It can be hard to tell, however, if you have persistent fever with mucous production that looks like pus, then this may be infection. If you have recurrent or persistent symptoms of itchy/watery eyes, itchy/runny nose, postnasal drip and congestion then you need allergy testing.
We plan to do our best to! Our goal is to see what you are allergic to by testing you and if positive for allergies discuss ways to control your allergies with less medications when possible.
You shouldn’t have to! We would prefer to help you decrease your symptoms around your pets so you can enjoy being around them.
Seeing an allergist for recurring sinus infections is an ideal start to see if allergies are triggering this and to see if your immune system is normal. Then, if testing is negative, ENT may be recommended to rule out other causes such as anatomical causes.
Yes, it could be allergy-induced asthma. We can help decrease inhaler use by controlling allergies.
Most food allergy symptoms are typically soon after ingestion with the patient developing a rash similar to hives, swelling, difficulty breathing and vomiting, etc. However, food intolerances/sensitivities tend to manifest with mainly stomach symptoms, sometimes accompanied with headaches and fatigue.
Unfortunately, at this time there is no reliable testing for food intolerances/sensitivities available. We do not do testing for celiac disease. There is no testing for preservatives that may be used in foods either.
I would start with your primary care doctor to see if a GI referral is needed prior to seeing an allergist.
Typically, you should see a doctor for hives lasting longer than six weeks or severe hives that are poorly controlled despite medication.
The actual cause of hives is difficult to find, but we can do an appropriate evaluation of the hives and help to control them with medications.
If you have rash that is not responsive to antihistamines (Claritin, Zyrtec, Allegra, Benadryl), you may benefit from seeing dermatology prior to an allergy visit.
We’d love to meet with you to address your allergy concerns.