Allergies are one of the most common chronic health conditions throughout the world. Allergy symptoms range from mild to life-threatening. However, if you have allergies or suspect you have allergies, the team at ENT and Allergy Specialists of Western PA can provide the help you need. The allergy experts offer testing, counseling, and treatment for all types of allergies. Call the office in Sewickley, Beaver/Vanport Township, Seven Fields, or Ohio Valley in McKees Rocks, Pennsylvania, or book an appointment online today.
Allergies are an immune system reaction to a substance your body views as harmful but may not be harmful to most people.
The substance, known as an allergen, triggers your immune system to produce antibodies — Immunoglobulin E (IgE) — that travel to your cells, releasing histamine and other chemicals that cause the allergic reaction.
You can develop an allergy to almost any substance. The most common allergies include:
Currently, there’s no cure for allergies, but the ENT and Allergy Specialists of Western PA team can help you manage your symptoms.
Allergy symptoms vary, ranging from mild to severe. If you have allergies, you may experience:
Anaphylaxis is a life-threatening allergic reaction that causes severe shortness of breath, loss of consciousness, and low blood pressure. That type of allergic reaction requires emergency medical care.
For some people, allergies trigger other health problems like asthma or sinusitis.
ENT and Allergy Specialists of Western PA diagnoses allergies using a skin test or radioallergosorbent test (RAST).
With skin testing, the allergy nurses and staff at ENT and Allergy Specialists of Western PA pricks the surface of your skin with proteins from common allergens, checking for a reaction. Or, they inject a small amount of the allergen under your skin. That is known as an intradermal skin test.
RAST is a blood test that measures the amount of IgE you have in your blood and tests how your blood reacts to a wide range of allergens.
Treatment for allergies depends on the type of allergen causing your symptoms. The allergy team at ENT and Allergy Specialists of Western PA counsels you about your allergy and how best to avoid it.
For environmental allergens, the team talks to you about your treatment options, including allergy medications and immunotherapy. For immunotherapy, you receive a series of shots over a period of time to desensitize your body to the allergen, reducing symptoms.
In addition to shots, ENT and Allergy Specialists of Western PA offers sublingual drops you take at home for immunotherapy. They also work with cutting-edge biologic medications to tailor their approach to best meet your needs.
For patients that have severe allergic reactions, the team prescribes emergency epinephrine pens for you to carry with you at all times.
Call ENT and Allergy Specialists of Western PA or schedule your allergy consultation online today.
