All over the world, people struggle with seasonal allergies, and allergic rhinitis affecting between 10% and 30% of the general population. Hay fever is present in 7.8% of all adults over the age of 18 in the United States, and 6.6 million children are diagnosed worldwide, each year, with a type of allergy. It is important to keep track of when and where your allergies flare up, the best way to do this is to download and use the CareClinic allergy tracker app.
Allergies can also appear as a result of food intake, to animal dander or after taking certain medication. Adverse reactions in form of medication allergy appear in 10% of the population, with 20% of the fatalities as a result of anaphylaxis being attributed to medication intake.
Food allergies are common in children, with 38.7% of all diagnosed experiencing a severe reaction. The most prevalent allergens include peanuts, milk and shellfish. It is expected that the allergy rate will increase in the future. Insect allergies represent a serious issue, often leading to life-threatening complications.
CareClinic can be used as an allergy tracker effectively
If you struggle with any kind of allergy, you should definitely consider using CareClinic as your allergy tracker app. You can rely on the application to record your allergies, associated manifestations and treatments you are taking. It will help you stay organized and in control of your health status.
As it is possible to suffer from more than one allergy, it is great to have CareClinic as your free allergy tracker. Available on iOS (iPhone) and Android, you can download it into your smartphone and record a seasonal allergy, or any other kind for that matter. You can record every trigger, such as pollen and mold. You can even take things a step further, and record the different types of pollen to which you are allergic to (tree, grass, ragweed etc.).
The application will also be useful in making the difference between allergies and asthma. As you log your symptoms, you might be able to make a connection to potential triggers. You can use it to monitor common allergens, such as pet dander, dust or various air pollutants. The CareClinic app has an intuitive interface, allowing for the daily tracking of allergy symptoms and the regular monitoring of potential allergens.
Tracking Your Allergy Symptoms
Among the most common symptoms of an allergy, there are: a runny nose, sneezing, headaches, fever and shortness of breath. Those who are allergic to pollen might suffer from allergic conjunctivitis or rhinitis. Asthma can be triggered by unaddressed allergies and one can also present signs of allergies on the skin, such as hives, eczema or atopic dermatitis. Allergies can be correlated with potential sources, especially when it comes to pollen. Within the app, you can enter the daily pollen count (which can be obtained from pollen stations).
You can look at the CareClinic health app as your weather allergy tracker, helping you understand triggers such as weather changes. For those living in big cities, such apps are even more useful, as they can be used to record multiple allergens, pollutants included.
Without any doubt, registering your allergy issues within a health app will help you improve your well-being. Upon identifying potential allergens, you will find it easier to avoid or minimize exposure. Moreover, you can record the remedies prescribed for allergies, such as Claritin, Allegra or Zyrtec. You can organize a schedule for taking your medication, as well as reminders to ensure the necessary adherence. (R)
Monthly reports to share with your doctor
Based on the symptoms you enter within the application, a monthly record will be issued. This is quite useful for future visits to the doctor, as it contains information on allergy-related manifestations, treatments taken and outcomes. These reports can be easily shared with the doctor, so that you can adjust the treatment plan accordingly and minimize the effects of your allergies.
Mold, for example, is a common allergen. The CareClinic health app can be used as a mold allergy tracker, and you can use the generated reports to show your doctor how the treatment prescribed worked. From another perspective, you can use the application to record the best solutions for getting rid of the root problem – mold.
Stay on top of your Medications and Shots
Similar to the Visionary allergy tracker, CareClinic can be used to stay in compliance with your allergy shots. You can rely on the application to set up reminders with regard to upcoming injections, as well as to record your entire injection history. The immunologist will then find it easier to provide specialized assistance in case of various allergies.
When you suffer from one or several allergies, you probably have to follow a complex treatment plan. Some drugs provide immediate relief in case of an allergy attack, while others will help you increase the level of tolerance when pollen season comes. Apps such as CareClinic help with such matters, allowing you to manage your prescriptions in an effective manner and schedule medication.
Within the application, you can enter every medication you are currently taking, including the dose, frequency and contraindications. You can review your treatment plan at any moment, scheduling medication reminders and checking out the correlations the application has made for different medications.
Additional information to enter within the application
As an allergy sufferer, you are probably aware that there are countless elements contributing to your health problems. The CareClinic app can be used as both an outdoor and indoor allergy tracker, but you have to enter as much information as you can – this will help you gain a clear idea of your current health status.
Aside from the information you already mentioned, you can use the application to record the daily pollen index, the predominant allergy triggers and the temperature outside. You can also record the wind speed, UV index, forecast for the next several days and humidity percentage. Last, but not least, you can add the health indices for asthma.
Identifying allergy triggers
Depending on the number of allergies, you can organize a list of potential triggers. For example, if you have several food allergies, you can enter all of these within the application. The next time you are looking at recipes, you can refer to the list of potential allergens and prepare your meals accordingly. Allergy-friendly meals can be more easily prepared, once you have identified and replaced allergens in your diet (gluten, nuts, eggs, milk, etc.).
It is a great advantage to be able to customize a list of allergies. You are also able to add notes to your records. For example, you can add accompanying warnings and show these to the waiter at your favorite restaurant. In this way, it will be easier to be recommended foods that do not contain any harmful allergens. The list is also useful in case of anaphylaxis. This way first responders might know with what they are dealing with.
The CareClinic health app can be used as an allergy diary. You are able to track symptoms and describe in your own words how you are feeling. One can record detailed information on various allergens; for instance, when it comes to pollen, one can add descriptions and images of various types.
Facts on allergies
- Each allergy attack can impact the overall quality of life (absence from work/school, inability to perform daily living activities)
- Allergic rhinitis can lead to sleep deprivation and excessive fatigue
- A severe allergic attack can be accompanied by wheezing, which is caused by the airways narrowing
- Asthma can also have an allergic terrain, affecting over 24 million people only in the United States (out of which 6 million are children)
- In the US, allergies represent the top sixth cause of chronic illness, with more than 50 million people being diagnosed with at least one type of allergy each year
- There are two main types of allergic rhinitis – seasonal & perennial
- Allergic rhinitis becomes noticeable in the spring and fall, sometimes in the early summer
- Allergic rhinitis is mainly triggered by pollen and mold spores (airborne)
- Allergy shots can help with symptoms of seasonal allergies
- Food allergies cause 200.000 visits to the emergency room, and the costs associated amount to $25 billion per year
- Adrenaline (epinephrine) must be administered within minutes from the appearance of anaphylaxis symptoms and more than one dose might be necessary
- Anaphylaxis is commonly caused by insect stings, medication and food; death is often the result of an adverse reaction to different types of medication
- Penicillin is one of the most common allergy trigger, with approximately 10% of the general population presenting this antibiotic allergy
- People can be allergic to rodent dander, cockroaches and latex, sesame etc.
- Insect allergies include bees, wasps and poisonous ants (stings and bites) – it is estimated that 5% of the general population presents such an allergy
- In the US, there are 100 deaths occurring annually as a result of anaphylaxis induced by insect bites. (R, R, R)
Why should you track your allergies?
Allergies can be life-threatening, leading to anaphylaxis. One might find himself/herself unable to breathe, with the tongue swelling and the airways closing. This represents an emergency situation, which can be avoided by knowing your allergens precisely. However, if one is in anaphylactic shock, the only treatment is a shot of epinephrine (epi-pen).
In the majority of cases, allergies are not dangerous. They do, however, have a negative impact on the overall quality of life. In Australia, for example, 20% of the general population suffers from allergic rhinitis. This can affect work or school performance, as well as social life.
Many people find it useful to keep a daily record of their allergy-related manifestations. Along with this, they also like to record any medication taken. Tracking allergies and treatments allow both you and your doctor to observe how well the treatment is working. Additionally, you can identify potential allergens more easily and take control of the disease.
Using applications such as CareClinic to document allergies has also been known to improve communication with various healthcare professionals. Immunologists and other allergy specialists welcome the reports generated by health apps. These reports provide a lot of information regarding allergy attacks, symptoms, triggers and so on.
One can view the allergy course over a period of time, which is an added benefit. Since all of the information is recorded within the application, it is no longer necessary to try and remember when speaking with the doctor. Moreover, new allergy attacks can be more effectively prevented, as one is now familiar with the symptoms. Thus, an aggravation of allergies can be blocked, with the risk of asthma being genuinely reduced.
