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Colorado Allergy Testing & Care
If you suffer from allergies, you know that they can turn a perfectly fine day into an uncomfortable ordeal. If you've tried over the counter medications and you've seen very little relief, your first step in treating your allergies is to come talk with us about your options. To understand the scope of your allergies, often we will initially recommend an allergy test. After you get a full diagnostic report, you can then have faith that our treatment professionals offer the latest in Denver, Colorado allergy and asthma care.
ALLERGY TESTING
We offer two ways to test our patients for the presence of allergies.
- Skin tests: Because they are slightly more sensitive and accurate than blood tests, skin tests are usually the recommended testing option for most of our patients. Our practice uses a combination of tests done in the forearm and in the upper arm. This method of testing identifies your allergen triggers and tells how allergic you are to each item.
- Blood tests: These tests measure for the same set of allergic reactions as do skin tests, and are particularly useful in certain patients (such as young children and those who are on certain medications that prevent us from doing skin tests). An individual evaluation and review of your medical history will be done at the time of your visit to determine which test will be best for you.
ALLERGY TREATMENT
There are a number of things we do to treat our Denver, Colorado allergy patients, ranging from managing symptoms to treating the root cause through immunotherapy. We can help you explore the benefits of each so you can choose which option is best for you.
Avoidance - Environmental control measures to reduce exposure to indoor and outdoor allergens can be very helpful in improving symptoms. Depending on your range of allergies, we can provide information to help you avoid those items that affect you most.
Medications - Various medications can improve or relieve allergy symptoms. This includes over-the-counter or prescription pills and nasal sprays. Many patients report a decrease in needed medication after immunotherapy begins.
Immunotherapy - The only "cure" for any inhaled allergy is desensitization, which increases your immune system's tolerance to allergens over time. This treatment can be administered in either allergy drops or shots.
Allergy shots - A series of weekly injections are administered to patients for a three to five year period. Shots are tapered off during the final 1-2 years. These injections cause your body to make blocking antibodies, stopping the allergic reaction from taking place. Patients taking injections must wait 20 minutes to monitor for any adverse reaction. Most insurance companies cover injections, though co-pays may apply.
Allergy drops - This is a very exciting new addition to our practice. Allergy drops work much like shots, slowly desensitizing you to your allergies. They're delivered under the tongue in a drop form that patients can take at home. Like shots, most patients find their treatment takes three to five years to complete. With today's busy lifestyles, drops are an ideal solution for many of our Denver, Colorado allergy patients. Though drops are not covered by insurance, most patients feel the modest investment is well worth the improvement in their health, reduction in allergy related expenses and overall quality of life. To learn more, click here.
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