Allergies can cause a variety of symptoms that can disrupt your daily life, causing you to feel miserable and out of sorts. This is why Mark Stahl, DO, and the team at Apex Allergy and Asthma in San Antonio, Texas, offer allergy testing and individualized treatment plans to people struggling with allergies. Your customized treatment plan alleviates your symptoms and allows you to get back to your daily routine. To schedule an appointment, call the nearest office or book one online today.
There are several different kinds of allergies. Undiagnosed and untreated allergies can cause unpleasant symptoms and life-threatening anaphylaxis in extreme cases.
Food allergies are caused by the body's inability to utilize certain foods properly. Common food allergens include:
Aeroallergens affect the nasal passages, sinuses, throat, and lungs. Hay fever and asthma often result from exposure to airborne allergens, like pollen, dust mites, and spores. Common symptoms of allergic reactions include:
If you experience troubling allergy symptoms, schedule an appointment with the team at Apex Allergy and Asthma.
Apex Allergy and Asthma diagnoses allergies using no-needle skin testing, including scratch tests and patch tests. Patch tests can detect delayed contact dermatitis allergic reactions.
During a patch test, your provider places patches on your skin covered in various allergen extracts. After 48 hours, you come back into the office to see if any of the patch allergens have irritated your skin. If so, you're probably allergic to that substance.
During a scratch test, Apex Allergy and Asthma staff scratches the surface of your skin and places a small amount of an allergen over the area. If the scratch becomes red, inflamed, and begins to itch, you are probably allergic to that particular substance. These tests usually take about 20 minutes, and your provider will be able to interpret them that same day.
Immunotherapy involves the use of regular injections that deliver small amounts of allergens below your skin. This allows your body to make the antibodies it needs to reduce the allergic reaction you experience each time you are exposed to the substance.
The serum is made from minute amounts of the allergen and is injected once or twice or week at first. After you reach a maintenance dose, you'll only receive the shots every two weeks. This process continues for several months. For people with severe allergies, immunotherapy may last several years.
If you think you're experiencing allergies or want to find out what you're allergic to, get in touch with Apex Allergy and Asthma by calling the office or booking online today.
