Printer Friendly Page
Over fifty million people in this country have one or more types of allergies. Allergies occur when your immune system over-reacts to a normally harmless substance and builds excessive antibodies to that substance. Allergies to substances you inhale are caused by your body producing excessive antibodies (IgE) in your blood toward these substances when you are exposed to them. When re-exposure occurs, you experience allergic symptoms. If allergies are present, Eustachian tube dysfunction may occur resulting in chronic serous otitis media, chronic ear disease, conductive hearing loss, and ear pressure. In addition, the inner ear is immunosensitive and with high specific allergens, some inner ear disorders such as Meniere’s disease, and hydrops are aggravated. For example, if one is allergic to molds, episodic vertigo can occur with increased tinnitus, aural fullness and a sensorineural hearing loss when mold levels are high. It is therefore a source of significant problems causing wide range symptoms such as rhinorrhea (runny nose), cough, sneezing, itching, runny eyes, sinusitis, aural (ear) fullness, increased tinnitus, conductive or sensorineural hearing loss, vertigo (with Meniere’s disease), and generalized fatigue. The economic cost of allergies are also considerable, not only with respect to the amount of money spent on treatments, but also with regard to the amount of time lost from work or school along with decreased productivity.
The choice of treatment for allergic rhinitis is usually based on the severity of symptoms. In milder cases, antihistamines/decongestants or simple avoidance of the offending allergen can provide relief. Patients who are unable to control their exposure or tolerate their symptoms may require other medications, such as topical nasal or oral steroids. Unfortunately, some patients are unable to achieve relief even with maximal pharmacologic therapy, and they are most often referred for further allergy evaluation.
The optimum management of the allergic patient should include a careful history and physical examination.
After a careful history and physical examination, skin tests or in vitro tests
are frequently employed. Serial endpoint titration (SET) is a method in which
serially diluted antigen extracts are used to determine the minimum amount of
antigen that is required to elicit a significant allergic response. The
endpoint signifies the degree of sensitivity and indicates a safe starting point
for immunotherapy. Treatment based on SET is believed to provide symptom relief rapidly because the endpoint is the
symptom-relieving dose. The safety of immunotherapy based on SET has been
proven by the fact that the rate of associated adverse reactions is extremely
low.
In vitro testing, such as with CLA Allergy Testing is also an accurate and easy to use blood test for the primary diagnosis of allergic disorders.
Immunotherapy (also known as allergy shots or oral drops)has been shown to be effective for
the vast majority of patients who choose it, provided that they are diagnosed
correctly. For these patients, finding the offending antigens is critical.
Allergies result when your body produces excessive allergy antibodies (IgE
antibodies) to fight allergens when exposed to them in high doses. Immunotherapy
is designed to block your body’s production of allergy antibodies and stimulate
production of protective antibodies, thereby eliminating your allergy symptoms
through a built up tolerance to allergens. Small, diluted doses will begin
building your immune system as you progress to a full maintenance dose.
The dose that provides you with the most symptomatic relief, or the maximum dose
you can tolerate without a reaction will become your maintenance dose and your
dosage may be adjusted to account for your body’s own natural tolerance at
regular intervals. However, during allergy season your dose may be lowered to
account for the seasonally high concentration of allergens for which you have
specific allergies. As a result, immunotherapy is an individually tailored
program designed to combat your specific allergies that changes as you and your
environment change.