cu~rem Cemmengs”

In Part 1, we discussed the etiology and epidemiology of allergy. 1 This second part will focus on the diagnosis and treatment of allergies. Diagnosing an allergy is much fike detective work. The physician gleans clues from the case history, and confirms the clinical impression by using allergy tests that help determine the cause of the patient’s problems. Recent progress in understanding the basic mechanisms of the allergic reaction has made diagnosis, as well as controlling the unpleasant symptoms, somewhat easier. Allergic complaints are among the most common reasons patients seek the advice of a physician in industrialized countries. While some symptoms of allergy are not difficult to detect, many may mimic numerous other physicaf problems. For th~ reason, the diagnosis and treatment of allergic disorders can sometimes challenge even the most experienced clinician. But unfortunately, recognizing allergic disorders is often bungled by general practitioners. As medical detectives they are about as competent as Inspector Clouseau of Pink Panther fame.