Services & Procedures

Allergies

Skin Testing is the most accurate diagnostic test used by a trained allergist/immunologist. It is a simple procedure that is best described as tiny scratches that are generally on the surface of the skin on your back. The scratches are conducted with a small instrument, similar to a plastic toothpick. The instrument contains small amounts of common allergens. The skin is lightly scratched on the surface with a tiny amount of the allergen. If you are allergic to a substance, a small mosquito bite-like bump will appear. For those patients who do not react to this type of skin test, an intradermal process may be performed (similar to a TB test). The allergist can determine your specific allergy profile. Because everyone is unique in what their specific allergic triggers are, knowing what you are allergic to is important for the effective treatment of allergies.

Allergy Shots, also referred to as allergy injections or immunotherapy, are in essence a series of injections to control allergy symptoms. Allergy shots are not a medication. They are a vaccine. Receiving allergy shots desensitizes allergy patients to their specific allergens and is the only way to "turn off" the immune system's reactions. By gradually increasing the doses of your allergen, your body develops an immunity and/or tolerance to that allergen. In essence, allergy shots turn off an inappropriate immune response --your allergic reaction to a plant, tree, pet or mold --while still allowing your immune system to respond normally to infectious agents, especially viruses. Allergy patients frequently choose to get rid of their allergies and become medication "free." During immunotherapy, the patient will gradually develop a stronger tolerance of his or her allergens. With allergy shots, your allergy symptoms can be decreased, minimized or even eliminated.

Rush Immunotherapy is a way to rapidly desensitize a patient to allergens. By undergoing conventional immunotherapy, it can take about 6 months of weekly injections to reach the maintenance dose, the dose where symptom relief begins to occur. The timeframe can be decreased to about 1-2 months by undergoing Rush IT. With Rush, you will receive a series of 11 injections every 20 minutes which would accomplish building through the first 4 months of injections.

Penicillin testing. After being unavailable for the last several years, the reagents to test for penicillin allergy are now available. Approximately 85% of patients who describe themselves as allergic to penicillin are negative on testing and can safely take penicillin and its related drugs. Unnecessary avoidance of penicillin because of reported allergy alone leads to increased out-of-pocket costs for more expensive antibiotics. In addition, overuse of other broad spectrum antibiotics leads to growing antibiotic resistance. Skin testing involves a series of prick and intradermal testing to the penicillin reagents. If this testing is negative, the procedure is followed by an oral challenge to confirm that you are not allergic. This procedure is done in the office and takes approximately 2.5 hours to complete, including observation time.

Patch testing is a way of identifying whether a substance that comes in contact with the skin is causing inflammation of the skin. Patch testing can help determine if you have allergic contact dermatitis or irritant contact dermatitis. It is the only way that your allergist can prove that a substance is causing or aggravating your dermatitis.

Venom skin testing

Venom Immunotherapy is a highly effective program administered by an allergist, and can prevent future allergic reactions to insect stings. Venom Immunotherapy involves administering gradually increasing doses of venom to decrease a patient’s sensitivity to the venom. This can reduce the risk of a future allergic reaction to that of the general population.

Local anesthetic skin testing

Allergy Drops (SLIT) also referred to as sublingual immunotherapy, are a series of liquid drops placed underneath the tongue. Allergy drops are not medication; they are an oral vaccine that is custom mixed to contain your specific allergens. With allergy drops, your allergy symptoms can be decreased, minimized or even eliminated.

Oral food challenges an oral challenge is a procedure performed by your allergist where a person takes a particular food or medication by mouth in order to assure that no allergic reaction occurs.