What is allergy testing?

Safe Relief For Your Nasty Allergies

During your initial visit, your physician will carefully review your health history and current symptoms, as well as your family’s health history. Routine skin testing is generally used to diagnose your allergy symptoms so your doctor can provide the most effective form of treatment. In certain cases, blood testing must be used instead of skin testing. Allergy testing can be performed in a variety of ways. Blood tests can be sent for evaluation. However, doctors at ENT Specialists have had greater success in the treatment of allergies with the use of skin testing. During this testing, a skin prick device is used to screen for potential allergies. We then check exact sensitivities with the use of small needles (painless). This provides an immediate assessment of the patient’s allergies and gives a very good idea of how allergic the patient is. This testing then allows for the preparation of an allergy vaccine which will be created specifically for each patient and can be used in our Novi Allergy Treatment.

The Novi ENT specialists allergy treatment staff with patient

What are the benefits of allergy treatment?

There is a Better Way!

If a patient's allergic reaction can't be controlled by taking pills or staying away from allergens, allergy shots, also called immunotherapy or allergy desensitization therapy, may be the answer. When people get allergy shots, they get a number of benefits. For example, some people have trouble taking pills by mouth. If the person doesn't mind needles and injections, these people might do better with allergy shots.

Even though shots are given once a week at first and then once a month, they may be stopped after three to five years if the response is permanent. Even though allergy shots are more expensive than over-the-counter pills, they are less expensive in the long run because patients don't have to get them forever. Allergy pills you take by mouth treat the symptoms of allergies, but allergy shots treat the causes of allergic reactions. When immunotherapy works, patients are completely cured of their allergies because the shots treat the causes of the allergies, not just the symptoms. This is how we provide some of the best Allergy Treatment Novi has to offer!

Am I a good candidate for allergy treatment?

Clear the Air!

If you've tried over-the-counter medicine but still have ongoing allergy symptoms, you might want to consider an injection. You're one of those people whose allergies will linger throughout the year or for most of it—and yet these treatments can benefit you if you also have asthma or other respiratory problems. If allergies (along with persistent sinus infections) have been a problem for you in the past, this Allergy Treatment could be just what the doctor ordered. Of course, pet owners need to exercise caution because they may experience adverse reactions when coming into contact with furry friends and animals alike—but it would be nice to go without using steroids and antihistamines occasionally! And so, your doctor will need to conduct an allergy skin test first before telling you whether or not this is right for you.

Your Allergy Treatment Procedure

Treat the Causes, Not Just the Symptoms

Avoidance

Once your allergy has been diagnosed, and you are aware of the environmental cause of your symptoms, one course of action is to avoid the allergen. However, that is not always possible.

Medication

Several types of over-the-counter or prescription medications may be prescribed to control your allergy symptoms. Our Otolaryngic Allergists are experts at determining the best medication(s) for you. Allergy medications can be very effective in controlling symptoms but do not cure allergic reactions. Allergy symptoms can only be prevented by changing your immune system’s response to the offending allergen. There are a variety of over-the-counter and prescription medications that may be prescribed by your doctor to relieve your allergy symptoms. This Allergy Treatment may include antihistamines, decongestants, prescription nasal sprays, leukotriene inhibitors and more.

Immunotherapy

Immunotherapy builds up blocking antibodies by repeated exposure to allergens, reducing your allergic response and possibly eliminating the allergy altogether. When allergen avoidance and medications do not successfully control your allergy symptoms, your Otolaryngic Allergist may recommend immunotherapy. Through shots or oral drops, your doctor can change your body’s response to the problem allergen over time. Immunotherapy can improve or eliminate symptoms, as well as reduce or eliminate the need for medications and future treatment. New allergy drops can save you time and money. Research shows that the use of allergy drops builds up the same response as traditional allergy shots without the need for injections or frequent office visits.

Sublingual Immunotherapy (Allergy Drops)

While the symptoms of allergic rhinitis may be reduced by avoiding the triggering allergen and/or anti-allergy medication(s), the only known cure for allergic rhinitis is immunotherapy. Allergy shots (subcutaneous immunotherapy or SCIT) have proven to be effective and remain standard treatment at our practice and throughout the country. An alternate method of immunotherapy (sublingual immunotherapy or SLIT) works by placing allergy drops under the tongue once a day. Multiple studies have proven this method of Allergy Treatment to be effective, with results similar to standard injections. In fact, SLIT is now more common in Europe than injections.

Additional Reading

Both methods are based on the same principle: controlled exposure to extracts over time changes the immune response, effectively creating blocking antibodies and reducing or eliminating allergic symptoms. ENT Specialists is now offering sublingual immunotherapy as an alternative Allergy Treatment for those patients for whom immunotherapy is recommended but are unable to tolerate or complete a regular injection schedule. Patients enjoy the convenience of using these drops at home rather than coming to the office on a weekly basis for their shots. Allergy drops are taken on a daily basis, placed under the tongue, and absorbed. The dosage is increased over a 3-month period to reach full strength. Most patients will begin to experience a significant reduction in symptoms within one year, although three years of treatment is recommended to obtain maximal benefit. Side effects are unusual and mild, usually, irritation under the tongue that requires no treatment. No serious side effect such as anaphylaxis has been reported. An office visit every 3-6 months during treatment is recommended. Although studies are currently being done throughout the country, SLIT is not yet an FDA-approved treatment method. Insurance will cover office visits and allergy testing but will not cover the cost of the allergy drops. We are now able to provide customized allergy drops based on patient-specific testing at an average cost of $75 per month.

Allergy TreatmentsFrequently Asked Questions

Why test for allergies?

Finding out what you are allergic to is an important first step to effective Allergy Treatment. Today allergy tests are more convenient and accurate than ever before. When combined with an examination and medical history by your doctor, allergy testing can identify the specific things that are causing your allergies.

What allergies can allergy testing find?

Our allergy tests help find allergies to foods, trees, pollen, weeds, grasses, dust mites, animals, and molds.

Who should treat my allergies?

Otolaryngic Allergists are best qualified to diagnose and treat ear, nose, and throat symptoms. Allergies are a common cause of symptoms they see every day. Your Otolaryngic Allergist can also provide a broader range of health care solutions, including medical and surgical treatments.

What Are Allergy Drops?

Allergy drops are a new and more convenient form of immunotherapy. Patients have been prescribed allergy drops they take outside of the doctor’s office. Using allergy drops saves patients time and money because a weekly appointment is not necessary. Talk to your Otolaryngic Allergist to find out if this is the right course of treatment for you.

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