About 50 million Americans suffer from asthma, hay fever, or other allergic conditions. You can see them across the room - handkerchiefs in hand, sneezing, sniffing, blowing nose, watering and rubbing their eyes. This is a common symptom for millions of children and adults who suffer from allergies. If you're lucky, these symptoms are just a minor inconvenience, but if they're severe they can significantly affect your quality of life. Allergist in San Antonio involving the nose (rhinitis) and eyes (conjunctivitis) are almost always caused by the contact of a harmful "allergen" with the mucous membranes of the nose or eyes. Constant exposure to the allergic person can cause daily symptoms, resulting in what the doctor would diagnose as persistent, chronic, or perennial allergic rhinitis. Common allergens responsible for these chronic symptoms can include dust mites, mold spores, indoor pets, cockroach or feather allergens.

You may want to consider visiting an allergist at Advanced Allergy, Asthma, & Immunology Center if the following symptoms are present daily or seasonally:

Itchy, swollen, red and watery eyes. Itchy nose, ears, eyes or throat. A runny nose. To sneeze. Stuffy nose. Persistent post-nasal drip.

 

Allergic rhinitis is actually one of the easiest diagnoses your doctor can make. If medical history suggests allergic rhinitis, an allergist will likely perform allergy tests to confirm the diagnosis, identify the offending allergens, and determine the severity of the allergy. Allergy shots for cedar fever are preferred by most allergists. Multiple allergens can be tested simultaneously with this method, with results available immediately. Alternatively, similar results can be obtained from a blood test called RAST or ImmunoCap.

The advantages of PCN testing include the clarification and confirmation of true penicillin allergies, increased use of -lactams, and decreased use of vancomycin, fluoroquinolones, and clindamycin. Once the relevant allergens have been identified, an allergist will recommend a comprehensive immunotherapy for food allergies. This strategy could include any or all of the following:

 

Environmental control - Minimize exposure to allergens you are sensitive to.

Pharmacotherapy - medications, including antihistamines, steroid nasal sprays, and other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.

Immunotherapy or desensitisation - Entails introducing allergen extracts (pollen, dust, mould, etc.) into the body to elicit an immunological response, thereby reducing or eliminating the allergic response. 

 

Historically, this form of treatment by an allergy doctor in San Antonio was only available by injection. Thanks to recent advances, the desensitization process can now be administered to select patients by taking drops under the tongue, a process called sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT). Allergy sufferers are also asthma specialists. The allergist in San Antonio at Advanced Allergy, Asthma, & Immunology Center is often consulted by primary care physicians to help manage asthma symptoms in children and adults. Tools such as lung function tests or botox injections are widely used by allergists to monitor a person's lung function and response to therapy. Additionally, an allergist will take a detailed medical history to try to identify asthma triggers and create a treatment plan based on what is causing or worsening asthma symptoms. Aesthetic treatments, also known as cosmetic treatments, are non-surgical procedures used to combat signs of aging, rejuvenate, and refresh the skin. At least half of all asthma patients have a significant allergic component that needs to be identified and treated. An allergist here will perform the necessary tests and create a treatment plan based on your allergies and sensitivities.

The allergist in San Antonio is a crucial player in a team wellness approach. Working closely with the GP, patient and family can maximize the likelihood of good health and excellent control of allergy and asthma symptoms.