An allergist can help relieve your allergy symptoms
If you suffer from year-round or seasonal allergies, you may already know that Texas has six cities on the list of the top 100 most challenging places to live with allergies (Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, 2020).
Baylor Scott & White Health has allergy and immunology specialists (often called allergists) on the medical staff who can help identify allergy triggers and manage symptoms for both children and adults.
Allergies are problems of the immune system. An allergen is anything that causes the body's immune system to release histamine, one of the chemicals that cause allergy symptoms.
Most allergic reactions happen when the immune system reacts to a false alarm. Normally, the body defends itself against harmful things, such as viruses or bacteria. But the defenses also attack mild things, so allergy symptoms can be caused by dust, mold, pollen and other environmental triggers at various times of the year (often called seasonal allergies), depending on your sensitivities.
Conditions treated by an allergist
- Allergies (including seasonal allergies)
- Asthma
- Rhinitis
- Acute and chronic sinusitis
- Chronic cough
- Hives (urticaria)
- Eczema (atopic dermatitis)
- Recurring infections
- Food allergies
- Drug allergies
- Allergic reactions to insect stings
Allergy treatment options
Depending on your allergy symptoms, there are several allergy treatment options, including:
Oral antihistamine
Oral antihistamines are medications used to treat allergy symptoms like
- Congestion
- Runny nose
- Common cold
- Sneezing
- Itchy throat
- Skin rashes
- Hives
- Itching
- Watery or itchy eyes
Some antihistamines also are used to treat anxiety, insomnia and motion sickness.
Decongestants
A decongestant is used to treat symptoms typically caused by the common cold, flu, allergies, or other upper respiratory illnesses (e.g., sinusitis, bronchitis).
Some decongestants require a prescription.
Steroid nasal sprays
Nasal sprays are used to deliver medications locally in the nasal cavities or systemically to help treat allergy symptoms.
Steroid nasal sprays are used locally for conditions such as nasal congestion and allergic rhinitis.
Traditional allergy shots
Proven to be a very effective method for controlling allergy symptoms, traditional allergy shots are covered by insurance, require a 30-minute wait period in the clinic to monitor for reaction and are administered for three to five years for best results.
Cluster allergy shots
Cluster allergy shots condense the majority of the buildup phase into just three office visits.
They are covered by insurance, save time on office visits and are as effective as traditional shots at relieving allergy symptoms.
Allergy drops
Also called sublingual immunotherapy, allergy drops are self-administered under the tongue until the patient reaches the maximum tolerated dose to treat allergies. They are not yet FDA-approved, and thus are not covered by insurance.
They are ideal for people who cannot tolerate shots and carry a lower reaction risk to some other allergy symptom relief options.
Drop therapy spans three to five years for best results.
Suffering from asthma?
Asthma makes breathing difficult for more than 22 million Americans, but Baylor Scott & White is here to help. If you're living with asthma, an allergist specializing in asthma care can help you manage your asthma symptoms.
To learn more about what an asthma provider can do for you, watch a video of a panel of experts as they discuss asthma topics and provide helpful resources.