William E. Berger, MD, MBA, has more than 40 years of clinical experience diagnosing and treating patients with allergies and asthma. He founded the Allergy & Asthma Associates of Southern California, where he practiced both adult and pediatric allergy and immunology.

Nicole M. Faris, MSc, has devoted her career to advancing the under­standing of allergies, drawing on more than 20 years of experience in industry, pediatric research, and patient advocacy. Her personal journey with food allergies has enriched her perspective on effective allergy care.

Introduction 1

Part 1: Getting Started with Allergy Basics 5

Chapter 1: Knowing What's Ailing You 7

Chapter 2: Understanding Your Immune System 23

Chapter 3: Dealing With Physician Visits 41

Part 2: Knowing Your Nose 57

Chapter 4: Nosing Around Allergic Rhinitis 59

Chapter 5: Avoiding Environmental Allergens 75

Chapter 6: Treating Your Rhinitis 93

Chapter 7: Assessing Common Nasal Allergy Complications 115

Part 3: Approaching Asthma 133

Chapter 8: Reviewing Asthma Fundamentals 135

Chapter 9: Recognizing Asthma Triggers 157

Chapter 10: Living Well with Asthma 175

Part 4: Understanding Allergic Skin Conditions 191

Chapter 11: Controlling Atopic Dermatitis 193

Chapter 12: Evaluating Contact Dermatitis 209

Chapter 13: Evaluating Hives and Angioedema 231

Part 5: Reviewing Food, Drug, and Insect Allergies 249

Chapter 14: Diagnosing and Managing Food Allergies 251

Chapter 15: Understanding and Treating Food Allergies. 267

Chapter 16: Diagnosing and Treating Drug Reactions 277

Chapter 17: Preventing Insect Sting Reactions 291

Part 6: The Part of Tens 305

Chapter 18: Top Ten List of Allergy Triggers 307

Chapter 19: Top Ten Body Organs Affected by Allergies 315

Index 325