Allergies treatment, diagnosis & prescriptions

Maple is a virtual care platform that connects you with doctors and other healthcare providers via text, audio, or video. After you log in to your Maple account, you can request an online consultation.

Consultations work similarly to in-person appointments — the doctor can complete an assessment by asking questions about your symptoms, going through your health history, and determining what treatment is right for you. If they think your condition is more serious, they may tell you to go to a clinic for an in-person examination.

As a Maple member, you get 24/7 access to virtual primary care online and more. You can connect with our network of providers via text, audio, or video call within minutes.

Our membership costs $79.99/month and covers virtual care for patients and their families, including the primary account holder's spouse and any dependents.

For patients in eligible provinces, our membership includes:

• Access to daily primary care provider visits: One daily visit with a primary care provider for each family member in their household.
• Paediatric care: Covered paediatric primary care visits, available by appointment.
• Second medical opinions: access to a network of experts for a second opinion if diagnosed with a complex condition (e.g. cancer).
• Personal Health Check-Ins: A series of personalized, evidence-based proactive care screenings to maintain and improve health.
• iCBT courses: Access to iCBT (internet-based cognitive behavioural therapy) self-assessment and courses.
• Access to specialists in eligible provinces: Easy access to specialists on Maple within days, not months. No referral is needed.
• Specialist referrals in eligible provinces: Ability to be referred to a physician specialist for in-person care, if needed.
• Credit discounts: An $80 credit per month to be applied to a Maple specialist visit.

Please note that our membership cannot be combined with other offerings, such as private insurance coverage and provincial programs, where available. In some cases, membership fees can be covered by a Healthcare Spending Account (HSA) — check with your HSA provider for more details.

We accept all major credit cards, including AMEX cards, as well as Google and Apple Pay.

At Maple, we proudly prioritize privacy as a cornerstone of our virtual care services. We strictly adhere to privacy and healthcare legislation in Canada, such as PIPEDA and PHIPA regulations, to ensure patients' personal and health information remains completely private and safeguarded.

Our policies and consent processes are designed to be simple and easily understood, empowering individuals with control and a clear understanding of their healthcare journey. When using our services, a patient’s session is protected by a comprehensive security infrastructure and stringent data policies.

Patients also retain full control of their personal health information, medical records and test results at all times. Our approach is reinforced by consultations with leading experts, guaranteeing comprehensive policy frameworks that are reviewed at a regular cadence.

All providers delivering healthcare through Maple are licensed in Canada and governed by their licensing regulatory colleges, and in all instances, must act in accordance with the governing principles set out in the telemedicine policies of each medical regulator in the applicable province.

Regulators across Canada support and recognize the value of services like ours, and the way in which they can benefit patients, physicians, and Canada’s broader healthcare system by improving access to care and increasing efficiencies in the delivery of care.

Yes, you can. A physician from Maple would be happy to discuss any signs of allergies or your allergy symptoms with you.

The doctor will want to discuss your condition, view the effected area if applicable, and evaluate recent things you’ve consumed, to check for possible causes of allergies. They may also suggest skin or blood tests before offering a diagnosis for allergies.

In some cases, the doctor may suggest you meet with an allergist through Maple, in order to provide an accurate diagnosis for your allergies. This service is available in Ontario, British Columbia, Quebec or New Brunswick. It includes a diagnosis, plus any necessary treatment plans, test recommendations, or prescriptions.

Yes, our physicians can prescribe medications for allergies online during your consultation. Once you accept a prescription for allergies, you’ll have the option to pick it up from any pharmacy or to have it delivered right to your door at no additional cost.

You can visit our How it works page to learn more.

Allergies are a common immune response to foreign substances called allergens.

These allergens normally aren’t harmful to your body. However, your body believes it’s in danger, so it activates an attack on the foreign substance. This results in the symptoms or signs of allergies.

The signs of allergies you show depend on the type of allergic response you’re experiencing.

Unless they’re severe, most allergies caused by bites or stings will only have swelling, itching, and tenderness at the affected area.

Skin allergies could be a sign of allergies, or appear as a direct result of being exposed to an allergen. When you come into direct contact with an allergen and have a reaction, these types of allergies are called “contact dermatitis.”

Some symptoms of skin allergies include:

• Itching
• Inflammation
• Burning, stinging, or tingling sensations
• Eczema
• Rashes

There are a number of common causes of allergies, such as:

• Pollen
• Dust
• Mold
• Certain foods (depending on the person)
• Certain drugs
• Animal products (pet dander, cockroaches, waste from dust mites, etc.)
• Bug bites or stings
• Plants
• Chemical irritants

The doctor will want to do a physical examination, as well as discuss your allergy symptoms, before offering any kind of diagnosis for allergies.

In some cases, the doctor may suggest you keep a food diary, and monitor any possible triggers that could be the cause of your allergies. They may also suggest having blood or skin tests done, to attempt and determine the exact cause of your allergies.

As well, the doctor may suggest that you meet with an allergist. This is a specialist that may be able to provide you with more allergy treatments options.

The treatment for your allergies that will be most effective depends on the type of allergies you’re experiencing and their causes.

In most cases, the best way to avoid allergy symptoms is to determine their cause and avoid any triggering allergens.

If you have severe allergies, the doctor or allergist may suggest prescription allergy medications. They may also suggest additional allergy treatments, such as immunotherapy, or carrying emergency epinephrine shots with you in case of accidental exposure to allergens.

If you believe that you’re showing the signs of allergies, or have begun to experience allergy symptoms, you may want to talk to a doctor. They’ll most likely suggest over-the-counter allergy medications to alleviate your symptoms, as a first step towards treatment.

When this approach doesn’t help, the doctor may suggest additional testing or visiting an allergist, before offering prescription allergy medications.

If you’re experiencing any of the signs of anaphylaxis, you should seek immediate medical attention.