What are Allergies?
Allergies occur when the immune system overreacts to normally harmless substances such as pollen, dust mites, pet dander, or mold. This immune response triggers inflammation and uncomfortable symptoms that can significantly affect daily life, sleep, work productivity, and overall well-being.
Many conditions treated by an ENT specialist are directly linked to untreated allergic disease.
Allergy Symptoms
Allergies occur when our bodies' immune system overreacts to non-harmful substances, which then creates harmful symptoms. Most allergy symptoms are not life-threatening, but significantly reduce our quality of life, affecting both work and leisure.
Common Allergy Symptoms
Environmental allergy symptoms include:
- Sneezing, itching, watery eyes
- Nasal congestion or poor nasal breathing
- Runny nose and post-nasal drainage
- Sinus pressure or congestion
- Frequent sinus infections
- Headaches
- Wheezing or asthma symptoms
- Fatigue or sleep disturbances
- Mouth breathing
- Irritability or difficulty concentrating
If these symptoms are persistent or seasonal, allergy testing may be recommended.
Allergy Testing: The First Step Toward Relief
Accurate allergy testing is essential for effective treatment. At Ear, Nose, and Throat Consultants, we perform comprehensive skin testing for 30+ environmental allergens.
Why We Prefer Skin Testing
Skin testing is:
- More sensitive than blood testing
- More accurate for environmental allergens
- Less expensive than many lab-based tests
- Able to provide immediate results
In certain medical situations, blood testing may still be appropriate.
Properly testing for allergies is the important first step towards addressing and eliminating any allergy or related symptoms. For allergy testing to be conclusive, it is critical that your testing be conducted by a highly skilled and experienced allergy office. Ear, Nose, and Throat Consultants are exactly that. We can perform skin testing for 30+ different antigens!
Allergy testing can be accomplished through a few different modalities. We prefer skin testing over blood work testing as it is more sensitive and more accurate. Skin testing is also less expensive than other types of testing. However, depending on your reaction, blood work may still be preferred due to certain medical conditions or medications.
What to Expect During Your Allergy Testing Appointment
Your testing visit typically lasts approximately 90 minutes and includes three steps:
1. Spirometry (Breathing Test)
We begin with spirometry to evaluate lung function and ensure it is safe to proceed. This quick, painless test takes about five minutes.
2. Prick Testing
Small amounts of allergen solutions are gently applied to the skin (usually the back) to identify immediate allergic responses.
3. Intradermal Testing
A small amount of allergen extract is injected just beneath the skin to detect additional sensitivities.
You may experience mild redness, swelling, or itching at test sites. These reactions are temporary and manageable.
Allergens We Commonly Test For
- Mold spores
- Dust mites
- Pet dander
- Tree pollen
- Weed pollen
- Grass pollen
- + More
Is Allergy Skin Testing Safe?
Allergy skin testing is extremely safe when performed by trained professionals.
We do not recommend testing for patients with:
- Poorly controlled asthma
- Severe lung disease
- Significant cardiovascular disease
- Frail health
- Pregnancy
- History of severe reactions to minimal allergen exposure
Our office is fully equipped to manage rare allergic reactions, and our team is trained in emergency protocols.
Medications That May Affect Allergy Testing
Certain medications can interfere with skin testing accuracy, including:
- Antihistamines
- Some blood pressure medications
- Anti-anxiety medications
- Certain antidepressants
- Over-the-counter cold and allergy medications
We provide detailed instructions before testing and coordinate with your primary care provider if needed.
Allergy Immunotherapy: Treating the Root Cause
If allergy avoidance and medications do not provide sufficient relief, we may recommend Allergy Immunotherapy — a treatment that retrains the immune system.
Immunotherapy works by gradually exposing your body to increasing doses of allergens, reducing sensitivity over time.
When used appropriately, immunotherapy is effective in over 90% of patients.
Benefits may include relief from:
- Nasal congestion
- Sneezing
- Itchy or watery eyes
- Sinus pressure
- Frequent infections
- Fatigue
Allergy Injections - Subcutaneous Immunotherapy
Allergy injections have been used for over 100 years and are considered the “gold standard” for allergy treatment in the United States.
How Allergy Shots Work
- Weekly injections during the build-up phase
- Gradual dose escalation
- Maintenance phase once the therapeutic dose is reached
- Typical treatment duration: 3–5 years
Most patients begin noticing improvement within 3–6 months.
Safety
Mild local reactions (redness, itching, swelling) are common and manageable. Serious systemic reactions are rare. All patients are prescribed an epinephrine auto-injector as a precaution.
See these links for more detailed information on subcutaneous immunotherapy
- American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology
- Subcutaneous Allergen Immunotherapy for Allergic Disease
- Subcutaneous Immunotherapy vs Sublingual Immunotherapy
- Allergen-Specific Immunotherapy for Pediatric Asthma and Rhino conjunctivitis: A Systematic Review
Interested in a shot-free way of receiving immunotherapy? Check out our Allergy Drop section.
Allergy Drops – Sublingual Immunotherapy
Looking for a needle-free option? Sublingual Immunotherapy (Allergy Drops) allows patients to treat allergies at home.
How Allergy Drops Work
- Customized drops placed under the tongue
- Initial supervised dose in-office
- Daily administration at home
- 10-day build-up phase followed by maintenance
Allergy drops use the same FDA-approved extracts as allergy shots but are administered sublingually.
Are Allergy Drops Effective?
Allergy drops are widely used in Europe and are endorsed by the World Health Organization as a viable immunotherapy option. Many studies show:
- Reduced allergy symptoms
- Decreased need for allergy and asthma medications
- Improved quality of life
They are especially helpful for children or patients with busy schedules.
Are the Allergy Drops Safe?
- Very low risk of serious reaction
- Most common side effect: mild mouth itching
- Extremely rare systemic reactions
Because sublingual administration is considered “off-label” in the U.S., insurance typically does not cover allergy drops. However, for some high-deductible plans, drops may be more affordable than injections.
How To Start Allergy Treatment
The first step is scheduling allergy testing. Based on your results, we will create a personalized treatment plan tailored specifically to your sensitivities and medical history.
Your immunotherapy formula will contain only the allergens to which you are truly allergic.
See these links for more detailed information on sublingual immunotherapy
- American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology
- Adult & Pediatric Clinical Trials of Sublingual Immunotherapy
- Efficacy of Sublingual Immunotherapy versus Subcutaneous Injection Immunotherapy in Allergic Patients
- Quality of Life Improvement with Sublingual Immunotherapy: A Prospective Study of Efficacy
- Preventive effects of sublingual immunotherapy in childhood: an open randomized controlled study
- Allergen-Specific Immunotherapy for Pediatric Asthma and Rhino conjunctivitis: A Systematic Review