Allergy Testing & Treatment | Charlotte NC

Allergies

Millions of patients, including adults and children, suffer from allergy symptoms yearly. An allergy is an immune system reaction that causes an inflammatory response to a normally benign substance known as an allergen.

Charlotte is beautiful, but it’s also home to many allergens that can trigger allergic reactions. These allergens include airborne seasonal pollens, such as tree pollens in spring, grass pollens in summer, and weed pollens in fall. Other allergens, like dust mites, mold spores, and animal dander, are present year-round. Consider allergy testing in Charlotte, NC, to identify specific allergens affecting you.

Allergy Symptoms

Allergy symptoms caused by respiratory airborne allergens can affect the nose, sinuses, throat, and ears.  In some patients, allergies can also trigger symptoms of asthma.  Common symptoms include:

• Nasal congestion
• Sneezing
• Itchy, watery eyes
• Sinus pain and pressure
• Nasal drainage
• Itchy or plugged ears

Evaluation & Diagnosis

A detailed history and examination by an ENT physician can help determine if you’re experiencing allergic reactions. Based on your symptoms, your physician may recommend allergy testing. An ENT allergy testing is most commonly performed with skin prick testing in the office. This procedure is easy for children and adults to tolerate, and its results can determine what allergens patients are allergic to.

Allergy Treatment

After identifying specific allergy triggers, the first course of action is to create a plan to treat the symptoms. Avoidance of allergens can improve symptoms. In many cases, it is not practical or possible to fully avoid allergens that cause allergy symptoms. There are a variety of medications that can be used to help treat the symptoms. These include:

• Nasal sprays
• Antihistamines
• Eye drops
• Decongestants
• Nasal saline irrigations

Other Measures

If avoidance measures and medications don’t control your symptoms or if your symptoms are severe, your ENT physician may recommend allergy immunotherapy. The ENT physicians at Queen City Ear Nose and Throat offer both allergy shots and allergy drops. Allergy drops are also commonly referred to as sublingual immunotherapy. Allergy shots are a series of injections performed in your ENT physician’s office. Allergy drops can be administered at home and are done by placing drops under the tongue. Allergy drops are a great alternative to allergy shots for both children and busy working adults. Both allergy shots and allergy drops expose your body to gradually increasing amounts of allergens resulting in desensitization or tolerance to what you are allergic to.