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Allergies affect over 50 million people
in the United States. Our doctors practice allergy because
of the serious side effects of allergies on the ears, nose
and throat. Allergies can contribute to nasal polyps, sinus
infections, ear infections and asthma, and may even aggravate
inner ear dizziness. Allergy symptoms can include itchy, watery
eyes, sneezing, runny nose, congestion and coughing.
There are three approaches to treating allergies:
medications, allergy injections (hyposensitization) and environmental
controls. Antihistamines and decongestants are often helpful
in managing symptoms. We recommend controlling your environment
as much as possible to reduce your exposure to airborne allergens.
These are such things as vacuuming regularly, showering after
being outside and using dehumidifiers to control mold growth.
If your symptoms cannot be controlled by these measures, allergy
testing can be done to identify the triggering allergens.
Our allergy department performs two types of
testing, skin prick or a blood test. The skin prick method
is most commonly used; it is essentially painless and provides
immediate test results. You will be required to discontinue
antihistamines 72 hours prior to the testing. Certain medications
can interfere with skin testing causing a negative result.
If the test results are positive, your doctor
may recommend allergy injections. All antigens are mixed to
specifically target the allergens that test positive. Before
treatment begins, the nursing staff will perform a safety
test with the new antigen and instruct the patient and family
on environmental controls. Allergy injections are given on
a weekly basis and are usually taken for three years or longer.
If you are experiencing allergy symptoms,
please make an appointment to see one of our physicians.
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