Allergy (Seasonal) and Injections

Seasonal Allergic Rhinitis is often referred to as "hay fever". According to the American Academy of Allergy Asthma and Immunology (AAAAI), more than 35 million children and adults are affected by seasonal allergies.

Seasonal allergies are caused by substances called allergens. These allergens are airborne pollens from trees, grasses, weeds and mold spores that frequently trigger allergy symptoms during the spring and fall seasons. Allergic rhinitis may also be caused by indoor allergens such as animal dander, dust mites, and indoor molds. If you are experiencing the following symptoms and want relief, contact our office at (920) 435-6601 and we will assist you in scheduling a consultation with our Board Certified Allergist.

Allergy symptoms often include the following:

  • Runny stuffy nose
  • Sneezing
  • Watery itchy red eyes
  • Itching of the nose, roof of the mouth, throat and ears

Our physician specializes in diagnosing and treating allergies. We can help determine if you have seasonal allergies, and which types of pollens you are allergic to. This is accomplished through allergy skin testing (prick method), which is the most common method for determining your allergies. If skin testing is not possible, a blood test might be useful. Allergy testing can be helpful in predicting the times of the year that you are likely to experience allergy symptoms, and is needed if you are interested in taking allergy shots (immunotherapy).

Avoidance:
Once it has been determined what you are allergic to, the best plan is to avoid these triggers to reduce your symptoms. This might not always be possible since many pollens are known to spread for many miles by the wind. The weather can influence your allergy symptoms. Allergy symptoms are often minimal on rainy, cloudy, windless days.

You may want to check the National Allergy Bureau website for pollen count in your area to see what pollens are present at various times of the year.

Medications:
There are also a number of different types of medications that might be prescribed for you as indicated below:

  • Oral antihistamines
  • Nasal sprays including inhaled corticosteroids and antihistamines
  • Decongestants
  • Leukotriene modifiers such a Singulair
  • Immunotherapy or Allergy injections

Allergy Injections:
Allergy injections (immunotherapy) is a treatment program and works by building up your immunity to whatever you are allergic to. Immunotherapy consists of receiving injections which begins with a schedule of 1-2 times per week, building to your "maintenance" dose (the most concentrated solution) over a 5-6 month period. At this time the injection frequency reduces to every 2-4 weeks, depending on how the patient is responding to treatment. The duration of treatment varies, but most patients are treated for 5 years. Allergy injections are specific to your allergies and will gradually reduce the need for other allergy medications.

Injections must be administered under the direct supervision of trained medical personnel and require a 30 minute waiting period after each injection to ensure your safety.

If would like to schedule an allergy evaluation please contact us at (920) 435-6601.