5 Reasons to Be Thankful for Your Allergy Treatments
While taking your allergy medication may seem just like another part of your everyday routine, these medications hold much more power than you think. In the spirit of the season of giving thanks, learn why you should be grateful for your allergy and asthma treatments from our team at Center for Allergy and Asthma of Georgia.
1. They Protect Your Respiratory System
When you’ve been diagnosed with asthma, the lining of your airways tends to always be hypersensitive — meaning that they’re often inflamed and red. Patients may have flare-ups after exercising, being outdoors in cold weather, being sick, or having an allergy attack.
When exposed to an allergen, your body’s response is to trigger an asthma attack to protect you from potential harm. When your body’s immune system is triggered, your airways will swell even more in an attempt to block out the allergen.
Preventing Long-Term Damage
The key to protecting your respiratory system and staying healthy is diagnosing your asthma, and then developing a treatment plan. Repetitive asthma attacks can damage your lung capacity over time, affecting your ability to breathe and increasing your risks of severe symptoms to diseases such as COVID-19.
2. They Can Help You Find Relief
For patients that have been struggling with allergies their whole life, allergy diagnosis and treatment can be their saving grace. For children, they can help avoid years of struggle and start the path to a more comfortable life, allergy-free.
Remember, it’s important to not only manage your child’s allergies but to inform their school of their condition and help them treat it while they’re out of the house.
3. They Make Managing Food Allergies Easier
According to Food Allergy Research & Education, 200,000 people in the U.S. require emergency medical care for allergic reactions to food. Allergies of any type — from pet dander to peanuts and latex can send you to the emergency room if your flare-up is bad enough.
Even if you've only had a minor allergic reaction in the past, you still risk having extreme symptoms whenever you ingest a food you're allergic to. Talking to your allergist about your food allergies, having the proper medication to stop an attack, and knowing how to handle social situations is vital in preventing a life-threatening reaction.
4. They Help Know Identify Your Triggers
Across all of our patients, the most common allergens we see include:
- Mold
- Dust and dust mites
- Mildew
- Fallen leaves (especially oak tree leaves)
- Pollen
- Ragweed
- Latex
- Medications
- Household chemicals
- Dairy
- Shellfish
- Nuts
- Eggs
Additionally, in a study of 14 million blood tests, it was concluded that men exhibit higher sensitivity to 11 common allergens, including:
- Mold
- Ragweed
- Dust mites
- Dog dander
- Cat epithelia (skin)
- Egg whites
- Milk
- Peanuts
- Soybeans
- Wheat
In addition to causing common symptoms such as itchy eyes, a sore throat, or asthma, an allergic reaction can also lead to more serious conditions such as a sinus infection or issues with your lung capacity. Allergy testing can help you identify which allergens you’re allergic to, and create a treatment plan to help you seek relief.
5. They Help Make the Changing of the Seasons Better
Experts estimate that 37 million Americans experience sinusitis each year, and many patients report worse symptoms in the fall and winter than during the spring and summer months. This may be because ragweed pollen and mold are both prevalent during the colder months — both of these allergens can trigger your immune system's response and cause an allergy attack.
Additionally, without the hot temperatures that spring and summer have to offer, many Georgia residents spend more time indoors during the fall. Within our homes, schools, and workplaces, indoor allergens such as dust, pet dander, and mold can aggravate your symptoms.
Getting Started With Allergy Testing
If you’re ready to take control of your allergies — the best place to start is with allergy testing. At your appointment, we’ll go over your medical history to try to narrow down your possible triggers. From there, we’ll administer your skin test — which is the most common way to diagnose a specific allergy.
Using needles, we will prick your skin with a small number of various allergens, and then we’ll wait for a period of time until reactions appear.
Allergy Treatment Options
Once you’ve recognized you have allergies and have visited one of our convenient Center for Allergy and Asthma of Georgia locations for treatment, our team will prescribe a combination of the following recommendations:
Allergy Shots
Our allergy shot treatments are directed by our board-certified, highly experienced allergists. As a result, our allergy shot treatments reduce allergy symptoms by 80-90% for most people.
Allergy shots provide long-term relief for Atlanta area patients who suffer from a variety of indoor, seasonal, and insect allergies, as well as common conditions such as asthma, recurrent and chronic sinusitis, and eczema.
Allergy Drops
Our specialists recommend allergy drops for patients who are allergic to outdoor allergens like grass, ragweed, and tree pollen. Also known as sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT), allergy drops come in either a tablet or liquid form and are taken orally.
Biological Treatments
A biologic is a type of medication derived from living organisms such as a protein. It can be used to target specific areas of the immune system and prevent inflammation.
These treatments are especially beneficial for patients who have not seen an improvement in their symptoms after using daily controller medications.
Concerned About Your Allergies? Contact Center for Allergy and Asthma of Georgia Today.
If reading this has made you realize you’re letting your allergies go untreated, book an appointment to see our specialists today. We can help if you suffer from allergies or asthma and educate you on how to keep yourself safe from harm during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
To reach the Center for Allergy and Asthma of Georgia, please reach out to our clinic by calling (770) 459-0620 now to book an appointment.