Allergies: Questions You Have...Answers You Need

The People's Medical Society is America's largest nonprofit consumer health advocacy organization and, since 1983 has been the consumer's voice in any and all health-care debates and issues. For the fifty million Americans who suffer from allergies, here is the one indispensable resource that answers questions on everything from what triggers allergic reactions to the treatments that bring them under control, including: What diagnostic tests help rule out other illnesses and pinpoint a specific allergy? Is there any way to prevent allergies from developing? What are the symptoms of respiratory allergies? When do symptoms signal real trouble -- and require immediate medical attention? What is the difference between food allergy and food intolerance? What are the leading allergy medications? How can one decide whether to use a decongestant, an antihistamine, or a combination drug? How successful is immunotherapy?Americans spend more than $500 million on over-the-counter allergy remedies;one in five of us suffer from some kind of allergy. Allergies cause nearly 10 percent of all missed work days and cost society more than $1.8 billion in direct and indirect costs.