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Sometimes people lose their spleens due to accidents or sports injuries or illness, and they wonder what the spleen actually does. The spleen is the largest lymph organ in your body and it contains many lymph nodes. One of its jobs is to filter bacteria out of your blood when you are sick, to prevent infections from spreading throughout your body quickly. When the spleen is gone, infections can become serious very rapidly, so it is important to treat them as soon as possible. People without spleens should seek medical care earlier than other people. Whenever they undergo invasive procedures, asplenic people should be sure to take prophylactic antibiotics. These include dental procedures as well as surgeries. If they are bitten by dogs or ticks, asplenic people should also have antibiotics to clear the bacteria they likely picked up. As soon as they get a fever, they should call their doctor. They should receive antibiotics even when it’s not certain that their infections are bacterial, because of the risk of sepsis, or blood poisoning, from infections that ARE bacterial. This risk is 350 times greater for them than it is for normal people. The riskiest infections come from what are called polysaccharide encapsulated bacteria, like Streptococcus, Pneumococcus, Haemophilus and Meningococcus organisms. Vaccines for several of these types of bacteria are available and should be given to these folks. They should receive a flu shot every year, because right after the flu, many people get secondary bacterial infections with the bacteria mentioned above.
So, to summarize the answer to the question: you should get a Pneumovax vaccination, a meningococcus vaccine, a flu shot and a Haemophilus influenzae B vaccine (this may require more than one dose) if you haven’t already had these. Check with your own doctor about what you have had and what you might need for the latest information on this topic!
Allergy Doctor Dallas Texas – Dr. Barbara Baxter
Youtube Link: http://youtu.be/lRiMo9j7Zyc
According to experienced allergy specialist Dr. Baxter, you may have an immune deficiency if you experience the following:
- Chronic or frequent sinus infections
- Recurrent pneumonia (two or more times)
- Repeated bouts of bronchitis
- Skin abscesses
- Gastrointestinal problems – chronic diarrhea and weight loss
- Chronic urinary tract/yeast infections
- Recurrent meningitis
- Infections with rare organisms
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According to experts, the eight most common food allergies are:
- Milk
- Egg
- Wheat
- Soy
- Peanuts
- Tree nuts
- Shellfish
- Fish
The American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology notes certain allergies (e.g., milk, eggs and soy) may disappear over time, while others (e.g., nuts and fish) are more likely to last a lifetime.
Food Allergy Symptoms: Mild to Life-Threatening
Food allergy symptoms may be mild (e.g., itchy mouth) or potentially deadly (e.g., anaphylaxis). FARE has reported that food allergy reactions are responsible for more than 200,000 emergency department visits every year.
Food allergy symptoms include itching, sneezing, runny nose, abdominal cramping, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, rash, eczema, hives and swelling of the lips/mouth (also referred to as oral allergy syndrome when it occurs as the only symptom). Another food allergy event is feeling like food is stuck in the esophagus during swallowing, which could be indicative of a condition called eosinophilic esophagitis.
Read more: https://www.allergydoctordallas.com/food-allergies/
Board Certified in Internal Medicine and Allergy-Immunology, Dr. Barbara Baxter, an allergy doctor Dallas TX practices in North Dallas.
Dr. Baxter is a member of Genesis Physicians Group, the American Medical Association, the Texas Medical Association, the Dallas County Medical Society and the Texas Allergy, Asthma and Immunology Society.
We offer the following services:
- Allergy skin testing for inhalant, food and insect sensitivities
- Patch testing for contact dermatitis
- Penicillin skin testing
- Allergy immunotherapy injections and clusters of injections
- Evaluation of the immune system for people with recurrent or unusual infections
- Pulmonary function testing including exhaled nitric oxide measurements
- Infusion therapy for humoral immune deficiencies
- Xolair injections (anti-IqE) for severe asthma
- Seasonal flu shots (September to May)
- Pnuemovax (pneumonia vaccine)
- Tetanus/Diphtheria/Pertussis for adults
- TB test
- Microscopic exam of nasal secretions and sputum
- Blood tests
- Tympanometry
- Cultures, when indicated; immediate Strep assays
- Nebulizer treatments for asthma
- Measurement of blood oxygen saturation (pulse Oximetry)
- Methacholine challenge test
- A comprehensive weight loss and maintenance program in partnership with Ideal Protein
- Counseling for select patients including hypnosis and regression
- Opportunities to participate in clinical trials of new medications for a broad variety of conditions through Discovery Clinical Trials partnership.
- The opportunity to experience energy healing through a method called reiki.
