What causes an allergy?

Our immune system protects us from invading organisms that can cause illness. Sometimes however,
our immune system will react to foods, pollens, dust, or medications and produce an allergic reaction.
During an allergic reaction, your body produces antibodies that trigger certain symptoms.
These symptoms can vary considerably depending on the allergen involved, as well as your age.
For example, infants and toddlers often develop allergic reactions to foods such as milk and eggs,
whereas children and adults can become allergic to things they might inhale, such as pollen or dust.

Common symptoms of specific allergens

Body Part Symptoms Common triggers or allergens

Nose • Sneezing • Itchy/runny/stuffy Pollen, house dust mites, cockroaches,

• Mouth breathing pets and other animals

Eyes • Itchy, red, watery, swollen Pollen, house dust mites, cockroaches,
pets and other animals

Mouth • Tingling, itching throat, mouth, Fruits, vegetables, nuts and legumes
and/or lips • Swelling

Skin • Eczema (dry, itchy) Nuts, shellfish, eggs, milk

• Rashes, hives, swelling

What is an allergy?
Think you have Do you often suffer from sneezing, itchy eyes, rash
Lungs • Coughing, wheezing • Chest tightness
• Shortness of breath • Asthma
Pollen, house dust mites, cockroaches,
pets and other animals, food

an allergy? or diarrhea? If so, you may have an allergy. Allergies

are among the most common chronic conditions
that affect people around the world. Symptoms
Gastrointestinal • Diarrhea • Pain • Nausea • Vomiting
• Weight loss
Infants and toddlers:
Eggs, milk, wheat, soya bean
Children and adults:
can range from mild discomfort to a severe or even
Eggs, milk, shellfish, wheat, peanuts,
We can help you find out— life-threatening reaction called anaphylaxis.
hazelnuts and other tree nuts, fruits
and help you manage your allergy and vegetables
so you can feel and live better.
1 in 4 Various
anaphylactic
Early:
• Hives • Tingling and itching around
Peanuts, tree nuts, fish, soybean,
seafood, milk, eggs, seeds, fruits,
Find out more inside. It is estimated that 1 in 4 people reactions the mouth • Swelling around mouth drugs, bee and wasp venoms
suffer from allergies. and eyes
Severe:
Many people become accustomed to their • Itching, tingling and swelling of mouth For more information,
symptoms and suffer needlessly – but simple tests and throat • Abnormally low blood please visit Dynacare.ca
are available to help you find out if you are allergic pressure • Abdominal pain, nausea and
to a particular substance and help you manage vomiting • Shortness of breath, asthma
your allergy.
How are allergies What treatments
diagnosed? are available?
There are two types of tests used to help Avoidance
diagnose an allergy – a skin prick test and a For some allergies such as food, avoidance may be
blood test. The blood test is available through the only treatment you need. This may be enough to
Dynacare. For the skin prick test, you must prevent your allergy symptoms, so you won’t need
be referred to an Allergist by your healthcare to take any medications or other treatments.
provider.
Medications
Skin Prick Test
If avoidance is not enough, you can take medication
A small amount of allergen is placed on your to treat your allergy and help control your symptoms.
skin and the skin is gently scratched. If a There are also fast-acting medicines such as
reaction occurs, it may be the result of an epinephrine that can be injected to stop an
allergy. This test is performed by an Allergist. anaphylactic reaction.

Blood Test Allergy shots

A small amount of blood is drawn and the level Allergy shots, also called immunotherapy, can be
of allergen-specific antibodies is measured.
If the antibody level that corresponds to a
Which test taken to increase your tolerance to allergens.
These shots are usually recommended if you suffer How do I get tested
specific allergen or a component of an allergen
is raised, it may be the result of an allergy.
is right for you? from severe allergies or if you have allergy symptoms
that last for more than three months each year. for an allergy?
A blood test has certain advantages over the Allergy shots do not cure allergies, but reduce your
At Dynacare, using the immune system reaction to the allergen. If you think you or your child has allergy symptoms,
skin prick test:
blood test, we test for more talk to your healthcare provider about getting a
than 100 different allergens • For some foods, blood testing can be more blood test. If your blood test reveals you have an
accurate than skin testing allergy, you may be referred to an Allergist for
ongoing assessment and management of your
– such as food, animal dander, pollens, • It is more convenient and less invasive, as a
mould, trees, weeds, grasses and insect venom. allergy.
single blood sample can be used to test for
In addition, we can also test for more than multiple allergens and allergen components
Don’t stop being tested.
20 allergen components, such as • Medication you may be taking does not Allergies can change over time.
peanut components. influence the result
Infants may outgrow their allergy to milk and eggs
• There is no risk of an anaphylactic reaction
as they get older. But other allergies may progress
• It does not rely upon the condition of into more severe conditions. That’s why follow-up
your skin testing is critical for accurately managing your
allergy and to help you feel better and live better.
• It can be used for infants as young as
six weeks old
• It can help determine whether allergy shots
may help
• It can be easily ordered by your healthcare
For more information,
provider
please visit Dynacare.ca
A single blood sample can be used to test for Allergy tests may be covered by some private insurance health plans.
multiple allergens and allergen components. All information current as of March, 2022. INFO 21 File Card 1 Rev:0