Are You Driving Everyone Crazy at Work?

Constant sneezing and throat-clearing, both symptoms of allergies, can irritate co-workers. There is a solution that will make everyone happy — immunotherapy.

Is there someone in your office who always sneezes, coughs and/or continuously clears their throat? That person may be suffering from allergy symptoms that include post-nasal drip. Co-workers offer a “bless you” once or twice, but the well wishes gradually taper off as thoroughly annoyed office mates secretly wish that person would get their allergies under control and put everyone out of their misery. It’s certainly not your fault but if you’ve been noticing dirty looks, you might be that person.

Similarly, is there a student at your child’s school who just looks miserable — suffering daily with watery eyes, runny nose, lack of energy and fleeting attention? The teacher and fellow students undoubtedly feel bad for that child — at least at first. But when symptoms continue day after day, sympathy turns to frustration and friends find excuses to slink away. That child’s grades are likely to suffer as a result of inattention and/or missed days. For this great, smart kid who isn’t achieving their deserved social or intellectual status, top notch performance seems an impossible dream. Is that your child?

Whether it’s you, your child, or someone who shares your air, there IS a solution that can clear symptoms and restore good relations — immunotherapy. Here are three need-to-know points about it … First, it can resolve reactions to multiple allergens like ragweed, mold and cat dander. Second, it lasts for years. Third, it’s entirely natural — it’s not medication. Immunotherapy exposes your immune system to very small quantities of the allergens, effectively teaching it “see, they’re really not so bad.” Since your system stops trying to fight off these harmless particles, your symptoms subside greatly or disappear altogether.

Allergy drops and shots are both forms of immunotherapy and they’re both effective. One of the major benefits of drops is you can take them at home — or on the road — so there’s no need to miss work or school for weekly doctor appointments, which are required with shots. (Missing work or school may be another strain on relationships with co-workers, friends and teachers.) Drops are affordable and are ideal for everyone from children to seniors. The upside of shots is that, currently, more insurance companies pay for them (co-pay and deductible may apply.)  In the long run, both shots and drops will likely be less expensive than medications — and will almost certainly be more effective.

If you or your child are the ones getting on everyone’s nerves, through no fault of your own, it’s time to put your allergies behind you and patch up those strained relationships. Talk to your doctor about immunotherapy. If it’s someone else, don’t bludgeon them to death — point them to https://www.allervision.com/allergies.

Spring – A Time for Love … and Pollen

A pine tree releases up to five lbs. of pollen, which will be distributed for miles by the wind. February is the start of pollen season. (Image source:Wikipedia)

Whether you’re eagerly anticipating the end of the freeze and the arrival of spring, or dreading it, depends almost entirely on whether you have allergies. If you’re an allergy sufferer, you may already be experiencing those dreaded symptoms; February is the official kickoff of pollen season for trees in many parts of the country.

So what is pollen anyway, and why does it make you feel so miserable? If it didn’t make you feel like sticking your head in the sand until the scorching summer months, the answer would be, if not romantic then at least a little racy. Pollen is a collection of powdery grains made up of microscopic proteins that male tree parts release into their air with the hope of pollinating female tree parts … ideally of a different tree. The wind carries these grains for miles, dispersing them over the terrain to find the perfect mate(s) and increase the chance of successful reproduction. Since this is a very hit or miss delivery technique (slightly more so than an internet dating service), trees — and other plants — release millions of grains of pollen. Put enough pollen out there and, like with internet dating, eventually something good will happen.

With all that pollen circulating in the air looking for companionship, it’s inevitable that sooner or later some will come in contact with your respiratory system. Since the pollen is a normal part of the environment, your body should just be able to ignore it and carry on with little more than an occasional sneeze. However, a pollen-allergic immune system mistakes pollen as a serious invader and immediately summons defenses to fight it off. The result is a wall of mucous and swelling designed to keep the invaders out and a barrage of symptoms that may include runny nose, congestion, sinus headaches, conjunctivitis, skin rashes, coughing, and asthma flare ups; they’re often worse than the symptoms of an internet match gone wrong!

There are a variety of treatment options to quell these symptoms. You can find more details about them in our Which Allergy Treatment is Right For You post. But seeing as it is virtually impossible to avoid these mate-seeking airborne grains, allergic patients should strongly consider the only solution that is actually a “cure” because it teaches your body to ignore pollen season after season: immunotherapy. That’s important considering that at this very moment, pollen from Ash, Alder and Juniper trees, among others, may be swirling around your home. Too bad we can’t offer immunity to bad matches on the internet scene. Welcome to spring!

Make “Get Rid of My Allergies” Your New Year’s Resolution

Don’t let pollen keep you from enjoying the great outdoors. You can overcome your tree, grass and weed allergies with immunotherapy.

Some people resolve to diet. Others commit to exercise more. Whatever you promised yourself for this year, we suggest the additional new year’s resolution (it’s not too late to make one!) of improving your health and wellness by overcoming your allergies. It’s possible, and we’ll tell you how below. But first, in case you need a little extra motivation, here are a few activities that you should be able to enjoy, but which often provoke allergy symptoms: strolling in the park; playing soccer; watching a little league game; exploring a forest; hugging your dog; rolling in the grass; visiting friends; petting a cat; walking outside in spring; cleaning your home; sleeping; breathing.

When we say “get rid of allergies” we’re not talking about covering up your symptoms with medications or temporary treatments. We’re talking about using immunotherapy to teach your immune system not to react to the harmless allergens that it mistakes for enemies. When you do this with allergy drops or shots, your body stops creating allergy symptoms each time it encounters the allergens; in other words, you become healthier!

The first step is visiting your healthcare provider for a pain-free allergy skin test to determine what allergen(s) causes your symptoms. If your doctor doesn’t offer the skin tests, click here to find one who does. Then talk to your provider about whether immunotherapy is right for you. If you are a good candidate for the treatment, your doctor will recommend either drops or shots. Within two months of starting immunotherapy, you may leave your allergies in the dust – not just for this year, but for many years to come! And next year, your resolution can be based on using your good health to reach new goals!

Say Goodbye to Hay Fever, Hello to Winter Allergies

Although allergies to pets, mold and dust last all year, they may be more pronounced in the winter when people spend more time indoors.

Depending on where you live, hay fever season might be coming to a close in a few weeks. That’s the good news, and it isn’t coming a moment too soon for the millions of people who suffer from weed pollen allergies. The bad news: with the approach of cold, wet weather, you’ll likely be spending more time indoors where a new set of allergens will step into the spotlight.

Mold, pet dander and dust mites can cause problems year round but when you’re cooped up with them, their effect becomes more pronounced. That head cold or “sinusitis” that just seems to hang around all winter … maybe it’s not a cold after all — it could be an allergic reactions to one of these common triggers. And those recurring ear infections your child gets — they, too, could be caused by allergies.

On the positive side, there are simple ways to fight at least two of these allergens. You can combat mold by keeping your kitchen and bathrooms dry. Be especially diligent about drying showers, where mold likes to grow in corners, and tile countertops where grout can soak up moisture.

Similarly, you can keep dust at bay by cleaning regularly and washing your bedsheets and pillow cases in HOT water weekly. Specialized covers over your mattress and pillows can help control dust mite migration. Dust mites also live in carpets, so vacuum constantly. In addition, dust clings to drapes, stuffed animals and other soft fabrics so make sure you wash them frequently in hot water if you plan to keep them around.

Pet dander can be harder to control if you have a pet, or visit homes with pets. Vacuuming helps if you do it often, but pet hair also sticks onto furniture, clothing and more. And if you let your pet lick you, you’re getting a full dose of allergen right to the face. But who wants to turn away their lovable friend when it’s showing affection? If you can’t keep up the rigid cleaning regiment, and/or don’t want to snub your pet, your best bet might be immunotherapy (allergy drops or shots).

Immunotherapy teaches your body to ignore allergens so allergy symptoms don’t develop in the first place. And both allergy shots, and allergy drops can help you overcome multiple allergies at once — for instance, pet dander, tree pollen and ragweed pollen — so you can resolve all of your allergy triggers with one form of treatment and enjoy the entire year allergy-free. To learn more about immunotherapy, click here.

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Which Allergy Treatment is Best for You?

There are a lot of options for treating your allergies but only immunotherapy can keep your symptoms from returning.

Fall is hay fever season so there is a good chance you are experiencing some allergy symptoms. After all, over a quarter of Americans suffer from significant allergies. And for many, the symptoms begin in adulthood. So the question is, what should you do about them? To a large degree, that depends on their severity and your tolerance for discomfort.

Officially, the first course of action is avoidance, which means keeping away from your allergy triggers. In theory that makes sense but it’s often undesirable and all but impossible. For instance, say you’re allergic to the family pet. Are you going to get rid of it even though everyone in the family — including you — loves it? Now consider tree, weed and grass pollen. Even if you move far away from the source of the pollen that’s bothering you, a good stiff breeze will send it flying right to you — tree pollens travel hundreds of miles. 

When symptoms start, a majority of people turn to the next courses of action: over-the-counter medications and natural remedies, including nasal irrigation products. Sometimes these measures work very well at relieving symptoms short term. The key here is “short term.” What these products do is overcome your current reaction to allergens. That’s great if you get occasional and/or mild symptoms. There are two “howevers,” though.

The first is the side effect “price tag.” Medications often cause side effects, like drowsiness, that can significant reduce your productivity. And they may not work right away, if at all; doctors now recommend you start taking medications weeks before your symptoms normally start for maximum effectiveness. Even if you do that, the only potential benefit is symptom relief. So you are supposed to take meds in anticipation of symptoms you don’t have yet just to get temporary relief from this year’s onslaught.

The second “however” is even bigger. Let’s say, best case scenario, the medication or natural remedy overcomes your symptoms today. Excellent. But tomorrow when you encounter your allergy trigger — be it pollen, pet dander, mold, etc. — the symptoms start up all over again. You’ll be taking the medication, or using the remedy, for the rest of your life. That’s a lifelong commitment to meds.

There is another option: immunotherapy. This natural treatment exposes your immune system to small amounts of the pollen — or other allergens that your body thinks are enemies — until your immune system learns to accept those allergens as normal. When the body stops trying to fight them off, your allergy symptoms decline and often disappear. In other words, immunotherapy actually makes you better. Every day on immunotherapy is a step towards an allergy-free life.

Immunotherapy doesn’t work overnight. It typically takes a few weeks to two months for treatment to start working. For best long term results, you should continue treatment for three to five years. There are three types of immunotherapy: allergy drops, allergy shots and tablets.

Allergy drops have been popular throughout the world for over 60 years. In the comfort of your home, you simply place a few drops of serum (which is composed of the allergens that trigger your symptoms) under your tongue every day. The drops are convenient, easy, safe, nearly side-effect-free and suitable for allergy sufferers of all ages. The best drops formulations are ones that are designed specifically for you. You start with a low dose and ramp up to a higher dose when your body is ready.

Allergy Shots have been used successfully in the U.S. for decades. Healthcare providers administer the shots to you in their offices on a regular basis, often weekly or bi-weekly. Health insurance policies usually cover many of the out-of-pocket costs associated with allergy shots. Both shots and drops can be formulated to address multiple allergies at once. So, for instance, if you’re allergic to cat dander and tree pollen, you can be treated for both at the same time. Like drops, shots start at a low dose and ramp up.

Tablets are a new form of immunotherapy. Each one is made to combat a single allergen. Unfortunately, most people are allergic to more than one thing. But the companies that makes these tablets have targeted the most severe allergens, like ragweed and grass pollen. Tablets start at full dose, so you get a large amount of allergen under your tongue from day one, ready or not.

So which sounds right for you? If you’re symptoms are mild and very sporadic, and over the counter medications do a good job of hiding them for you without too many side effects, you may choose to go that route. But if they’re more severe, you’re tired of the recurring battle with symptoms, you have side effects with the drugs, or you just don’t want to take medication for the rest of your life, immunotherapy might be your best bet. Either way, you should ask your doctor for an allergy evaluation. You should always be armed with information and a definite diagnosis of allergies before taking even the stuff you can buy over the counter.  Once you have answers about the cause, you and your doctor can discuss the right treatment.

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The What, Where and When of Allergies

The AllerVision Allergy Map will show you the biggest allergen offenders in your area and when they cause the most damage. Click here to see it.

Maybe you’ve had an allergy test and you have a list of allergens that cause your symptoms. (If not, click here and AllerVision can help you find a provider who will give you the answers you deserve!) But unless you’re a botanist, you probably don’t know what most of those allergens looks like. And even if you do, you may not know when you need to watch out for them. Don’t worry, we have you covered! …

Click on the caption under the image at right to visit the AllerVision allergy map. Once there, click on your region of the country to see the trees, weeds and grasses that cause the worst allergy problems in your area. (AllerVision-affiliated providers test you for sensitivity to those pollens when you visit them for an allergy evaluation.) If you hover over the names of the plants, you’ll see pictures and the season(s) in which each allergen does the most damage. Take the seasons listed with a grain of salt, though — global climate change is, well, changing the environment. Many doctors and allergy specialists blame those shifts for the huge increases in pollen — and, consequently, allergy symptoms — produced each year.

That said, if you’re experiencing allergy symptoms or generally not feeling well right about now, there’s a good chance you can blame pollen from grasses including Rye, Bermuda and Red Top, among many others. As summer fades to fall, weeds become the more primary villain, with Ragweed topping the list as public enemy number one. Pollen tends to take a rest in early winter, but come late winter and early spring, Ash, Alder Cypress and other trees begin spewing pollen like there’s no tomorrow — and allergy patients suffer mightily.

Unfortunately, indoor allergens never go away. Dust, pet dander, cockroaches and mold can cause allergy misery all year long. The allergy symptoms they trigger tend to stand out in the winter because people spend so much time indoors but even in mid-summer any one of them can be the cause of your discomfort.

Given that outdoor allergies are cyclical, you may be able to stuff yourself with medication until your worst season is over — but next year you’ll experience the same problem. Or, you can turn to immunotherapy, which teaches your body to ignore allergens so the disease goes into remission for years. Immunotherapy lets you enjoy many, many seasons without symptoms. To learn more, click here so you can stop worrying about allergies wherever you are, whatever the season.

Does Your Child Have Allergies?… Are You Sure?

Allergies can cause a wide variety of symptoms, many of which you might not expect.

Viruses, bacteria, allergens — there’s any number of small organisms that can make children feel bad. Often the hardest part of treatment is determining the true cause of your child’s illness. For instance, is the latest ear infections the result of a “bug” going around day care or is grass pollen triggering an allergy?

Compounding the situation, allergies manifest themselves in many different ways. Of course, everyone knows that allergies can cause sniffles, watery eyes and sneezing. But here’s a list of other common, though often undiagnosed allergy symptoms in kids:

• Asthma
• Frequent ear infections
• Sinus headaches
• Nasal polyps
• Conjunctivitis (eye irritation)
• Skin rashes and eczema
• Mental problems such as confusion, slow thinking, depression and forgetfulness
• Respiratory effects including endless colds, chronic cough, recurrent bronchitis
• ADHD (Attention Deficit / Hyperactive Disorder)

That’s right,  allergies can even trigger ADHD. So, what do you do? The first step is a full allergy evaluation by a qualified medical provider. An allergy test alone — even a skin test, the gold standard — is not enough; it can show that your child is sensitive to an allergen but not determine if that is causing symptoms. Your provider should conduct a full health history. The results, in conjunction with your answers to when and where your child exhibits symptoms, can help determine if his or her maladies are allergies or something else.

One key to remember is that if your child’s ailments come and go regularly, or if they stay around constantly, there’s a good chance allergies are to blame. If they’re “one and done,” it may be just the cold going around. When in doubt, ask your provider for a full allergy evaluation. To find an AllerVision-affiliated doctor who is qualified to do this, click here.

The Top 7 Questions About Allergy Drops

Drops are one of the simplest, most effective allergy treatments. A few drops under the tongue each day teaches your immune system to ignore allergens so symptoms naturally fade away.

If you’ve been following the AllerVision blog and Facebook page, you know we’re enthusiastic about allergy drops (also known as sublingual immunotherapy or SLIT). Why? Lots of reasons, including the facts that they’re very easy to use, extremely effective, and suitable for allergy sufferers of all ages, to name just a few. Many people haven’t heard of allergy drops, though, and here are the top seven questions they ask when their doctor prescribes them.

1) How do they work? Once your doctor performs an allergy test and determines your allergy triggers, s/he prescribes drops based on those allergens that affect you. The drops contain low doses of those allergens (also known as antigens) — essentially, you put drops of pollen, dust, etc. under your tongue. Your immune system gradually begins to recognize that those particles are allies, not enemies, and stops trying to fight them off. As a result, allergy symptoms retreat and disappear.

2) How long does it take to work and how long do they last? Within the first six months of starting treatment — and often much sooner — your allergy symptoms will likely fall away dramatically. You’ll stay on the drops for about four years and probably will enjoy allergy relief for at least 10-15 years after you stop. For some, it will last significantly longer; relief varies from person to person.

3) What allergies do they “fix”? Drops can help resolve your allergies to inhaled allergens such as pollen, pet dander, dust and mold. Exciting new studies have shown success with peanut allergy as well, but that treatment is in its infancy and requires close monitoring by an allergy specialist.

4) Are they better than allergy shots? Drops and shots use the same antigens, so in principle they should work equally well. The clinical studies confirm that when used consistently, drops and shots have basically the same results. Drops seem to work better for some people, though. This may be because they’re much more convenient and you don’t have to stop them when you go on vacation, feel under the weather or can’t make it to the doctor’s office; therefore, patients are more likely to complete the full course of treatment. And kids, especially, prefer drops because there are no needles. For drops, you simply squeeze a little liquid under your tongue and hold it for two minutes each morning. For shots, you visit the doctor each week and stay for at least 30 minutes.

5) Why are the drops considered “off label” by the FDA? The FDA has approved individual antigens for use in injections, and a few some sublingual delivery but whenever antigens are combined for individualized treatment, the mix is considered off label. Both shots and drops are formulated off label to make sure they fit your exact needs. Nonetheless, every ingredient is FDA-approved and manufactured under the highest FDA standards. And drops are proven to be safer than injections.

6) What do they taste like? Because the antigens are suspended in glycerine, which is basically a sugar, the drops taste rather sweet. You place them under your tongue where you won’t taste much, but most patients usually enjoy what they do taste.

7) Will they interfere with medications or treatment of other conditions? It’s important to remember that drops are not medicine but are rather just little bits of tree, grass, weeds etc. that you already encounter in your environment, so they don’t interact with meds. For the same reason, they don’t cause side effects — like drowsiness, weight gain and increased blood pressure, common problems of many allergy medications — and have no effect on the treatment of other conditions. Also, drops are suitable for allergy sufferers of all ages, from young children to seniors.

For answers to other questions about drops, click here or ask your healthcare provider. In this world where allergies are only getting worse, drops are the safe, easy, and definitive solution to the allergy problem!

Top 7 Questions (and Answers) About Allergy Skin Testing

After antigens are applied to a patient’s back, her skin reacts with bumps and/or wheals — and, possibly, itchiness. After about 15 minutes, the provider wipes away the antigens are the reaction(s) fade away.

In our last post, we explained why nearly every doctor should offer allergy skin testing. (If you missed it, click here.) Here are patients’ top seven questions about the test.

1) Should I have an allergy skin test? Allergies cause many more symptoms than the average person realizes, including rashes (dermatitis), sinus infections, migraine headaches, dizziness, conjunctivitis, respiratory problems, fatigue, muscle and joint pain, and the list goes on. If you get any of these symptoms regularly, you should discuss the possibility of allergies with your doctor, who will likely suggest the test and a review of your health history.

2) Can my child have the test? The test is safe for children as well as seniors. In fact, it is appropriate for virtually everyone, with the exception of pregnant women, patients with unexplained episodes of anaphylaxis, patients with active hives or active severe asthma symptoms, and people with significantly suppressed immune systems.

3) What does it test for? AllerVision-affiliated providers test for a wide variety of airborne antigens common to your region of the country — such as pollen from local trees, grasses and molds — as well as molds, dust, animal dander, cockroaches and certain foods. If you suspect allergies to specific foods, your provider may test you separately for those individual items.

4) What happens during the test?  Your provider presses several plastic applicators coated with antigens onto your back. As your skin reacts to certain antigens, you may feel itchiness. After 15 minutes, the provider measures any bumps (or “wheals”) that develop — indicating positive results — and record them. Then he or she cleans your back to relieve any discomfort.

5) Does it hurt? No. You’ll temporarily feel minor pressure from the tines of the testing devices as they’re applied, but they don’t penetrate your skin and they’re specially-designed to prevent pain. Even young children rarely complain. Itching caused by positive results begins to resolve as soon as the antigens are wiped away.

6) Is there anything I need to do to prepare? The most important thing to remember is that you shouldn’t take antihistamines for three days before testing because they can prevent the very reactions your provider needs to see. Also, be sure to inform your provider if you’re pregnant, have asthma, are suffering from severe illness, or have experienced a strong allergic reaction.

7) How long does it take to get results? In just 15 minutes, your doctor will have a clear picture of your allergic reactions so you can plan and begin a treatment program immediately.

 

Allergy Testing, Immunotherapy Boost Medical Practice and its Patients

Allergy immunotherapy has helped the patients and the practice of Dr. Stephen Sisselman, of Sisselman Medical Group in New York.

This post, from guest blogger Dr. Stephen Sisselman, looks at allergy testing and treatment from the general practitioner’s point of view. 

Sara V is a patient I’ve known for a long time. She comes in every few months with assorted respiratory complaints including runny nose, cough, congestion and excessive mucus production. I typically tell her she has rhinitis and that antibiotics are ineffective. Nevertheless, she usually requests an antibiotic. Recently, we began offering allergy testing at my office so I told Sara that I wanted to test her to see if allergies might be the cause for her respiratory complaints.

I started allergy testing as a way to offer more services to my patients and enhance the ancillary testing in my practice. It takes just five minutes to prep a patient and about five more to complete the test. In another 15 minutes the test results are ready to read. About half the patients we test each week show significant allergies to trees, weeds, molds, grasses or other environmental allergens. Patients love the idea of in-office testing where they get immediate results and don’t have to schlep to an allergist.

Getting back to Sara V… I thought that maybe seasonal allergies play a role in her frequent respiratory complaints. I performed an allergy test and we were both surprised by her results; she was positive for trees, weeds, grasses and indoor perennials such as dust mites. After a discussion of appropriate therapy, she decided that allergy shots — subcutaneous immunotherapy (SCIT) —were the best choice for her. Now, three months into the program, she already has fewer symptoms and respiratory complaints. And Sara is just one of many of my patients now experiencing a greater quality of life.

Sara chose allergy shots but those aren’t the only treatment option. I help patients with positive test results choose the treatment that’s right for them. Some prefer oral antihistamines and steroid nasal sprays. Others, like Sara, choose immunotherapy because it doesn’t just cover up symptoms, it trains the body to ignore the allergens that trigger the symptoms.

I administer allergy shots in my office. Based on insurance coverage, patients may have just a small copay, or none at all. Some patients prefer the freedom of treating themselves with immunotherapy at home. For them, we offer sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT), also known as allergy drops. SLIT drops from AllerVision are customized to the patient based on the results of their allergy test. The patients simply place three drops under their tongue and hold them there for three minutes each day. Drops usually cost about $70/month. They’re not covered by insurance but for those who choose them, the convenience easily outweighs the cost. Both shots and drops start working within a few weeks to a few months and treatment is complete in four years.

The allergy program has been a great addition to my practice. I enjoy the increased reimbursements for allergy testing and shots administration while my patients love the convenience of getting needed testing and treatment in my office. My staff also loves the program because it’s easy and we can better diagnose and treat patients with frequent or chronic upper respiratory complaints. It’s a win-win for everybody.

Stephen G. Sisselman, D.O., F.A.C.P.

Dr. Stephen Sisselman is Board Certified in Internal Medicine. His practice, Sisselman Medical Group, in Massapequa NY and Commack, NY cares for patients ages 12 and up.