Environmental Allergies

Adult & Pediatric Allergy and Immunology services offered in Houston, TX

Environmental Allergies services offered in Houston, TX

The dust and pet hair around your home can trigger environmental allergies. At Complete Allergy and Asthma, comprehensive care is available to adults and children that experience constant sneezing, headaches, and skin rashes due to environmental allergies. Immunologists Niti Chokshi, MD, and Brian Tison, MD, offer on-site allergy tests to identify the causes of your allergies. They use medication and immunotherapy to provide lasting symptom relief. Call the Houston, Texas, office today to schedule a diagnostic evaluation for environmental allergies or book an appointment online.

Environmental Allergies Q&A

What are environmental allergies?

Environmental allergies are caused by an overreaction in your immune system when you come in contact with typically harmless substances. This exposure triggers your immune system to produce antibodies in its own defense. These antibodies trigger sneezing, watery eyes, an itchy skin rash, and other allergy symptoms.

Common environmental allergy triggers include:

Mold
Dust
Pollen
Pet dander
Cockroaches

Complete Allergy and Asthma provides personalized treatment plans to manage environmental allergies in the long term. The allergy specialists provide in-office tests to identify which substances cause your immune system to overreact.

When should I seek medical care for environmental allergies?

You should schedule a diagnostic evaluation at Complete Allergy and Asthma if you have allergy symptoms you can’t manage with over-the-counter medication. These symptoms can include:

Coughing
Sneezing
Headaches
Fatigue
Nasal congestion
Watery, itchy eyes
Skin rashes and hives

The providers use skin tests to identify the substances causing an allergic reaction. They prick your skin and place a tiny amount of allergen to see if an itchy, red welt appears that indicates an allergy.

Based on your allergy testing results and general health, the physicians personalize a care plan to manage your allergy symptoms and prevent new ones from developing.

How are environmental allergies treated?

Your treatment plan for environmental allergies will typically include over-the-counter or prescription antihistamines. These medications relieve allergy symptoms within 30 minutes and continue to work for several hours.

The Complete Allergy and Asthma providers also offer immunotherapy using allergy shots or allergy drops to relieve existing allergy symptoms and prevent new ones from developing. Immunotherapy gradually desensitizes your immune system to specific substances so that you no longer have to take allergy medication.

Expect to schedule follow-up visits to allow the providers to ensure your treatment is working well. They also work with you on ways to limit your exposure to known allergens. These include closing your windows when pollen counts are high and using high-quality air filters in your home.

Call Complete Allergy and Asthma today to schedule a diagnostic evaluation of environmental allergy symptoms or book an appointment online.