Allergy Treatment at Frederick Breathe Free
What are allergies and can they be treated effectively?
Allergies are the result of your body reacting to a normally harmless substance as if it were harmful. When the body senses something harmful it produces antibodies to combat the harmful substance. While this is a great mechanism that can help keep you from getting sick, it can also cause debilitating symptoms when your body confuses a harmless substance with a harmful one.
These harmless substances that cause your allergies are called your allergens. When your body detects one of your unique allergens it will react with antibodies causing your allergy symptoms. At Frederick Breathe Free we are the allergy testing and treatment experts.
i want to get treatment for my allergiesWhat do allergies look like?
Everyone’s allergy profiles are unique, meaning that different allergens can cause different symptoms in people but some common allergens include:
- Dust mites
- Pollen
- Pet dander
- Mold
- Insects
- Air pollution
- Food allergies
What kind of symptoms do allergies cause?
Many people suffer from more than one allergen and you may be impacted while at home, work, and outside. Allergy symptoms can be unique, but some common symptoms include:
- Runny nose
- Itchy eyes
- Headache
- Facial pain
- Breathing problems
- Headache
- Rash or other irritations
Allergy testing helps you understand your unique allergy profile
Your allergy profile is impacted by your genetics, environment, and health conditions which makes your allergy profile unique to you. Since your allergy profile is unique, it is important to get a comprehensive examination to understand your allergies.
No matter the allergies, our team at Frederick Breathe Free knows that the best way to understand your unique allergy profile is to meet with you to understand your overall allergy treatment goals. This will allow the team to create a comprehensive testing plan that will get you the best results possible.
The first step in the allergy relief process is to find out how your body responds to allergens, but this is not the only part of the testing plan. We will also look at your entire health profile, health history, known conditions, and other issues that may impact your allergy testing and treatment. We do this to make sure that there are no other underlying causes that will interact with your treatment plan or cause any other sinus issues.
Once we have tested your allergies, reviewed your health history, and reviewed your results, we will go over every possible treatment option with you to make sure we can meet your overall goals. We will then create a custom treatment plan that can get the results you are looking for.
Allergy Treatment Options
Working with a physician to create a unique treatment plan is the best way to make sure that you will get the results you want. Your treatment plan should consider:
- Your allergy profile - make sure that your allergy treatment plan covers all your sinus and allergy issues.
- Your unique medical history - an allergy treatment plan must work with your other conditions and medications.
- Your long-term goals - always consider your long-term goals. Do you want to manage symptoms or get long lasting relief?
- Your budget - it is important to make sure that your treatment works with your budget and covered by your insurance.
- Your schedule - your treatment should work around your schedule, you shouldn’t be working around your treatment’s schedule.
After taking all of this into consideration, our team can create a treatment plan that will meet your goals and considerations. Common treatment plans include:
Allergy Treatment Medicine: Symptom Management
The symptoms that come with your allergic reactions are not the actual cause of your allergies, but they are the thing that makes living with allergies difficult. That is why using medications to control symptoms is a big part of any treatment plan.
While medications won’t get to the root cause of your allergies, they can respond quickly to allergy attacks, reduce symptoms, and reduce the severity of symptoms. Medications are usually used in conjunction with other treatments and include:
- Nasal sprays
- Skin creams
- Pills
- Liquid medicines
- Eye drops
- Inhalers
Allergy medications are usually affordable and modern medical advancements have made them safe and effective. They can be used long term or as seasonal treatments and the common forms of allergy medications include:
- Congestion relievers (decongestants)
- Inflammation reducers (corticosteroids)
- Histamine blockers (antihistamines)
Always consult with a doctor before starting any medication treatment plans.
Long-Term Relief Options
For most people, getting long-term relief from their painful allergy symptoms is the main goal. Immunotherapy helps all kinds of people reach that goal. Immunotherapy is a safe long-term treatment that has been around for over 100 years. It can help reduce symptoms or eliminate your allergies by retraining your immune system.
Immunotherapy retrains your immune system so that it will begin to recognize your allergens as the harmless substances they are. There are two types of immunotherapy that include:
Allergy Shots
Allergy shots are the oldest form of immunotherapy and they have been around for generations. The shot contains a tiny amount of your allergen so the body can slowly learn to stop reacting when your allergen enters your body. They are a safe, effective treatment that is designed to meet your unique allergy profile. An allergy shot treatment plan includes going to your doctor’s office weekly to get a shot so that you can be closely monitored.
The treatment plan can take anywhere from 3-5 years and during your treatment you will notice your allergies reduce or stop altogether.
Allergy Drops
Allergy drops have not been around as long as shots, but they are quickly becoming the preferred option for allergy sufferers. Allergy drops essentially work the same as the allergy shots except the drops are administered under the tongue rather than through a shot. They are safe enough for you to administer yourself on your schedule. This makes them the most convenient option for most people. The benefits of drops include:
- Convenience - the drops are administered when and where you want to
- Safe - they do not cause adverse reactions
- Your long-term goals - always consider your long-term goals. Do you want to manage symptoms or get long lasting relief?
- Comfortable - you don't have to deal with the pain of shots
- Effective - they are just as effective as shots
Understanding your allergies is the key to successful allergy treatment
At Frederick Breathe Free we will provide you with a comprehensive testing and treatment plan that will get you results that meet your goals.
Start your journey to better allergy health today