Allergy Center
Texas Cities Consistent Rank Among Worst in the Nation for Allergies
Dallas-Ft Worth is routinely in the top 20 worst cities in the nation for spring time allergies and ranks 23rd overall worst in the nation for all seasons. If you have itching, sneezing, runny nose, post-nasal drainage, nasal obstruction, or nasal congestion, you may be one of many in DFW suffering from allergies. You are not alone; one out of every four households in America suffers from allergies. Allergic rhinitis, commonly known as hay fever, is the most common manifestation of allergies and is the 2nd leading cause of chronic disease in the United States behind only cardiovascular disease.
It's easy to become frustrated. . .
- When over-the-counter medications fail to provide relief
- When your allergies cause sleeping problems in turn worsening everything else
- When your itching, sneezing, red eyes, and runny nose become embarrassing in public
There is Relief!
At The Ear Nose & Throat Centers of Texas, we have 3 goals. We will identify if you have allergies and exactly what they are. We will teach you about the various treatment options for your allergies from medicine to immunotherapy. We will consistently and relentlessly help you achieve your goals in achieving allergy relief.
You can see some of the allergens we test for when you CLICK HERE.
By identifying the exact allergens to which your immune system is overreacting, we can tailor an individual treatment plan unique to you.
While immunotherapy (retraining your immune system to no longer react to allergens) is the gold standard of treatment, we offer a number of different choices to treat your allergies. We are familiar with many homeopathic remedies, some of which can be quite beneficial, and will counsel you on avoidance techniques as well as not wasting money on interventions that will likely not provide benefit. Furthermore, we will discuss the benefits of over-the-counter and prescription medication therapy, allergy injections and sublingual immunotherapy.
Allergy Shots
Allergy injections are one type of immunotherapy. It remains the single most effective treatment option. Immunotherapy of this type slowly administers increasing doses of the allergen to which your immune system is reacting and desensitizes your immune system to it. This titration effect eventually allows your body to be exposed to a significant amount of pollen or other allergen without causing you to have the burdensome symptoms you have been having.
Allergy Drops
Allergy drops given under the tongue can offer many advantages over allergy shots. First, there are no needles. Allergy drops (also known as sublingual immunotherapy or SLIT) are applied by putting drops of allergen under you tongue. They have the same effect as injection immunotherapy without the needles. There are obvious advantages there for those who would like to avoid needles whenever possible. Second, you can administer these at home, unlike shots for which you need to come into the office. Occasionally, a visit in the office is required, but not nearly as often as for injections. For those whose schedules preclude the ability to come in for a weekly visit, this can be a tremendous benefit. Third, while rarely covered by insurance, SLIT can be as affordable as shots depending on your copay for office visits. We can determine the cost difference for you. For more information on sublingual therapy specifically, read below.
Allergy Relief...it's all in the drop
Texas Ear, Nose & Throat Centers is a provider of sublingual allergy therapy for inhaled allergens. While medications treat the symptoms caused by allergies, SLIT treats the cause of allergies. In Europe, patients have experienced decades of relief from SLIT. Introduced in the US only recently, we are now offering them to all eligible patients. The drops are provided in metered dose vials which you take home.
So who is eligible for allergy drops?
With allergy drops, you are in control of your own therapy schedule. You can administer the drops wherever you are, including on vacation. This convenience can drastically reduce the time needed to come into the office for a formal visit.
If you are ready to end your allergy suffering, call us to schedule an allergy consultation.
If you think you’re suffering from allergies, please call 972-984-1050 to schedule your consultation with a doctor.)
Allergy or Cold?
| SYMPTOMS | ALLERGIC RHINITIS | COMMON COLD, FLU, OR RESPIRATORY INFECTION |
| Nasal Drainage | Thin, watery, clear | Thick, yellow to green in color |
| Fever | None | Occasionally, low grade |
| Itching | In ear, nose, and throat | Rare |
| Sneezing | Often occurring in violent, prolonged spells | Occasional |
| Duration | Weeks to months | 7-10 days |
The best method for determining if you suffer from allergies and what allergens trigger your symptoms is allergy skin testing. With the results of this test, your physician can confirm the severity of your allergies and formulate a treatment plan.
Sublingual Allergy Patients may now order their serum vial refills online. Click button to be redirected to a secure server.
Cross - Reactive Foods
There are many foods that can cause an increase in allergy symptoms. However, this does not mean that you are allergic to theses foods. You can perform an investigative work with these lists. If the pollen count is high and you eat some of the listed foods and you wake up the next morning with increased allergy symptoms, then you know that when the specific count is high you should avoid these foods.
Foods that contain mold cross-react with inhaled mold allergens causing increased allergy symptoms.
Molds - Year Round
- Alcoholic beverages, especially beer and wine
- Canned juice, especially apple and tomato
- Canned tomatoes, tomato paste, catsup, pizza and spaghetti sauce
- Cantaloupe, grapes, and pineapple
- Aged cheese
- Dried fruits
- Mushrooms
- Nuts
- Pickled and smoked fish
- Sour cream or milk 3 days or older
- Sourdough breads, baked items using fresh yeast
- Vinegar and vinegar containing foods, mayonnaise, salad dressings, pickles
SUGGESTIONS: When the mold count is high and you eat these foods you may find you have worse allergy symptoms, more congestion, post nasal drip, and sinus pressure. When the mold count is low you may be able to consume these items with no extra symptoms. Everyone is different; there could be just one or two things on this list that increase your symptoms or none at all.
Weeds - Spring & Fall
- Watermelon
- Cantaloupe
- Squash
- Zucchini
- Lettuce
- Banana
- Cucumber
SUGGESTIONS: Avoid these foods during high weed season and the day before, day of , and day after your allergy injection.
Grass - Summer & Spring
Grains cross-react with grass pollens when eaten during grass season or when receiving an allergy injection that includes grass allergen. This may cause an increase in allergic symptoms or an increased local reaction at the allergy site.
SUGGESTION: Avoid eating lots of bread and cereals during grass season around the time of an allergy shot.
Anaphylaxis Signs & Symptoms
- Rapid pulse
- Decreased blood pressure
- Skin red/warm
- Cough/wheezing/shortness of breath
- Itching/Urticaria
- Feeling of DOOM
Administer EpiPen immediately and then call 911. May administer a second EpiPen injection if symptoms continue after 5 mins.
Visit www.myepipen.com for further information.
Allergy Skin Testing Forms
Download and print out the Allergy Skin Testing Form by clicking on the image above