What are allergies?
Allergies are a reaction by your immune system to a substance you touch, eat, or breathe in. Substances that trigger allergies are usually things that aren’t going to cause you harm. When you have an allergy, your body reacts as though the trigger is dangerous to your health.
Trigger substances are called allergens. Common respiratory allergens include:
Coming into contact with an allergen sets off unpleasant symptoms that can disrupt your daily life and make you feel miserable.
What are the symptoms of allergies?
Allergy symptoms vary according to the type of allergy you have. If you have a food allergy, you could swell up, have a rash, and/or feel nauseous or vomit. The team at ENT of New Orleans specializes in respiratory allergies that affect your nose and throat. These types of allergies cause:
- Blocked nose
- Swollen, watery eyes
- Itchy eyes
- Rash
- Runny nose
- Cough
Unless you receive the right treatment for your allergy, you could develop a chronic condition like postnasal drip. You’re also more likely to get headaches regularly and suffer from upper respiratory infections like sinusitis.
ENT of New Orleans has an allergy department with an on-site lab to provide a quick and convenient diagnosis of your allergies.
How are allergies treated?
Finding the cause of your allergy is the key to successfully treating it. The facilities for allergy testing at ENT of New Orleans are a significant benefit for patients who are suffering from the effects of allergies.
Once you have a diagnosis, your provider creates a treatment plan designed to minimize the allergy symptoms you experience. One way you can help yourself is to avoid known allergens as far as possible. You might also benefit from taking medications to reduce the symptoms your allergies cause.
Other treatments available for allergies at ENT of New Orleans include:
Immunotherapy
Immunotherapy can help clear up chronic conditions like hay fever (allergic rhinitis) and allergic asthma. It’s an effective treatment but takes time to work. Immunotherapy involves either having an allergy shot or drops under your tongue (sublingual immunotherapy).
The shots and drops contain small quantities of the allergens you’re sensitive to. By exposing your body to small, regular doses, it gets used to the allergen over time. Eventually, the reaction that results in allergy symptoms calms down.
Balloon sinuplasty
If you have blocked sinuses, balloon sinuplasty can open up your airways and help you breathe more easily. ENT of New Orleans has state-of-the-art in-office operating facilities where the board-certified ENT surgeons do image-guided sinuplasty.
The practice is an Entellus Medical® Center of Excellence for sinus procedures. Entellus Medical is a company based in the United Kingdom that develops procedures and equipment for the treatment of sinusitis and other ENT problems.
If you have allergies, call ENT of New Orleans today or book an appointment online.
We see patients all throughout the Greater New Orleans area. Call us to book your appointment today.
