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You may have heard of allergy shots. Otherwise known as immunotherapy, they are not technically allergy drugs but rather the measured, gradually increasing injection of the offending substance or substances. By exposing the body to the allergen or allergens, the immune system builds up a tolerance. Over time, you may find you are no longer as sensitive to the substance. As you go through treatment, you’ll want to continue to use allergy medicine as prescribed by Dr. Noga Askenazi. However, with time, you may not be as reliant on your long-term asthma medication. Furthermore, immunotherapy may be a good answer … Continue Reading

Spring is the time of year that we want to be outdoors often. The temperature is comfortable and everything begins to turn green and bloom after the long winter. The problem is that springtime air is full of allergens such as tree pollen and spores that can wreak havoc for allergy sufferers. If you’ve spent the spring months sniffling and sneezing with watery eyes, you are familiar with spring allergies. So how do you treat spring allergies? The first step is to discover what allergen is causing your symptoms. There are many spring allergens, so one of the most effective … Continue Reading

Food allergies can be a burden on quality of life. For children, the dangers that may be lurking at school cafeterias, birthday parties, and other activities can be troublesome to cope with. Food intolerance is often mistaken for actual food allergies. A food allergy test from an experienced allergist in Crystal Lake can provide valuable information on the chance an allergic reaction will occur from a certain food. Reactions can be extremely serious, and life threatening in the case of anaphylaxis. When tests confirm allergic reactions, the only true form of treatment is avoidance of the food. Food allergy vs. food intolerance Adverse reactions to … Continue Reading

Allergies and allergy-induced asthma affect all ages. However, children are more sensitive than adults to some substances and are more vulnerable to some conditions than their older counterparts. For example, 80 percent of kids with asthma also have allergies. Dr. Noga Askenazi and the staff may use lung function testing to aid in the diagnosis of your child’s breathing troubles. Your son or daughter will be asked to breathe into a tube attached to a spirometer. This machine collects information related to how your child breathes. These measurements are used to identify the cause of disordered breathing. From there, the … Continue Reading

When you come to Advanced Allergy and Asthma Associates in Crystal Lake complaining of symptoms you think are related to food allergies, we will recommend testing. When done properly, allergy tests are a great tool to rule in or out food allergies. What are food allergies? For many, eating certain foods can cause an immune system response that produces antibodies against the food. Even small amounts of the food can cause symptoms such as hives, digestive problems, itching in the mouth, inflammation of the lips, face, or tongue, dizziness, or swollen airways. For some people, food allergies can cause extremely … Continue Reading

An estimated 15 million people in the US have a food allergy, including one in 13 children. With such staggering numbers, it is important to know what symptoms of food allergies are, and when to see an allergy specialist if you suspect a problem. Residents in Vernon Hills can rest assured knowing Dr. Noga Askenazi of Advanced Allergy and Asthma Associates and Food Allergy Center of Illinois have offices located in Elgin and Crystal Lake. Symptoms of food allergies An allergy occurs when your body’s natural defense system overreacts to a specific substance, treats it as an invader, and tries … Continue Reading

If you tend to have a certain reaction to any type of food, you may have wondered why. Food allergies such as celiac disease have led to a number of changes in the manufacturing of food products. Visit your grocery store and you will likely find the evidence of this on the numerous items marked “gluten free.” This type of food allergy only affects about one percent of the population. Those with celiac disease must be mindful about what they eat, because the ingestion of even small amounts of gluten results in an immune reaction that causes damage to the … Continue Reading

You want to do all that you can to protect your child from unforeseen dangers. Rarely do you think that may require avoiding certain foods. The bodies of children with food allergies have a natural biological inclination to view particular foods, such as cow’s milk, as an invader. In response to the introduction of this invader, the immune system goes into “attack mode.” This may involve the production of protein call IgE or another systemic response that leads to a reaction. Symptoms of food allergies A baby or child who suffers from food allergies may develop symptoms such as burning, … Continue Reading

Crab, lobster, shrimp, milk, peanuts, and eggs are foods that many of us enjoy, sometimes on a daily basis. For people with food allergies, these are just a few of the common foods that can be cause for alarm. What are food allergies? When the body has an abnormal response to a food item, or to several different foods, we investigate whether the problem is simply an intolerance that may be outgrown, or if it is a true food allergy. It may not seem as though symptoms such as runny nose or itchy skin could be associated with food you … Continue Reading

Food allergies are more common in kids than in grown-ups. There is also a lot riding on the diagnosis and effective management of the trigger food, as the quality of a child’s life can have a big impact on his or her adulthood. Consider how dangerous and disruptive symptoms such as wheezing and respiratory conditions, rashes and hives and digestive upset can affect your child’s academic and athletic performance. If your child is missing a lot of school days, he or she is also missing out on social interaction and the pleasure that comes with the school experience. Dr. Noga … Continue Reading