ALLERGY DIAGNOSIS

Allergy Diagnosis in Wilmington, NC

During your initial visit, your physician will carefully review your health history and current symptoms as well as your family's health history. Routine skin testing is generally used to diagnose your allergy symptoms so your doctor can provide the most effective form of treatment. In certain cases, a blood test must be used instead of skin testing.

  • Allergies and Allergic Rhinitis

    Allergy problems and associated diseases include chronic "colds," ear diseases that may have an allergic component, sinus infections, headaches, and allergic rhinitis.


    An allergy is an abnormal reaction to an ordinarily harmless substance called an allergen. When an allergen, such as pollen, is absorbed into the body of an allergic person, that person's immune system views the allergen as an invader, and a chain reaction is initiated. White blood cells of the immune system produce IgE antibodies. These antibodies attach themselves to special cells called mast cells, causing a release of potent chemicals such as histamine. These chemicals then lead to the allergy symptoms you may be experiencing.


    Symptoms of allergies can include sneezing, nasal stuffiness, itching and drainage, itching and watery eyes, burning palate and throat, dry and itchy skin, and hives. Allergies can also contribute to other diseases such as sinusitis, ear infections, and asthma. As ear, nose, and throat specialists, our physicians can effectively treat these illnesses associated with allergies.


    People can be allergic to multiple allergens. The most common allergens include tree and/or flower pollen, weeds, grasses, mold, dust mites, animals, foods, medications, cockroaches, and insect stings.


    The allergic disease affects one out of six Americans (approximately 40-50 million people) and costs millions of dollars in medications, physician services, and missed days from school or work. Allergic diseases are the sixth leading cause of chronic disease in the United States.


    Allergies are rarely life-threatening but often cost lost workdays, decreased work efficiency, poor school performance, and less enjoyment of life. It is common for allergy sufferers to develop sinus or repository infections if allergy symptoms are not controlled. Considering the millions spent on anti-allergy medications and the cost of lost work time, allergies cannot be considered a minor problem.


    There are a host of medications (and only a few mentioned here) that are used in the treatment of allergies, including antihistamines (Allegra, Zyrtec, Clarinex, Benadryl), nasal antihistamine sprays (Astelin), nasal steroid sprays (Flonase, Nasacort, Nasonex, and Rhinocort) and saline sprays. The medical management of allergies also includes counseling on proper environmental control.


    While medications are often effective in controlling your symptoms, they only 'mask' the symptoms and help individuals to cope with daily life. Certain medications may have undesirable side effects or excessive expense. In these cases, your doctor may advise allergy testing to determine the specific substances to which you are allergic. Once this is determined, you can desensitize yourself to the allergies by undergoing a series of allergy shots, also called immunotherapy.

Allergy Testing

Allergy testing can be performed in a variety of ways. Blood tests can be sent for evaluation, but skin testing is the most common method used in the diagnosis and treatment of ENT-related allergies. During this testing, a skin prick device is used to screen for potential allergies. This provides an immediate assessment of the patient's allergies and gives a very good idea of how allergic the patient is to specific allergens. This then allows the allergy technicians to prepare an allergy vaccine which will be created specifically for each patient and can be used in allergy treatment.

Preparation for Allergy Testing

When your appointment is scheduled, you will be given instructions on how to prepare for allergy testing. It is important to discontinue all antihistamines 3 days prior to testing. We offer a skin test for 48 different inhalant allergens, including pollens, dust mites, molds, and pets.

If you need allergy treatment, visit our allergy treatment page to see common treatments. 

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