Allergy

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.

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.

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.