Often times, allergy patients are referred from other doctor offices to our office because that is what we specialize in. If you’re having a heart condition, for example, you may be seen by your primary care physician. However, chances are that your doctor will refer to to a cardiologist or a heart doctor to get the best care. While allergist don’t focus on a single organ like the heart, they focus on the entire body and anywhere allergies can develop as that is a systemic disease. They can affect your eyes (allergic conjunctivitis), skin (eczema, hives), gut (eosinophilic esophagitis), nose (allergic rhinitis), blood (eosinophilia), lungs (asthma), anaphylaxis (the whole body!) and much more.
So what makes them so qualified? They’ve studied it for a very long time. After completing medical school and graduating with a medical degree, the physicians then undergo three years of training in internal medicine or pediatrics and pass the exam of either the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) or the American Board of Pediatrics (ABP). Internists and pediatricians interested in becoming an allergist / immunologist can’t stop there. They have at least an additional two years of study, called a fellowship, in an allergy / immunology training program. Then, they begin to practice and must continue educating themselves and pass exams to maintain their board certification. In short, they studied and trained extensively to become specialists and the subject matter experts when it comes to allergies, asthma, and immunology!
If you’re in northwest Indiana, call us at 219-513-8923 or find a local allergist/immunologist to help you.