One in every five adults suffers from allergies, the sixthleading cause of chronic diseases in America, and University ofMemphis students will get the opportunity to find out if they arepart of that group.
Free allergy testing provided by Allergy & Asthma Care andsponsored by The U of M Student Health Services will be availableto students and faculty members at the Student Health Center from11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Wednesday.
The event, which takes place each semester, is definitely neededat The U of M, said Diane Cooper, U of M lab director.
Approximately 2 million school days and 3.5 million workdays arelost each year due to allergies, according to the Asthma andAllergy Foundation of America's Web site.
"We've done this for six years, and we have a lot of studentsfrom all over the country who have no insurance or can't affordmedical care," Cooper said. "(Because of the free service) studentswill know about their allergies and can be taken care of."
The test, which takes about 20 minutes, will tell patientsexactly what they are allergic to and if further testing isneeded.
Cooper said the most common allergies arise from exposure to catand dog dander, pollen, mold and mildew. She encourages people tocome if they think they might have an allergy because it can leadto other illnesses.
"Allergies are what cause sinus infections and sinus drainage,"Cooper said.
Cooper said a common misconception is that allergies areinherited from family members.
"You're not born allergic. A person could not be affected untilafter the first year or two they're here," Cooper said. "It runs infamilies, but it is not hereditary."
If a patient does have allergies, they can get discountedprescriptions from The U of M Health Center, or they might bereferred to another doctor for medicine.
"We have 20 or 30 (medications) in our pharmacy. We also haveallergy shots at no charge," Cooper said.
There are ways to minimize allergic reactions, said JacquelineDe Fouw, U of M student health educator.
Cooper said to take antihistamines, avoid areas with high pollencounts and wear protective eye gear and masks if a person is goingto be involved in activities that will cause a reaction.
"Staying away from the allergen is one way to reduce reactions,"De Fouw said. "They can avoid (allergens), or there are treatmentsthat they can take."
