Allergy

While some allergic reactions may be very mild, having allergies does increase your risk for other medical problems.  Patients who suffer from allergies are at increased risk for asthma, sinusitis, ear infections, eustachian tube dysfunction, nasal obstruction and obstructive sleep apnea.  At CLMC ENT we have on-site skin allergy testing to aid in tailoring your treatment plan.

Frequently Asked Questions

 

What Are Allergies?

With roughly 50 million people in the United States suffering from allergies, it is one of the major causes of illness in the country.  Allergies occur when the immune system reacts to a foreign substance (for example, a certain food, pollen, or pet dander), causing variable symptoms including nasal congestion, postnasal drip, pain or pressure in the face, headaches, itchy eyes, itchy ears and much more.  

When a person comes into contact with a trigger (pollen, mold, or something else), the body creates a protein antibody called IgE. These antibodies identify an allergen as a foreign substance and potentially harmful. They latch onto the allergen and cause release of histamine and other chemicals into the blood. This then results in a variety of allergy symptoms that may affect the airway, sinuses, nasal passages, digestive system, and skin. Hay fever refers to allergies affecting the upper airway and includes sneezing, nasal congestion, sinus pressure pain, and a runny nose. Food allergies can result in tingling around the mouth, localized or generalized swelling, rashes or hives involving the throat, tongue, face, lips or body. Drug allergies can result in wheezing, rashes, hives, joint pain, and more. Anaphylaxis is a severe allergic reaction that causes shortness of breath, chest tightness, low blood pressure, rapid heartrate, and can potentially be life threatening. The first time you notice such symptoms, it is important to contact an ENT doctor or emergency room immediately.

What Are The Typical Allergy Seasons?

Weeds:  Pollinate in late July, peak from August through October, and continue until the first hard freeze.

Grasses:  Pollinate starting around March through September, and peak May through June.

Trees: Pollinate in February and continue to shed pollen through June.

What Are Common (Year Round) Allergens?

Dust Mites:  Microscopic organisms that thrive on human skin cells, found on pillows, mattresses, and carpets.

Molds:  Live and thrive indoors and outdoors in moist dark areas.  Mold is especially prevalent in Houston due to its high humidity, frequent flooding, and warm weather for most of the year.

Animals & Insects: Dander and protein found in waste and/or saliva may cause irritation.

How Do Allergies Affect Children?

Allergies can have an impact on your child’s ability to breathe, sleep, and concentrate in school. Allergens such as pollen, mold, dust and other airborne contaminants trigger histamines within your child’s body. This creates symptoms associated with asthma, sinus pain, wheezing, nasal congestion, runny nose, itchy eyes, ears, nose and throat. Children with significant allergies are also at higher risk for recurrent ear infections due to the close relationship between the ears and the nose (the ears drain to the back of the nose through a channel called the eustachian tube). Chronic inflammatory nasal drainage from allergies can also lead to enlarged tonsils and adenoids. When these tissues enlarge to the point of becoming obstructive and affect the quality of sleep of your child, their physical development, tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy may be necessary.

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Get Allergy Relief

If you or a loved one is suffering from symptoms such as nasal congestion, postnasal drip, runny nose, facial pain or pressure, and/or headaches, contact us at Clear Lake Medical Center ENT. Our ear, nose & throat (ENT) providers will work closely with you to find an effective treatment plan to provide allergy relief as soon as possible.  We look forward to hearing from you.  When you do make an appointment, you will need to complete our allergy testing and treatment instructions and allergy history paperwork.

For more information, give us a call at (281) 332-4575.

ALLERGY TESTING

Depending on the severity of your allergy symptoms and whether symptoms are adequately controlled with medications, your ENT & allergy provider may recommend allergy testing to identify your sensitivities and triggers.  Our allergy test is preselected for allergens present in the Houston region.  Results of allergy testing may help guide management and get better control of your allergy symptoms through avoidance.

It should be noted that allergy testing is not perfect.  Results may show a positive result to an allergen, but you may not experience significant symptoms outside of testing.  Testing does not include every possible substance you may be allergic to but includes the most common allergens in our region.  For example, chemicals in fragrances, cleaning supplies, cigarette smoke, and pollution can not be tested in allergy tests but can cause significant symptoms in our patients.  Aside from personal history taking and observation, allergy testing provides the best tool to identify allergic triggers.

 

ALLERGY TESTING FAQs

WHO CAN BE ALLERGY TESTED?

We test adults and children starting at the age of 5 based on individual tolerance.  Younger children or those that may not tolerate testing may qualify for allergy blood tests done at a lab or local hospital.

WHAT HAPPENS DURING AN ALLERGY SKIN TEST?

Testing is performed on the upper back by applying a plastic applicator coated with a small amount of allergen.  Depending on levels of sensitivity indicated by redness, swelling and possible itching, a second titration study is performed to determine dosing for immunotherapy treatment.  This is completed by injecting a bit of reactive allergen into the skin of the arm or forearm.  Injection is performed with a very small needle and usually causes little to no pain.  Occasionally some itching or burning may result based on your sensitivity to the allergen.  15 to 20 minutes after application, results are interpreted through measurements of swelling and redness.  Areas of itching are treated with topical hydrocortisone.  The entire process may take up to one hour depending on the number of sensitivities.

HOW DO I PREPARE FOR ALLERGY TESTING?

Certain allergy medicines, reflux medications, and blood pressure medications may interfere with skin test results.  A list of specific medications and when to stop them prior to the test can be found in the link below.  Usually, medications may have to be stopped a few days to a week prior to the test date.  It is necessary to stop these medications before testing so that results are as accurate as possible.  Medications may be resumed immediately after testing.

WHO SHOULD GET ALLERGY BLOOD TESTS?

Allergy blood tests can be quite expensive.  Despite this, blood tests may be offered to people who may not be good candidates for skin testing.  Allergy blood tests may be offered for young children who are unable to tolerate skin testing, for individuals that may have active skin disease or who are unable to stop certain medications that would interfere with skin test results.

WHAT ARE THE RISKS OR SIDE EFFECTS OF ALLERGY TESTING?

The most common side effect of allergy skin testing is itching, burning, redness or swelling at the testing site. Very rarely, a more serious reaction may occur such as shortness of breath or changes in blood pressure. This is why allergy testing is performed in a physician’s office well equipped to identify and treat more significant symptoms that may develop.

Allergy History Form
Required for all allergy testing patients.

Allergy Testing Consent Form
Required for all allergy testing patients.

Instructions Prior to Allergy Testing
Follow these instructions prior to your appointment for allergy testing.

ALLERGY IMMUNOTHERAPY

Medications such as antihistamines and nasal sprays treat allergy-related symptoms, whereas immunotherapy induces a natural immunity or tolerance to the allergen.  Immunotherapy behaves much like a vaccine to help your body adjust to exposure of allergens.  The purpose of treatment is to decrease your body’s sensitivity to allergy-causing substances so that exposure to offending allergens results in fewer and less severe symptoms.  Immunotherapy is not a cure, and it is not a substitute for avoidance of allergens or the use of allergy medications.  Immunotherapy is a largely a supplement to these treatment measures.  It is often recommended if medications fail to provide relief from allergy symptoms for a significant enough amount of time.  Currently immunotherapy is administered either by injection, oral drops or tablets.

 
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SUBLINGUAL IMMUNOTHERAPY (SLIT)

At Clear Lake Medical Center ENT, we offer sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT).  Medicated drops are customized based on the patient’s allergy profile on initial testing.  Drops are provided for two months and self-administered underneath the tongue daily.  No injections and no weekly or bi-weekly doctor visits are needed for treatment.  SLIT provides our patients the convenience of improved allergy control in the comfort of their own home and without the disruptions to work, school, and other daily activities, as is often the case with the more traditional form of injections with subcutaneous immunotherapy (SCIT).  Over time, the graduated physician-dosed antigens build the body’s tolerance to certain allergens.

 

SLIT FAQs

IS SLIT TESTING SAFE AND EFFECTIVE?

Allergy drops have been proven safe and effective for over 30 years.  They are endorsed by the World Health Organization (WHO), and extensive research has been done to show the safety and efficacy of this method.

Research has also shown that severe reactions are 3 times less likely to occur with sublingual immunotherapy versus allergy injections.  Additionally, there have been no record of life-threatening anaphylactic reactions in over 30 years and 200 million doses of testing with sublingual immunotherapy.

It should be noted that improvement in symptoms will not be immediate.  It usually requires 3 to 6 months before any relief of allergy symptoms is typically noted, at which time 80-90% of patients will note significant improvement of their symptoms.

WHAT ARE THE ADVANTAGES OF SLIT TESTING?

Advantages include ease of use with no needles or injections, decreased risk of anaphylaxis, convenience of self-administration at home, improved patient compliance, portability during travel, fewer doctor office visits and possible savings due to elimination of these visits.  Studies have also shown that people are more compliant with allergy drops compared to allergy injections.

ARE ALLERGY DROPS COVERED BY INSURANCE?

Unfortunately, no.  While the safety and efficacy of allergy drops for immunotherapy has been proven in Europe, the FDA has yet to approve it in the United States.  Thus, the option for sublingual immunotherapy has not been approved for coverage by health insurance.  The initial vial will cost $150 and each additional vial for maintenance therapy will cost $125.  Each maintenance vial is expected to last approximately 2 months. 

HOW DO I TAKE SUBLINGUAL IMMUNOTHERAPY?

Two to three drops are placed under the tongue daily.

WHAT DO THE ALLERGY DROPS TASTE LIKE?

For the majority of patients, there is very little taste at all, but for some patients, there is reported a slight sweetness.

HOW LONG SHOULD I UNDERGO SUBLINGUAL IMMUNOTHERAPY?

Similar to allergy injections, completion of sublingual immunotherapy takes approximately 3 to 5 years.

SLIT Consent Form
Required for all patients undergoing sublingual immunotherapy.

Epi-Pen Consent Form
Required for all patients undergoing sublingual immunotherapy.

Instructions for SLIT Use
Follow these instructions while undergoing sublingual immunotherapy treatment.