Allergy Testing and Treatment

The physicians at C/V ENT Surgical Group in Los Angeles, Dr. Alen Cohen and Dr. Jerome Vener, are experts at the diagnosis and management of various conditions affecting the nose and sinuses. Allergies are a common cause of inflammation of the lining of the nasal cavities and sinuses in Southern California leading to such problems as chronic nasal obstruction, nasal drainage, watery or itchy eyes, itchy ears, facial pain or headaches and sinus pressure. When this problem continues for more than 3 months then it is termed chronic allergic rhinosinusitis.  At this point evaluation by an ENT Surgeon is critical. Your physician will obtain a thorough history and examination of the upper respiratory tract and discuss with you treatment options.  Often this evaluation may include allergy testing to determine what you may be allergic to, nasal endoscopy and/or CT scans of the sinuses.

If the problem is deemed to be simply allergies causing inflammation of the nasal cavity without significant sinus obstruction, then medical treatment options may be pursued to minimize the body’s inflammatory reaction to allergens.  Allergens are irritants in the environment that people develop allergies towards, these commonly include dust mites, pollens, weeds, animal dander and molds. Once allergy testing is performed and the allergens for a particular patient are identified then behavioral management can be instituted.

These include avoidance of the allergen such as the use of mattress or pillow coverings and washing them regularly in hot water to minimize dust mite exposure, using air conditioners in the home rather than opening the windows to avoid pollen entering the home, and/or avoiding your cat or dog that you may be allergic to. When these measures are not sufficient, then medical treatment with nasal steroids, antihistamines, or other medications may be instituted. Lastly if the patient continues to be symptomatic then allergy shot therapy may be instituted to desensitize the patient against the inciting allergens. With allergy shot therapy the patient is exposed to small escalating amounts of the allergen they are reactive to on a weekly basis for months to years at a time until their body builds up immunity against the allergen.