Immunodeficiency

What is immunodeficiency?

Immunodeficiency is a blanket term for several conditions that affect your body’s ability to defend itself from infection or disease. There are two types of immunodeficiency:

Congenital or primary immunodeficiency

Congenital immunodeficiency is a condition you’re born with. This is caused by a genetic mutation.

Acquired immunodeficiency

Acquired immunodeficiency occurs later in life. You aren’t born with it. Instead, its developed over time.

What are the symptoms of immunodeficiency?

Immunodeficiency symptoms include frequent infections, like:

• Sinusitis
• Ear infections
• Skin infections
• Pneumonia

As the condition gets worse, you might experience abdominal pain or unexplained weight loss.

How is immunodeficiency diagnosed?

Your Complete Allergy and Asthma provider reviews your medical records, asks about your symptoms, and completes a physical exam. They then order bloodwork to check your white blood cell and immune cell count and to determine your immunoglobulin levels. 

Immune cells help fight off infection, so lower-than-average levels often indicate an underlying immune problem.

If your provider suspects you have primary immunodeficiency, they order personalized genetic testing.

How do allergy specialists treat immunodeficiency?

Treatment of immunodeficiency depends on the underlying cause and your symptoms. Complete Allergy and Asthma works to strengthen your immune system, treats infections when they occur, and prevents them from coming back.

Your provider might recommend:

• Prescription antibiotics
• Immunoglobulin therapy
• Antiviral drugs
• Vaccinations

• Healthy lifestyle changes complement these efforts. For example, eating a balanced diet and getting plenty of sleep help strengthen your immune system.

Call Complete Allergy and Asthma today to explore treatment for immunodeficiency or book your appointment online.