Mike Carruthers

Well, you're about to get some very clear answers.

My guest is Dr. Zachary Rubin.

He's a double board certified pediatrician and allergist immunologist at Oak Brook Allergists in the Chicago area.

He's also author of a book called All About Allergies.

Everything you need to know about asthma, food allergies, hay fever, and more.

Hey, doctor, welcome to Something You Should Know.

Thanks for having me.

So walk me through an allergy.

Like, what happens when it happens?

Using an example of, because, you know, everybody claims, you know, I have allergies.

I think I have allergies, you know, to the stuff in the air because my nose gets stuffy at certain times.

And I assume that's an allergy.

But what would be the difference in the treatment?

It seems like you would take, you know, Claritin or Flonase or something regardless of which one it was.

Is there a sense as to, because so many people complain of those symptoms, as to how many people have allergies versus how many people have the non-allergy version?

So you just mentioned medications.

People say, well, I'm allergic to penicillin.

Is that really an allergy to penicillin, or is that some sort of intolerance to penicillin?

When I was growing up, I don't remember hearing

people talk about food allergies that, you know, little Johnny could, could die if he's exposed to a peanut.