Speaking to FMT in conjunction with Malaysian Allergy Day today, the Malaysian Society of Allergy and Immunology said the National Specialist Register still does not officially list immunology as a specialist field despite the profession being recognised in Europe, North America and Australia.
“We are seeing more drug allergies, food allergies and also primary immune diseases that are undiagnosed, which subsequently lead to poor care and management of these conditions,” Dr Kavita Reginald, a member of the society’s executive committee, said.
“This underlies two major issues. First, patients must be proactive in seeking medical advice to treat their allergies and not leave them undiagnosed. Second, there is an urgent need for more allergy specialists to be trained.”
She said misconceptions about allergies are “abundant”, and that awareness of the potential indicators is an important part of early detection.
“It is strongly recommended that you consult your specialist as soon as an allergy symptom is suspected. The specialist would be able to identify the trigger, and come up with an allergy management plan with the patient,” she said, as opposed to waiting until symptoms worsen before seeking medical attention.
Kavita also said it is important not to mistake allergic reactions for the flu, as they share common symptoms like congestion or sneezing, since unlike a virus which typically dissipates over time, an allergy can persist and worsen over a number of years if not addressed.
However, while many are unaware that allergies are curable, there are ways for immunologists to manage reactions in the long term and minimise the need for medication.
“Immunotherapy is a form of allergy vaccination, where it conditions the body to react differently to the allergen, building tolerance. It is the only therapy which provides long-term improvement of symptoms, lowers medication use, as well as significantly improves the quality of life of the allergic individual.
“Immunotherapy is suitable for those with moderate to severe allergies that cannot be well controlled with medication, or those who do not wish to take medication long term,” she said.
As with many health issues, she said, early detection is the key, and one’s quality of life can be greatly improved if they are able to find suitable management strategies in a timely fashion.