Reduce Your Chances of a Sinus Infection With Allergy Treatments
Are you someone who gets sinus infections every year or even several times a year? Are you constantly having to take antibiotics when you get a sinus infection? You may be a good candidate for allergy testing. In the medical community, antibiotic stewardship is important in that it protects the human gut from derangement of its normal flora and also the bacteria from developing resistance. According to the CDC and
Mayo Clinic, one-third to one-half of antibiotic use is unecessary. So, if we can approach medical problems more naturally and holistically, we would rather go that route.
Does Clover Internal Medicine Associates Offer Testing for Infections?
Yes. We have point-of-care PCR testing for RSV, Influenza A and B, and Strep A. We highly recommend testing before treating to reduced unecessary antibiotic use.
What is the Process of Allergy Testing?
The doctors and staff at
Clover Internal Medicine Associates will apply the allergen oils on the skin of the patient’s back (
without needles) and wait for a sizeable swelling to develop. Those areas will be measured and based on the size, the doctor will be able to determine if there is a definite allergy. The whole process is very comfortable since it is needle-less.
What Allergens Are Tested During Allergy Testing?
The allergy testing consists of environmental and food panels. From cat/dog/rabbit/cattle dander to mountain cedar/ragweed/molds and cow's milk/almonds/strawberries, we have a large panel of the most common allergens.
Does Allergy Immunotherapy Work?
Allergy injections are provided with a small insulin needle in the arm subcutaneously once or twice a week. After receiving the injections for several months, patients normally discover lessening of their allergy symptoms. As patients approach the maintenance vial, they will notice significant improvement with less severe or frequency of sinus infections. Think of it as improving your immune system against allergens.
Are There Any Allergy Treatments That Do Not Involve Needles?
Yes. We can order allergy oral drops if patients prefer, however, this is not covered by insurance, and is cash pay.
How Much Does Allergy testing And Shots Cost?
Allergy testing runs in the range of $350 and immunotherapy is about $2000, however, many patients only have to pay a $0-70 copay and $5 per injection, depending on their insurance.
Call us to find out if your insurance covers allergy testing and immunotherapy today.
Author
Dr. Elaine Phuah
Board-certified Internal Medicine physician.
