Immunology  Specialist

As a premier immunology specialist, board-certified physician Vasif Kalfa, MD, treats immunodeficiency disorders at Allergy & Asthma Clinic of Maryland in Silver Spring, Maryland. Dr. Kalfa has extensive experience in allergies and asthma as well as immunology, and because symptoms are often so similar, he is in an ideal position to diagnose and treat immunodeficiency disorders. Call the office or book an appointment online today.

Immunology Q & A

What is immunology?

Immunology focuses on your immune system. A healthy immune system works to fight off illness and disease. But it can malfunction in a few different ways.

As an immunology specialist, Dr. Kalfa finds the reasons that your immune system isn't working properly and prescribes treatment to help it work better and to manage your symptoms.

What problems does immunology address?

Immunology spans a wide range of immune system issues, including:

Allergies

With environmental allergies, food allergies, medication allergies, and skin allergies, your immune system overreacts to normally harmless substances. This leads to symptoms such as sinusitis, hives, watery eyes, and itchiness.

Autoimmune disease

With autoimmune disease, your body's immune system is weak from birth (primary immune deficiency), weak because of illness (acquired immune deficiency), or malfunctioning and destroying your healthy tissue.

A few examples of autoimmune diseases include Type 1 diabetes, Sjögren’s syndrome, psoriasis, celiac disease, rheumatoid arthritis, and multiple sclerosis.

If you're having symptoms of a potential autoimmune issue, testing at Allergy & Asthma Clinic of Maryland is the best way to find out what's causing your problems.

What symptoms do autoimmune diseases cause?

Autoimmune disease symptoms vary widely with the disease, but with all autoimmune disease, healing is difficult. This means you have a higher risk of recurrent infections, bronchitis, sinusitis, and other problems.

Some people with autoimmune disease have skin symptoms, like a rash. The skin symptoms can look similar to hives or skin allergies, so it's important to see Dr. Kalfa for testing to find out whether you have allergies or an autoimmune disease.

How does immunology testing work?

At Allergy & Asthma Clinic of Maryland, Dr. Kalfa can perform blood tests that check critical aspects of your immune system function by using antigens and antibodies to find abnormal reactions.

In many cases, people who have allergy symptoms need allergy testing, which may include skin prick, patch, intradermal, or blood tests.

If you’re experiencing respiratory symptoms, you may need pulmonary function tests to check for asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), or other conditions.

With your test results in hand, Dr. Kalfa can explain what's causing your symptoms. He can create a customized treatment plan, which may include immunotherapy, oral medication, intravenous infusions, lifestyle changes, and other ways to effectively manage your condition.

To learn more about the immunology services available at Allergy & Asthma Clinic of Maryland, call the office or book your appointment online.