Allergen Immunotherapy (allergy shots)
Definition
Allergen immunotherapy, also known as allergy shots, is a medical treatment that involves the administration of gradually increasing doses of allergens to a patient with the aim of reducing their sensitivity to those allergens. This can help decrease the severity of allergic reactions and improve the patient's quality of life.
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Allergy & Immunology
We provide expert evaluation and treatment to adult and pediatric patients across the entire spectrum of allergic and immunologic disorders. Our board-certified specialists have specific clinical and scientific expertise, and are highly capable of providing comprehensive, thoughtful care from the most common to the rarest conditions. Our physicians meet weekly to discuss the management of complicated cases. Yale has been the site of several key research breakthroughs in the field, including the discovery of new inherited immunological diseases and the development of a crucial understanding of the underlying causes of allergies. We offer comprehensive evaluation of both common and rare allergy and immunology conditions, including allergy skin and blood testing, oral food challenges, drug allergy testing, and contact dermatitis patch testing. We offer allergic rhinitis and asthma care through recommendations for environmental controls and pharmacological controller therapy, and biologic therapies for severe asthma, chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyposis, as well as chronic urticaria and hereditary angioedema. We have expertise in management of immune deficiencies with intravenous and subcutaneous immunoglobulin replenishment. We also provide consultations for drug allergy desensitization when needed. Among the conditions we treat are: Allergic rhinoconjunctivitis (nasal and eye allergies) Asthma Chronic rhinosinusitis Food allergy Insect sting allergy Medication allergy Urticaria (hives) Angioedema Hereditary angioedema Atopic Dermatitis Contact Dermatitis Common variable immunodeficiency Secondary immune deficiencies Our service has specific strength in the management of inherited immune deficiencies, with a dedicated service that closely collaborates with experts across other specialties. Through a long-standing collaboration with Yale Laboratory Medicine, patients have access to a broad array of state-of-the-art immunological testing. Our care for children and adolescents includes treatment for: Asthma Our doctors collaborate with colleagues in the Pediatric Asthma Program to ensure that our patients receive comprehensive asthma care, including: Evaluation, diagnosis, and management of childhood asthma for patients with varying degrees of severity Testing for allergic precipitants Mechanical analysis of respiratory function Outreach care at patients' homes when needed Allergy Testing for allergens, desensitization, and immunotherapy Allergic rhinoconjunctivitis Drug allergy Food allergy Insect venom allergy Urticaria (hives), mastocytosis, anaphylaxis Hereditary angioedema Primary Immunodeficiency and Recurrent Infections Testing for antibody deficiency, cellular immunodeficiency, and complement disorders Treatment of primary immunodeficiency diseases, including intravenous immunoglobulin therapy Evaluation and management of recurrent infections, including fungal infectionsYale Center for Asylum Medicine
Since 2003, asylum seekers requiring a medical evaluation have been referred to the Yale Center for Asylum Medicine (YCAM) by attorneys from law schools, including Yale, the University of Connecticut, and Columbia, as well as human rights groups, including Physicians for Human Rights, HealthRight International, the American Friends Service Committee, the Center for Immigrants and Refugees, and Integrated Refugee and Immigrant Services, among others. These applicants describe experiencing unlawful detention, torture, harassment, domestic violence, female genital cutting, and homophobic hate crimes and come to the United States to seek safety and build a new life. The Center’s trained clinicians perform a forensic medical interview and examination to document physical and psychological scars and functional impairments. These objective findings are presented to immigration authorities and judiciary members in the form of an affidavit and/or testimony. Medical students, residents, and fellows assist YCAM faculty as they perform medical examinations of asylum applicants at Yale School of Medicine or a nearby detention facility. Trainees complete formal training to assist with evaluations. Residents, fellows, and students at the School of Medicine and Yale School of Public Health learn about asylum medicine and local global health through lectures, workshops, trainings, and presentations on campus and at regional and national meetings. YCAM has hosted national meetings to teach physicians from the U.S. and Canada about forensic evaluations. YCAM collaborates extensively with legal and human rights professionals to advance knowledge and research in the field of asylum medicine.Laboratory Medicine
At Laboratory Medicine, we study the molecular and cellular components of blood and other body fluids. This work is crucial to diagnosing and managing illness and understanding the mechanisms and origins of disease.Our physicians, known as clinical pathologists, provide consultations to other doctors regarding optimal laboratory diagnostic approaches and the interpretation of complex laboratory tests. Our team includes pathologists, scientists, phlebotomists, medical technicians, technologists, and others who perform important support functions for our state-of-the-art laboratory. We are available every day, 24 hours a day, for physicians. We perform approximately 10 million tests each year, and also provide specialized high-tech testing to other hospitals in the Yale New Haven Health System and institutions throughout New England, and as far away as Puerto Rico. We also operate multiple satellite facilities and patient service centers located throughout the state. We ensure that every test we offer—at every location—is accurate and reliable. When physicians request to have patients’ blood drawn, here is what happens: Collection: A doctor, nurse, technician, or phlebotomist will draw the patient’s blood. Several tubes may be needed for different types of tests. Depending on what illness the patient might have, his or her doctor may want to obtain a urine sample, throat swab, or other sample. After the sample is collected, the container is labeled with the patient’s name and other information. The sample is received and processed by the Laboratory, and testing begins: Chemistry Testing Blood and other bodily fluids are tested for chemicals, drugs, and substances that indicate disease. We check cholesterol and other tests for risk of heart disease, glucose to monitor diabetes, or thyroxin to monitor the thyroid gland. Hematology Testing We analyze the amount and function of blood cells and plasma. Examples include the Complete Blood Count (CBC) that tells the doctor how many cells of each type are in the patient’s blood, and the prothrombin time (PT) to measure the time it takes for the blood to clot. Microbiology Testing We test a variety of specimen samples for infections caused by bacteria, fungi, or parasites. We often do urine cultures for urinary tract infections. Virology Testing We test for viral infections. This includes rapid tests for respiratory viruses such as influenza, molecular tests for noroviruses, and antibody tests for HIV. Immunology/Molecular Diagnostics Some tests are used to determine whether the immune system is functioning properly. State-of-the-art analysis of DNA and RNA is used to test for a variety of diseases and for the risk of developing certain diseases. Other specialized tests include the ANA, used to screen for autoimmune disease, and Factor V Leiden genotyping for patients with blood clots. Tumor Profiling Laboratory This lab analyzes tumor DNA to predict the sensitivity or resistance of tumors to a