
Is your daily life frequently disrupted by itchy eyes, congestion and sneezing? These symptoms are common signs of environmental allergies that affect both adults and children across North Texas each year. While these allergic reactions are often frustrating and certainly affect your quality of life, an allergist can help manage your symptoms for some much-needed relief.
Common Environmental Allergies That an Allergist Can Treat
People are exposed to many substances during their day-to-day activities. While most of these substances are harmless, some can cause the immune system to overreact. The following are the most common environmental allergies your allergist will treat.
Pollen Allergies
Airborne pollen grains from trees, grass and weeds can travel long distances, triggering sneezing, nasal congestion, a runny nose and itching. Typically, tree pollen peaks during spring, grass pollen is common during late spring and summer, while weed pollen is most prevalent in late summer and fall. Allergists can identify the specific type of pollen causing an allergy with the help of allergy testing.
Mold Allergies
Mold spores are a type of fungus commonly found in damp, humid spaces. You could find mold growing in your bathroom, basement, in piles of leaves and so on. When airborne mold spores are inhaled, those with allergies can experience nasal symptoms, itchy eyes, coughing and wheezing.
Dust Mite Allergies
Dust mites are tiny organisms that are found in household dust. While these allergens are responsible for causing reactions throughout the year, they can be most prevalent in warm, humid conditions. And when an allergy of this kind is causing persistent health issues, you should discuss the benefits of environmental sublingual immunotherapy with your allergist.
Pet Dander Allergies
Pets like cats, dogs and rabbits can trigger allergy symptoms for many people. The source of the allergy is actually the proteins that are found in pet dander, saliva or urine. When these substances settle on surfaces or become airborne, they can trigger allergic reactions in sensitive individuals.
Cockroach Allergies
When cockroaches are around they leave saliva and feces on various surfaces. The proteins in these substances can trigger reactions including skin hives, nasal congestion and wheezing. In fact, cockroach allergies can be a particular problem for those with asthma, and require regular cleaning, pest control and allergy management approaches.
How Does an Allergist Treat Environmental Allergies?
Before determining the appropriate treatment for your issue, your allergist will test for environmental allergies using skin prick or blood testing. This allows the allergy plan that will be developed to be personalized for each patient, thereby reducing the potential for allergic reactions. Examples of innovative allergy treatments include sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) and allergy shots. These treatments desensitize the immune system to the presence of an allergen, helping prevent severe reactions from allergen exposure.
Contact Us for Environmental Allergy Care in North Texas
If you or your child are experiencing allergy symptoms, speak with TexasAllergyMD about our innovative environmental allergy treatment and testing services. We provide reliable allergy management at our locations in McKinney/Prosper and Southlake. Call (469) 375-1525 or request an appointment.