Allergies Dictionary

penicillin: A common antibiotic, and one of the more common causes of a drug allergy.

pollen: Pollen is the microscopic and powdery male gamete (male reproductive unit) of seed bearing plants. Pollen can travel for long distances once airborne, and is a common cause of hay fever.

pulmonary function test: A test that measures how much air the lungs inhale and exhale, and how much oxygen reaches the blood.

RAST (radioallergosorbent test): A blood test used to identify allergens.

respiratory system: The system, including the lungs, that delivers oxygen to the blood and expels carbon dioxide.

sinusitis: Sinus inflammation, often caused by infection.