Allergy Treatment in Trinity, FL & Spring Hill, FL

Allergy Treatment

Allergies are conditions caused by a hypersensitive immune system that reacts to everyday substances to cause uncomfortable symptoms. One in five Americans is affected by allergies, accounting for approximately 58 million people in the country. Most individuals have mild symptoms that occur occasionally or seasonally while other people have life-threatening reactions that require emergency treatment. Hay fever, for example, is a reaction to plant pollens that may occur in the spring or autumn, leading to nasal congestion, runny nose or sneezing. Today, physicians realize that serious ENT disorders are often associated with allergies.

An allergy diagnosis and treatment plan is a complex process, but specialty ear, nose and throat physician’s offer a different and more accurate approach for patients than general allergists. An ENT physician follows certain guidelines established by the Academy of Otolaryngic Allergists or AAOC. Allergies typically affect the throat, nose or ears of children, teenagers or adults, and physicians trained in these areas of the body can learn about a patient’s primary and secondary symptoms to create a treatment plan.

Suncoast ENT Surgical Specialists offers diagnostic and treatments services for:

Allergy Treatment
Allergic Rhinitis

Allergy Symptoms

Allergies cause a wide range of symptoms, and patients have their own set of symptoms that depends on the level of exposure, type of allergy and the patient’s immune system. The most common symptom is allergic rhinitis or hay fever caused by inhaling everyday substances such as mold, dust or pollen. A patient’s response to an allergic rhinitis episode varies from mild to severe with symptoms that include:

Migraines
Coughing
Sneezing
Hives
Itching in the ears, nose or throat
Stuffy nose
Runny nose
Watery, red, itchy or swollen eyes
Breathing difficulties
Sore throat
Postnasal drip
Ear infections or discomfort
Mild fever

Patients may have symptoms year-round caused by pet dander, dust mites or household dust. Alternatively, seasonal allergy symptoms may occur due to exposure to particular types of pollen.

Other allergy symptoms stem from a variety of environmental conditions, products, foods and many other sources. Effective treatment of allergy symptoms depends greatly on the physician’s expertise in recognizing common allergy symptoms, as well as proper diagnosis of the source.

Some of the conditions that an ENT specialist looks for include:

Skin eczema
Chronic fatigue
Headaches
Asthma
Tinnitus
Hearing Loss
Chronic sinusitis
Dizziness

Allergic Rhinitis

Often referred to as hay fever or allergies, allergic rhinitis flares up when your immune system overreacts to the particles that you breathe. These particles are called allergens, when they cause an allergic reaction. With the allergens in your body, your immune system attacks them, causing symptoms such as a runny nose and sneezing.

The symptoms of allergies usually appear when you come into contact with allergens. Sometimes symptoms appear only at certain times of the year, but allergies can happen several times a year. You may even experience other problems such as ear infections or sinusitis because of your allergies. The allergens may affect you less over the years, and your symptoms could also lessen in severity.

Allergens, such as dust and pollen, trigger your allergies and cause allergic rhinitis. People with allergic rhinitis breathe in the allergens, which in turn, causes the body to release histamine. The release of this natural-occurring chemical causes symptoms such as mucus production, itching, and swelling.

Hay fever is an allergic reaction to pollen that is similar to an allergic reaction to mold, dust and pet dander. The pollens that cause hay fever vary from person to person and from region to region. Hay fever does not usually develop from large pollens that you can see. Instead, tiny pollens that are hard to see are often the cause, including those from:

Evergreen and deciduous trees
Grass
Ragweed

The amount of airborne pollen is the deciding factor for developing hay fever symptoms. Dry, hot, windy days are likely to have more airborne pollen than damp, cool, rainy days when the pollen washes to the ground.

Allergies are common, but your environment and genes could put you more at risk of having allergies. The likelihood of people developing allergies is passed down through their families. Some disorders are related to allergies, such as asthma and eczema. The risk of a child having allergies is greater when the mother has allergies. If both parents have allergies, then the child is even more likely to have allergies.

To determine whether you have allergies, your doctor asks you about the symptoms that you experience and gives you an examination. The doctor can differentiate between allergies and other problems by reviewing your symptoms when you get them, and what makes them better or worse. You may need to undergo an allergy test to determine the cause of an allergy that gives you severe symptoms.

At Suncoast ENT Surgical Specialists, we use the latest diagnostic testing that relies on both intradermal and prick methods. Intradermal testing involves the injection of a tiny amount of an allergen under the skin to see if it causes an allergic reaction. Prick testing involves the skin being scratched with the allergen.

The best way to reduce allergy symptoms is to avoid the cause of your allergies. While it is not always possible to avoid allergens, you can take steps to reduce your exposure.

Numerous medications are available for the treatment of allergic rhinitis. Your doctor may prescribe a medication based on your symptoms, the severity of those symptoms, your age and any other medical conditions that you have, such as asthma.

A nasal wash may remove mucus from your nose if you have mild allergic rhinitis. A saline solution can be purchased at a pharmacy or drugstore. However, you can make your own with 1 cup of warm water, a ½ teaspoon of salt and a pinch of baking soda.

Treatments for allergic rhinitis include:

Prevention

Sometimes the allergy symptoms can be prevented by avoiding or reducing exposure to the allergens that you know trigger a reaction. During pollen season, people who are prone to hay fever should stay inside and in an air-conditioned environment whenever they can.

Allergy Shots

If you cannot avoid certain allergens and if it is hard for you to control the symptoms, allergy shots may be the best treatment for your symptoms. Treatment involves regular injections of the allergen that increase in dose every time they are administered. Allergy shots are intended to help your body adjust to the antigen.

Antihistamines

Antihistamine medications work well in treating the symptoms of allergies, particularly when the symptoms do not last long or do not often occur. The medications can be purchased without a prescription. When taken by mouth, antihistamines can relieve mild to moderate symptoms but might make you sleepy. Before giving a child an antihistamine, ask a doctor because the medication could interfere with learning.

Corticosteroids

A nasal corticosteroid spray is the most effective allergic rhinitis treatment. Corticosteroids work best when they are used continuously, but the medications are also helpful when utilized over short periods. Several brands of corticosteroids are available for both adults and children.

Decongestants

Decongestants may help reduce symptoms such as congestion in the nose. Nasal decongestant sprays should not be utilized for more than three days. Additionally, using over-the-counter saline sprays with benzalkonium chloride in them may worsen the symptoms and result in infection.