Allergy Testing and Treatment

An allergy occurs when the body’s immune system has an exaggerated reaction to a usually harmless substance. The most common causes of allergies are dust mites, molds, and pollen (grass, weeds, trees). The symptoms of this exaggerated reaction include: runny nose, sneezing, nasal congestion, itchy eyes, itchy nose, and itchy throat. Untreated allergic rhinitis (hay fever) can contribute to the development of sinus infections and chronic sinusitis.

If avoidance of the allergy trigger or allergy medications is not enough, allergy testing may be recommended. Allergy testing can be done in the office after consultation with Dr. Rodriguez. If the results of your allergy testing combined with review of your medical history and physical exam suggest that you would benefit from allergy shots (immunotherapy), a program of allergy injections will be designed specifically for you.

Allergy injections alter the way in which the immune system reacts to allergen. By giving small but increasing amounts of allergen at regular intervals, tolerance increases. The end result is that you become “immune” to the allergens, meaning that you can tolerate them with fewer or no symptoms. Allergy shots have been shown to decrease the risk of developing asthma by 50% and decrease the chance of developing new allergens. Patients who should consider immunotherapy are those with asthma or allergic rhinitis who: find it difficult or impossible to avoid the allergy trigger, are not finding relief with appropriate allergy medication, are experiencing significant side effects from their allergy medication or who wish to avoid taking regular allergy medication.