There are no advantages to delaying the search for medical help. To the contrary, early diagnosis and treatment of allergies are now thought to be important not only for alleviating symptoms but for preventing potential complications. Nor should you be fooled into thinking your allergy is getting better by itself. Although you may have periods when the symptoms wax and wane, allergies as a rule are not "outgrown." In fact, the reverse is true: In the vast majority of instances, allergies tend to worsen with time.

In addition, you should not discount the possibility that you have an allergy just because you never had one before. Symptoms can begin at any age, not just in the early years as some people mistakenly believe.

Although medical science has not yet reached the stage where it is possible to alter the genes responsible for the development of allergies, an attack can be made on the genetic basis for most allergic conditions. You will discover as you read further that there are many effective ways to control and treat allergic manifestations. Happily, you need not suffer from allergies, and therefore you really can and should do something about them.