Allergy Medicine

Allergies are hypersensitive responses of the immune system to substances that either enter or come into contact with the body.

A number of different allergens are responsible for allergic reactions. The most common include pollen, dust, food, insect stings, animal dander, mold, medications/drugs, latex. Sneezing, runny nose, excessive watering from eyes, fatigue, skin blisters, itching, nausea, diarrhea, shortness of breath are the most common symptoms of an allergic reaction.

Your doctor might also recommend one or both of the following tests: Skin test: A tiny drop of a range of 200 possible allergens (something you are allergic to) is pricked or scratched into the skin. (This is also called a percutaneous test.) Then you will wait to see if a small red lump appears where any of the allergens were placed. The larger the bump, the more sensitive you may be to it. This is the GOLD standard technique of Allergy testing.

Blood test. Specific IgE (sIgE) blood testing, commonly called radioallergosorbent test (RAST) or ImmunoCAP testing, measures the amount of allergy-causing antibodies in your bloodstream, known as immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibodies. A blood sample is sent to a medical laboratory, where it can be tested for evidence of sensitivity to possible allergens. Allergy testing can aid in the identification of allergens that are causing your current nasal, sinus, eye, throat, ear or respiratory, skin or gastric symptoms and identify the degree of sensitivity you may have to specific allergens. This information will aid your doctor in developing an effective treatment plan to improve your allergy symptoms.

Allergy treatments include:

• Allergen avoidance.
• Medications. Depending on your allergy, medications can help reduce your immune system reaction and ease symptoms. Anti-allergy medications may include medication in the form of pills or liquid, nasal sprays, or eye drops
• Immunotherapy. For severe allergies or allergies not completely relieved by other treatment, allergen immunotherapy may be recommended. This treatment involves a series of injections of purified allergen extracts or sublingual tablets/solution (placed under your tongue), usually given over a period of a few years.
• Emergency epinephrine. If you have a severe allergy, you might need to carry an emergency epinephrine shot at all times.

If you are facing any of these signs of an allergy, contact us today for further management.