Spring. The season to stop and smell the flowers while
listening to birds happily singing away. Sounds just lovely! Unfortunately,
those that suffer from seasonal allergies are not singing the same happy tune.
Grass pollen, ragweed pollen and tree pollen are making
those with allergies miserable during this time of year in Houston Texas. It is
hard to enjoy the beauty of the season when your eyes are watering and your
nose is stuffed up.
This is where allergy clinics in Houston
come into play. Your experienced allergist is able to run through a series of
tests to determine what you are actually allergic to. A skin prick test
involves placing a small drop of an allergen extra on your skin. That drop is
pricked with a needle in order to allow a small amount of the extra under your
skin. After 15 minutes, any reaction such as red, raised bumps are measured.
The larger the area, the more allergic you are. A blood test can also be
performed to confirm the results from the skin prick test. A blood test is used
to measure the amount of allergen specific antibodies, called Immunoglobulin E
(IgE), that are in your blood.
Once your Houston allergist has confirmed what you are
allergic to, they will review your options for allergy treatments. Avoidance is
the best method to treat allergies. You can do this by not opening your windows
during heavy pollen days and making sure to clean your air conditioner filters.
Many find that this form of treatment cannot be done, as most of us do need to
spend time outside.
That leaves medications such as antihistamines or
decongestants to treat the symptoms of immunotherapy to actually treat the
allergy. Many of these medications are available over the counter, making it
easy to try them out to see which works best for you. You should consult with
your Houston allergist before you decide which medication to try.
Immunotherapy comes in the form of allergy shots or allergy
drops. This therapy involves introducing you to a very small amount of what you
are allergic to over an extended period of time (up to a few years). At the end
of the treatment, your body will have gotten used to the allergens and no
longer produces an allergic reaction.
Your Houston allergist is able to provide you with
information on any of these treatment options. Don’t let another miserable
spring go by without finally doing something about it. Who wants to live their life being unable to
smell the roses?
