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!

Do You Know What You’re REALLY Allergic To?

Flowering trees do not usually trigger allergies. If you start sneezing when you encounter one, chances are that other trees — or other allergens altogether — are to blame.

Consider this: you walk down the street and see a beautiful tree with blooming purple flowers. As you get closer, you start to sneeze uncontrollably. It’s obvious you’re allergic to the tree, right? Probably not…

First, trees with flowers are usually insect pollinated, not wind pollinated. Pollen carried by insects rarely ever makes it into your system. So if it is pollen that’s causing your reaction, it’s probably not the flowering tree that’s to blame. Then why does it always seem to work that way — you see the flowers, the tree is clearly in bloom, and you start sneezing — if flowering trees are not allergy-inducing? Because they blossom at the same time as wind-pollinated trees. There may be a grove of Juniper trees two miles away and a gust of wind picked up its pollen and delivered it right into your path. Maybe you didn’t even see the Juniper pollen, which makes it an even more likely culprit; the smaller the pollen size, the farther travels and the more easily it sneaks into your nose and lungs. Then again, your allergy trigger could be pollen from recently mown grass or the patch of weeds growing in a nearby field.

Now imagine stepping into the home of a friend. Within minutes, a sinus headache comes on strong. Although there’s no pet present, cat hair covers the couch and a shaft of sunlight reveals dust wafting through the air. Either of those could be a source of your allergy symptoms. In fact, cat protein lives in a home for many months after its furry owner has vacated the scene. Or, cockroaches — completely hidden from view — could be to blame. The roaches may be long gone too, but it’s what they leave behind that gets your histamine flowing.

Last scenario… You take a bite out of an apple and your mouth tingles and your lips feel slightly swollen. Are you allergic to the apple? Hard to believe, since you just had a slice of apple pie and didn’t have any problems. You might be experiencing Oral Allergy Syndrome (OAS). Simply put, the apple is related to certain kinds of pollen to which you are sensitized and, in its raw form, the apple triggers allergy symptoms.

So, how do you tell what you’re really allergic to? There’s only one reliable way — an allergy test. First, when you visit an AllerVision-affiliated provider, your doctor will ask questions to get clues to what allergens MIGHT be to blame. Then you’ll most likely receive a pain-free skin test that will reveal your allergy sensitivities in just 15 minutes. Combined with the questions you answered, your doctor should be able to identify your allergy triggers on the spot so you can discuss treatments. That, of course, is the bottom line — we want you to enjoy the great outdoors — or whatever’s really causing your allergies.

To find an AllerVision-affiliated doctor — who’s qualified to offer allergy examinations — please click here.

When Pollen Strikes!

When the wind blows, the pollen inside these sacks will be released, filling the air for miles.

One of the major causes of allergic disease, such as allergic rhinitis (also known as hay fever), is airborne pollen. All plants produce some pollen as part of their reproductive cycle. There are thousands of plant species that grow in the United States but only a small number of those are significant sources of allergenic pollen. Plants that DO produce important allergens have several characteristics in common: First, they are wind pollinated rather than insect pollinated. Next, they produce pollen that is buoyant and is spread readily by the wind. Because wind pollination is relatively inefficient, these types of plants have to produce huge quantities of pollen to keep their species alive.

To be clinically important, allergenic plants must be abundant in an area. Trees such as oak and maple grow over hundreds of acres with pollen traveling up to 200 miles; ragweed can colonize large fields and affect patients for many miles around; and grass allergens can cover hundreds of acres. Despite what your nose and eyes may suggest, brightly colored flowers are rarely allergenic. Often they are insect pollinated, and they typically don’t produce pollen that can be spread by the wind. However, the pollen from allergenically important plants lands all over their beautiful flowers, and THAT pollen is what your body rejects when you stop to smell the roses. Those pollens are also often at least part of the cause of your allergic symptoms when you snuggle up to your favorite pet. Fur is a great landing spot for all kinds of pollen!

Tree pollen allergy affects millions of people. Many allergenic trees are abundant and large, shedding and spreading huge quantities of pollen. Typically, trees shed their pollen in the spring and are the first species each year to affect patients. In warmer climates, like California and Florida, pollen season often begins in February. With the late winter on the east coast this year, pollen season there is just reaching full swing.

Because pollen can travel so far, it can be difficult to determine the exact cause of your allergies. That’s where an allergy test and evaluation comes in. We encourage you to ask your doctor about an allergy skin test — a painless procedure than can tell you in just 15 minutes specifically what you are allergic to. If your doctor doesn’t offer this test in his or her office, AllerVision can help you find one who does — or can talk to your doctor on your behalf.

If pollen is the cause of your allergies, it’s virtually impossible to avoid. You can take medication to temporarily alleviate symptoms. But with medication you’re only covering the symptoms up, and next time you encounter the pollen you’ll have the same reaction. Immunotherapy, on the other hand, teaches your immune system to ignore the pollen and thereby puts your allergies into remission — usually for years or decades. You can learn more about immunotherapy here.

Pollen from trees, grasses and weeds are likely to keep your immune system busy until the fall or winter, and then return again next year. Now that you know what you’re up against, you may want to ask your provider about immunotherapy — so you can enjoy the great outdoors instead of suffering from it.

This blog includes information from ALK-Abelló “Virtual Pollen Guide” DVD, used with permission. The company offers a helpful patient education website at fightthecauseofallergy.org

 

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.

 

Top 7 Reasons Nearly Every Doctor Should Test for Allergies

The allergy skin test is painless, quick and accurate.

Family practitioners, internists, pediatricians, dermatologists, ENTs, neurologists, pulmonologists, ophthalmologists and nearly all other types of physicians and health care providers come in contact with patients who suffer from allergies virtually every day. That’s because allergies cause symptoms in every organ system. In fact, they 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. So here are our top seven reasons your healthcare provider should offer allergy testing — and treatment — in his or her office.

1) Since nearly every type of doctor comes in contact with patients suffering from allergies, it’s important that they are trained and have the tools to properly diagnose those patients’ allergies, suggest appropriate treatment, and know when to refer to an allergy specialist.

2) Allergies affect A LOT of people. The World Allergy Organization estimates that “30-40% of the world’s population is now affected by one or more allergic conditions.” And those numbers are growing; allergies have reached epidemic status.

3) There aren’t enough allergists to go around. Allergists make up a very small percentage of doctors. Even if there were enough, people often don’t know that their illness/ailment/discomfort is caused by allergies. Their primary care doctors should be able to make that diagnosis and offer first line definitive treatment as they do with most other chronic conditions (like hypertension and diabetes).

4) It’s impossible to be sure exactly what’s causing the allergic symptoms without a proper test. Pollens ride on the wind and cause discomfort for people up to hundreds of miles away from their source. Pet hair gets stuck in furniture and carpeting, causing allergic reactions even if the animal has been away for months. Dust mites float through the air and hide in bedsheets. Cockroaches leave hidden “presents” that trigger allergies. Which of these items cause your symptoms? The only way to find out is to test. AllerVision provides doctors with a program that allows them to test for reactions to a wide range of regional allergens and a variety of foods.

5) The allergy skin test is painless, easy to administer in the doctor’s office, and produces results in just 15 minutes. This convenient test, which is the diagnostic gold standard, helps doctors quickly determine the problem and the select the right course of treatment immediately.

6) Allergies can lead to asthma attacks. Asthma is a serious chronic airway disease that causes coughing, wheezing, and difficulty breathing. It often interferes with quality of life, preventing sufferers from participating in sports and outdoor activities. Severe asthma attacks in a patient without adequate disease control can be fatal.

7) Allergies can cause anaphylaxis, an extreme, life-threatening reaction. Anaphylaxis is usually associated with insect stings and food allergies but other allergens can cause it as well. Simply put, knowing what you’re allergic to can save your life.

Healthcare providers who don’t offer allergy testing should consider taking the time to learn and add the service to their practice. For more information, click here.

If you think that you may suffer from allergies, get an allergy test and evaluation. (Hint: if you’re feeling bad and don’t know why, it could be allergies.) AllerVision can help you find a local doctor who performs the test, or we can contact your provider to help him or her launch an allergy testing and treatment program. Click here to learn more.

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.

Allergy Drops Save Childhood for Arizona Boy

Before taking allergy drops, Jackson’s allergies made life outdoors almost unbearable.

In this post, our second in a series on allergies from the patient’s point of view, the mother of a boy with extensive allergies to the the outdoors recounts her son’s difficulties — and relief. 

Our son Jackson began showing the signs of allergies when he was almost three years old. If he would play outside in grass, climb trees or play with a dog or cat, within a few minutes, he would begin to show signs. His eyes would get puffy, his nose would clog and the rest of the day he would be miserable. As he got older, we hoped that his body would grow out of this but, unfortunately, it only got worse. His allergies were so severe, anytime he was exposed to anything outside you could guarantee a long night of Jackson getting up constantly to blow his nose or complain that he felt terrible. It breaks your heart to hear your son say he hates his allergies and doesn’t want to go outside ever again.

We met our allergist through his regular pediatrician, at Desert Sun Pediatrics, and she mentioned the drops as an alternative. He was given an allergy test and showed that he was allergic to most grass, many different types of trees and shrubs and, of course, animal dander. We agreed to try Jackson on the drops.

The results were almost immediate and close to too good to be true. Within a few days of taking the drops, we would take him out to roll and play in the grass. Nothing. No runny nose. No puffy eyes. It was like he’d never had allergies in his life! It was an amazing thing to see a young boy to be able to run outside and play like a normal kid without having to worry about his health.

The drops themselves are very easy to administer and we’ve found something very interesting. On very rare occasions during the last year or so, we would forget to give him his medicine. As soon as he’d be near grass or animals, it was just like it had been in the past. The extent was not as severe, but you could totally see the difference in how his body reacted without taking the drops.

My husband and I were both very skeptical about administering these drops. We did some research before and there wasn’t a lot of positive or negative things on line. Once we committed, it was one of the best things we’ve ever done for our children. I would highly recommend these drops to anyone who has a child that is suffering or even an adult that has had to suffer with allergies. They work!

Stephanie S., Arizona

[Editor’s Note: Most patients begin to experience the benefit of drops within six months, not necessarily as quickly as in this case.] 

Groundhog Day is Excellent Time to Start Allergy Immunotherapy

Whether Groundhog Day reveals that spring is here or not, there’s not a moment to lose in preparing to fight spring allergies.

By the time you read this, Punxsutawney Phil will be out of the hole and we’ll know what’s in store for the next six weeks. Whether he saw his shadow and scampered back to take cover for more Winter or stayed above ground to enjoy the start of Spring, there is no time like NOW to start sublingual immunotherapy! If spring starts in six weeks, you have time to build up your immunity to pollens that get in the way of enjoying beautiful spring days. If it starts today, you’ll still feel better before the season hits full stride. How and why Phil makes his prediction is one of the mysteries of the universe but how and why immunotherapy treats allergies so effectively is no mystery at all…

If you have allergies, your immune system misinterprets something that’s normal in the environment as an enemy. As a result of this misunderstanding, it builds up a defense network to respond every time it sees that element (also called an antigen or allergen). That internal process is called sensitization, and the most common culprits are pollens from grasses, trees and weeds; pet dander; molds; and insect/inhalants like cockroach and dust mites. The next time your body sees that antigen, let’s use olive tree pollen as an example, it calls in the defense force for protection. All of the mucous, swelling and tearing you experience is your immune system doing a superb job of building a wall to keep the olive pollen out of your body. Scientifically speaking, your body is releasing histamine. Unfortunately, it’s not only unnecessary, since olive pollen isn’t actually an enemy, it’s extremely unpleasant! Fortunately there are solutions.

One solution is to use medications — typically antihistamines — that block your body’s misguided immune response. They create a constant battle within your body, wherein the allergen stimulates a response and tries to release histamine and the drug basically performs a block and tackle on your natural response. The result is that you usually feel better than the allergy but you often experience side effects. There are several other drugs that help with the symptoms but, in general, there is always at least a little downside to taking medication.

Luckily, there’s an alternative. We can teach the immune system that allergens aren’t enemies – this is the purpose of immunotherapy. It’s accomplished by gently and carefully introducing small amounts of the antigens to which your body is sensitized. Your immune system gets re-familiarized with these little particles. Little by little, we build up the levels of the antigen until your immune system is so used to it that it tolerates the normal amounts of environmental exposure. It takes a few months to get to that highest concentration – AllerVision calls it the maintenance level – which is why Punxsutawney Phil’s prediction is important to you.

Once you reach the maintenance dose, your tolerance will be greatly improved and your symptoms will hopefully disappear. Studies tell us that the body needs about four years of the constant exposure provided by immunotherapy for the so-called-enemy to be consistently ignored.

Immunotherapy can be delivered in shots – usually administered weekly in the doctor’s office – or sublingual (under the tongue) drops – at home on a daily basis. Many AllerVision providers offer both options, though most prefer the drops because they have very little risk for severe allergic reaction and they are so much more convenient for patients.

Whether Phil says yay or nay to an early Spring, get to your provider as soon as possible for an allergy test so he/she can find your allergic triggers and order an immunotherapy set designed specifically for you. There is plenty of stuff out there that your immune system SHOULD fight; take away the distraction of battling the normal environment and your system can focus all of its resources on keeping you healthy! (Click here to find a doctor who offers allergy testing and immunotherapy if your doctor does not.)

Happy Groundhog Day!

Allergy Drops Erase 30 Years of Suffering for MD

Dr. Leiken, who has suffered from allergies for over 30 years, stands in front of an Olive tree in his backyard. Since he’s been taking allergy drops, the Olive tree no longer triggers his symptoms.

In the past, AllerVision’s blog has featured Dr. Dean Mitchell sharing his wisdom from many years of running an allergy practice. In this and future posts, we’ll be looking at allergies from the patients’ and other providers’ points of view.  

I am a physician who has been suffering from allergies for over 30 years. Five years ago, I started to give AllerVision’s allergy drops a try and have had excellent results.

Before I started using the drops, I had severe hay fever symptoms sporadically throughout the year but much more intensely between November and May. I often had sinus infections and my nose was stopped up a good deal of that time. Often I would sneeze many times in a row. Over the past 25-30 years, I tried various methods to deal with my allergies. I received shots from an allergist; it seemed to help for a time but after a couple of years I received less and less benefit. That treatment was costly and time consuming. In later years, I tried acupuncture. That also helped for a time and then lost its effectiveness. 

I suffered without any sort of treatment for quite a while until I began taking the drops. Within about three months I noticed a remarkable change in my hay fever symptoms. The most obvious improvement was that I was able to go into my backyard where there is an olive tree that never failed to cause an allergic reaction. I was even able to sit under the tree with no symptoms! Over these five past years that I’ve been taking the drops, there has been just one occasion where I experienced severe allergic symptoms; a nasal cortisone inhaler solved the problem in that situation. 

Unlike the other treatments, I have not found any noticeable diminishing effect of the AllerVision drops.They have been a major help to me over these years. I also appreciate the fact that I don’t have to go to an allergist each week for shots and I don’t have to wait in his office for a half hour to see if I develop an anaphylactic reaction. And I don’t have to make a weekly co-payment.

In short, as a long-time allergy sufferer, I can very highly recommend AllerVision drops.

Dr. Stanley Leiken, MD

(Disclosure: Dr. Leiken is the father of AllerVision co-founder Jennifer Robb and an investor in the company. His comments above, and his investment, are based on his success with the treatment.)