthma, allergic rhinitis and eczema. They are experts who are authorized to make allergy vaccines. The state has the authority to prescribe drugs used in the treatment of allergies, such as anti-IgE, which are included in the special payment coverage.
Internal medicine, chest diseases and ENT specialists are authorized specialists in diseases such as rhinitis, bronchiectasis, pneumonia, chronic lung diseases, interstitial lung diseases, which are directly related to their expertise. However, they do not have special training in approaching the patient in terms of allergies, allergy tests and allergy vaccinations.
It is very important to receive advanced training on this issue for the approach to allergic diseases in adults. Internal medicine and pulmonologists cannot be expected to have as much experience as adult allergy specialists on the details of allergic diseases.
In Which Disease Symptoms Should I Go to an Adult Allergy Specialist?
In the later years of your life, you may come across in adulthood; When you see symptoms of diseases such as asthma, allergic rhinitis, food allergies, hives, acute urticaria, chronic urticaria, eczema, drug allergies, bee and insect allergies, metal allergies, pet allergies, hereditary angioedema, or when your doctor suspects these diseases, the most experienced specialists You should go to an adult allergist.
Why Is It Important To Visit An Adult Allergy Specialist?
When you suspect one of the allergic diseases, it is very important that you be evaluated, diagnosed and treated by an adult allergist. Because allergic diseases are diseases that do not improve with 1-2 weeks of treatment and sometimes take years to recover. There is a risk that they may receive unnecessary treatment for a long time due to misdiagnosis or the progression of the disease due to missed disease. For these reasons, it is very important to plan the diagnosis and treatment by adult allergists, who are the most experienced specialists in this field, for a definitive diagnosis.
Since most asthma and other allergic diseases are not short-term and temporary diseases, patients should be seen by an adult allergist in order to make the correct diagnosis at the beginning and then to give the most correct treatment with the least medication.
With adult allergists, it may not be necessary to go to many specialists. Allergic diseases often tend to coexist. An adult patient with asthma also has symptoms such as allergic rhinitis or hay fever eczema. Therefore, there is no need to go to a pulmonologist for asthma, an otolaryngologist for allergic rhinitis, or a dermatologist for eczema. As it is known in adults, allergic rhinitis or hay fever, which starts with runny nose, itching, congestion and sneezing, then turns into asthma with complaints such as cough and shortness of breath, and skin diseases such as eczema, atopic dermatitis and urticaria are also observed. Adult allergists are the most experienced specialists in urticaria, eczema and asthma.
After the Adult Allergist has diagnosed an allergic disease, it is appropriate for the patient to be followed up by adult allergy doctors and to be seen again at appropriate time intervals.
Adult allergy specialists should definitely perform allergy testing and vaccination treatments for adults after the age of 18.
Training in allergy testing and treatment in adults is not given to all specialist doctors. Allergy testing alone is meaningless. In order to be able to test adults for allergies, first of all, theoretical training in allergy and immunology should be taken. Then, training is given on issues such as the application of allergy tests, cross-reactions, its place in diagnosis, and allergic shock. Therefore, it should be done by or under the supervision of adult allergists. Vaccine therapy used in the treatment is a treatment approach that is authorized only by adult allergy specialists. Vaccines should be prepared as personalized mixtures based on allergy test results and adult symptoms. This requires training and experience. It is very likely that long-term (at least 3 or 5 years) vaccination treatment by physicians who do not receive adult allergy specialist training will fail after 3 years. In vain, both time and financial losses will be lost. As adults develop allergic diseases in later years, their treatment is just as difficult. Wrong drug and vaccine treatments may not respond adequately and may lead to an increase in allergic complaints. Adult Allergists are the most experienced specialists in asthma and allergic diseases in adults.
Importance of Internal Medicine and Allergy Specialist
One of the importance of being treated by an internist and allergic diseases specialist is that diseases can coexist or affect many organs. For example, a patient with anemia may accidentally go to many doctors for itching because he has itching; however, patients should be evaluated in a systemically holistic way. Therefore, even if allergy is not detected in patients evaluated by internal medicine and allergic diseases specialist, it is possible to evaluate them in terms of other diseases and avoid repeating unnecessary allergy tests.
If the diagnosis of allergic diseases is not made correctly, we may face unnecessary and long-term use of asthma or allergy medications. It is extremely wrong to start allergy vaccinations by physicians other than adult allergy specialists. It can cause significant undesirable problems in patients.
How Do I Know if a Doctor Is an Adult Allergy Specialist?
A reliable proof of the certificate of specialization is the presence of the title of “Allergy Specialist” on the stamp of the physician. Because often phrases such as asthma and allergy department, allergy department, allergy department, founder and president of allergy association are used in order to be thought of as an allergist. In addition, it is suggested to have allergy congress participation documents or certificates to support this perception. However, the main thing is the formal specialization training and diploma.
Can Every Hospital Have Allergy Department?
In order for it to be an adult allergy diseases department, standards have been developed in Europe. According to these standards, it is essential to have an adult allergy specialist. Apart from the adult allergy specialist, important conditions such as allergy tests, patch tests, respiratory function tests, and the provision of an environment where allergic shock treatment can be performed must also be provided. Competent allergy departments are generally available in university hospitals and training and research hospitals in Turkey. Most of the allergy departments outside of these institutions are far from these conditions, and most do not even have an allergist.
Istanbul Allergy is a center established in Turkey to diagnose and provide solutions to allergy diseases, to perform all kinds of tests and to be an allergy department at European standards.
Istanbul Allergy was founded by Prof.Ahmet AKÇAY in March 2016, and in a short time, the child allergy department of Istanbul Allergy, which meets European standards, became operational. As the Adult Allergic Diseases Department, we have been trying to diagnose and solve all kinds of allergy diseases and asthma at the Istanbul Allergy Center since 2017.
Important Points About the Adult Allergist
They are doctors who have been trained in the diagnosis and treatment of asthma and allergic diseases in adults and who have received a specialization diploma and are also specialists in internal diseases / pulmonary diseases.
Accurate diagnosis of asthma and allergy diseases in adults is very important. Unnecessary medication may be used for a long time due to misdiagnosis, and omitting the diagnosis may lead to the progression of the disease.
If there are signs of asthma and allergy disease in adults, it is useful to be seen by an adult allergist before starting long-term treatment.
After you decide to go to an adult allergist, confirm whether the physician you see is an allergist.
