My nose is always blocked and runny! How can I tell if I have allergies?

Allergies are a very common problem that affect over 30% of the population. Symptoms of allergies include stuffy nose, clear mucus, frequent nose blowing, watery eyes, and itchiness of the face. Patients may notice that their symptoms are worse during certain seasons like spring and summer, which means that they have ‘seasonal allergies’. But it is also possible to have allergies all year round if you are sensitive to things like dust and mold which are commonly found inside of our homes.

Getting a Comprehensive ear, nose, and throat examination for allergies

Comprehensive ear, nose and throat examination involving a possible camera evaluation (endoscopy) of the nose and sinuses. After a thorough physical examination we can perform allergy testing in the office during the same visit. The most common type of allergy testing is called ‘skin-prick’ testing which allows us to test how sensitive someone is to over 30 different seasonal and year round allergens. ‘Skin-Prick’ testing is a minimally invasive test which can be done in as little as 15 minutes. This test allows us to determine if your symptoms are related to allergies and helps us create a customized treatment plan specific to the things you are allergic to.

Who is a good candidate for allergy testing?

Almost anyone is a good candidate for ‘skin-prick’ allergy testing as this is a minimally invasive test that provides a lot of quick information. There are certain medications such as allergy pills (antihistamines) that can interfere with the test results and we ask patients to refrain from taking such medications for approximately a week prior to the test. A full medical history will be obtained prior to the test to ensure that the results are as accurate as possible.

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