720-897-7160
Denver
Our success rate for treating allergies is 90%!
Our allergy team is committed to caring for each individual patient in making a difference in the way each feels. The compassion shown by our staff and the time we invest in all of our patients are the best indicators of our commitment to total patient care.
Each treatment plan is personalized to each patient’s specific needs. We will walk you through environmental control measures and lifestyle adjustments to help minimize your allergic reactions. If immunotherapy (allergy shots or sublingual allergy drops) is recommended, we will spend time explaining in detail your program options, so you will have all of the information that you need to make an informed decision.
We realize that coming in for office visits each week for an allergy shot can be a challenge, so we offer “home injections” for patients who have reached their maintenance level.
Allergy Causes, Treatment and Prevention
Forty-five million Americans suffer from recurring allergy symptoms. Symptoms of an allergy occur when the body’s immune system begins to respond to a substance as though it were a dangerous invader (called an antigen or allergen). It does this by sending specific defenders called antibodies to the entry site. The battle between allergens and antibodies results in a release of chemical mediators, such as histamine, into the bloodstream. Those chemical mediators cause changes in the body, which produce the symptoms.
Symptoms that an allergic reaction may cause include itching eyes, sneezing, nasal stuffiness, nasal congestion and drainage, and sometimes headache. Some people experience hearing changes, scratchy sore throats, hoarseness, and cough. Other rare but severe allergic reaction symptoms include balance disturbances, swelling in the face or throat tissues, skin irritations, and even respiratory problems and asthma. If you ever experience a severe reaction, be sure to seek medical attention immediately.
Some allergy sufferers experience symptoms all year. Others find certain seasons when the pollen count is high or specific circumstances bring on attacks (seasonal allergies). Allergy symptom control is most successful when multiple management approaches are used simultaneously. Minimizing exposure to allergens, managing symptoms with medications, and desensitization by using allergy shots are all methods that can be useful in controlling allergic symptoms.
Medications properly used can be very helpful. Over-the-counter drugs can be beneficial to treat the symptoms of allergic reactions but don’t treat the cause. Sometimes, prescription medications offer the best chance for control of allergies.
Beware Of Allergens
Nearly anything can be an allergen. Some substances, because of their chemical makeup, are more prone to generate an allergic response in humans. Pollens, food, mold, dust mites, insect stings, animal dander, drugs such as penicillin, and other environmental pollutants commonly cause many to suffer allergic reactions, which may also be referred to as hay fever.
While it’s sometimes possible to simply avoid allergens by making certain lifestyle changes, certain allergens are difficult to escape. These include house dust, pet dander, certain foods, and more. Symptoms of household allergies are frequently worse in the winter when the house is closed up.
To help identify the suspected allergen responsible for symptoms, ENT specialists often recommend skin prick testing. This diagnostic method introduces small amounts of common allergens into the skin to monitor for any signs of reaction, allowing us to pinpoint triggers for skin allergies and other allergic responses. However, skin prick testing is not typically used to diagnose severe or life-threatening allergies, such as anaphylactic reactions to certain foods, medications, or insect sting allergies, because of the small risk of provoking a serious response during testing.
In some cases, patients may also experience allergic contact dermatitis, a form of allergic inflammation caused by direct contact with a substance such as nickel, fragrances, or latex. Identifying these specific allergens is key to effective allergy management and long-term symptom relief.
Can Allergies Be Serious?
Allergies are rarely life-threatening but often cause disruptions to patients’ lifestyles and can cause other conditions, such as asthma, to worsen during the allergic reaction. Allergy sufferers can develop sinus or respiratory infections if allergy symptoms are not controlled. Allergies can also cause allergic rhinitis, causing inflammation in the nasal passages, leading to symptoms of a runny nose, a stuffy nose, sneezing, and itchy eyes.
Why Choose AOO | ENT Specialists of the Rockies?
AOO | ENT Specialists of the Rockies has been serving the Denver area for over 40 years. This group of board-certified physicians has exceptional experience treating families and meeting their needs in ENT services, sleep health, sinus and allergy treatment, hearing treatment, and facial plastic surgery. Our team includes ENT doctors, specialty-trained nurses, audiologists, and plastic surgeons. In addition to outstanding routine care, our team is also available 24/7 for emergencies.
Treatment And Prevention of Allergies in Denver
Several medications are useful in the treatment of allergies, including antihistamines, nasal decongestant sprays, steroid sprays, and saline sprays. For severe, chronic allergies that don’t respond to over-the-counter treatment, it may be helpful to visit an allergy center and learn about your options for environmental control. Based on your medical history and specific allergy testing, an allergy specialist at AOO | ENT Specialists of the Rockies can help create a personalized treatment plan.
The treatments employed by your otolaryngologist will depend on the substances to which you are allergic and the degree of your sensitivity to them. Although there are several options for allergy treatments, the most effective is the administration of injections that build up protective antibodies to specific allergens. Your otolaryngologist has extensive training in the diagnosis, testing, and treatment of allergies and is the specialist best trained to help you with sinus problems or other complications from nasal allergies.
Tips for Controlling Your Environment:
- Wear a pollen mask when mowing grass or house cleaning (most drugstores sell them).
- Change the air filters monthly in heating and air conditioning systems, and/or install an air purifier.
- Keep windows and doors closed during high pollen counts.
- Rid your home of indoor plants and other sources of mildew.
- Don’t allow dander-producing animals (i.e., cats, dogs, etc.) in your home.
- Change feather pillows, woolen blankets, and woolen clothing to cotton or synthetic materials.
- Enclose mattress, box springs, and pillows in plastic barrier cloth.
- Use antihistamines and decongestants as necessary and as tolerated.
- Observe general good health practices; exercise daily, stop smoking, and eat a balanced diet.
- Consider using a humidifier in the winter. Dry, indoor heat aggravates many allergic people. Be sure to clean the humidifier regularly.
Schedule an Allergy Appointment Today
If you suffer from severe airborne, food, and drug allergies that aren’t helped by over-the-counter medicine, the AOO | ENT Specialists of the Rockies can help. Our advanced ENT allergy center provides personalized allergy treatments using allergy drops, allergy injections, and environmental control plans. To go beyond treating symptoms and get to the root cause of your allergies, schedule an exam and allergy test with our team today. Contact our office by calling our phone number (720-897-7160) or filling out our online form.
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