Allergy Testing And Treatment Center

The evaluation in our Allergy Testing and Treatment Center starts with a detailed history and physical exam by Dr. Slaughter. Dr. Slaughter is a Board Certified Otolaryngologist (Ear, Nose, and Throat doctor) and a member of the American Academy of Otolaryngic Allergy. He has extensive training and more than 25 years of experience in managing allergies. The treatments we offer can relieve you of these symptoms and free you up to be clear, rested, and healthy.

Seasonal and Perennial allergic rhinitis can produce frustrating symptoms of nasal congestion, sneezing, watery itchy eyes, postnasal drip, recurring sinus infections, sinus pressure, and headache. For many patients, they will not suffer from any of these typical “allergy” symptoms but instead, they will simply have progressive swelling of the turbinates inside the nose. These patients may report snoring, mouth breathing, and symptoms of sleep apnea.

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The treatments we offer can relieve you of these symptoms and free you up to be clear, rested, and healthy.

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Allergy Testing

It is critical to be evaluated by a board-certified ENT doctor at the time of your initial evaluation to avoid missing a diagnosis that would make your allergy therapy ineffective. A deviated septum, chronic sinus infection, nasal polyps, nasal tumors, and other issues can all produce allergy-like symptoms and they must be treated along with your allergies.

In our office, you have the confidence that Dr. Slaughter is right there in the office for follow-up, questions, treatment changes, and safety.

Allergy Blood Test

Management of allergies has advanced tremendously with RAST (radioallergosorbent) testing. This fast reliable blood test can identify your specific allergies. Although not considered as reliable as skin testing this test can be used when skin testing can not be performed. This may be in kids too young to have skin testing. Frequently when a young child is having anesthesia we will take advantage of this situation and draw some blood for RAST testing. Also, some adults on special blood pressure medications called Beta Blockers who cannot pause this medication cannot have skin testing. RAST testing is used for them. There are also patients who have a history of anaphylactic reactions to prior allergy testing and in these patients, we will use RAST testing as well.

Skin Allergy Test

We perform allergy skin testing in our Allergy Center in our office. Allergy skin testing is much easier and better tolerable with multi-pressure testing equipment. This allows for multiple allergy tests to be placed safely and reliably at one time WITHOUT THE NEED FOR NEEDLES! The testing takes about 30 minutes and is done on the patient’s back. We can read the results immediately and explain to the patient which allergies they have. Because there are no needles in our allergy skin testing it is well tolerated even in kids.

Allergy Treatment Options

Here at Sinus and Snoring Specialists, we offer Sublingual Immunotherapy, or allergy drops as a treatment option for allergies. This is also a great option for patients who have a fear of needles. Most patients can stop allergy drop therapy after three years of treatment when they have reached immunity.

Allergy Drop Therapy (SLIT – Sublingual immunotherapy)

Our office offers the convenience and safety of allergy drop therapy. This form of immunotherapy is given with a custom suspension of the allergens the patient reacts to made into a small vial. Allergy Drops are taken once a day under the tongue to reduce the patient’s allergic response. No needles, no trip to the doctor, and effective for kids and adults. Safe for asthmatic patients and also for patients on Beta Blockers that normally cannot have shot therapy. With this form of immunotherapy, most patients can stop therapy after 3 years and have lifelong relief.

Lymph Node Injections (ILIT – Intalymphatic Immunotherapy)

You may have heard of clinics offering injections of allergens in to groin lymph nodes to treat allergy symptoms rather than using allergy drops. According to the American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology, the use of allergy injection in to lymph nodes to treat allergies remains experimental at this time. At present there is limited to no data to demonstrate that it is effective for most allergens and there has also been significant anaphylactic shock reactions with this treatment. At Sinus and Snoring Specialists we offer the latest in proven forms of allergy treatment and presently we recommend allergy drop therapy as a proven, safer, painless, less costly, and convenient way to address your allergy symptoms.

Over The Counter Allergy Medicine

In addition to allergy drops, there are now many safe effective medications that we can use. It’s Dr. Slaughter’s deep understanding of how these different treatments compliment each other and how they change specific symptoms that allow him to create the perfect balance of therapies for our patients. Some of the most common effective medications include the following:

Nasal steroid sprays
Antihistamine sprays
Oral antihistamines and leukotriene inhibitors
Saline rinses
New modern immunoglobulin therapies

Many holistic therapies can also add benefit as well.

Allergy Testing Patient Testimonial

“I have been seeing dr. Slaughter on and off for several years, for ongoing allergy/ sinus problems. He and his staff have always done what they do to help minimize my problems. I would call them my go to folks to help me out. Exceptional.”
-Ronald L.

Surgical Therapy For Allergy Relief

Nasal blockage and congestion can persist despite excellent allergy therapy if there are structural nasal issues. Septal deviation, turbinate swelling, nasal polyps, and the swelling from chronic sinusitis will crowd the nasal cavity making the allergy therapy not as effective as it should be. It is critical that the patient undergo a thorough evaluation by a board certified ENT doctor including nasal endoscopic evaluation and miniCT scan prior to starting an allergy regimen. Any anatomical issues and sinus issues need to be addressed to have any relief from the allergy treatment.

The following procedures can also be performed to relieve the nasal congestion, sinus pressure and thick post nasal drainage.

Non-Surgical Sinus Treatment For Allergy Relief

Sinus pressure and recurring infections can persist for patients even with excellent allergy therapy. Dr. Slaughter can additionally offer simple, non-surgical office procedures to offer further relief. The many advanced procedures detailed in our Sinus and Nasal Center can offer significant relief of allergy symptoms.

Balloon Sinuplasty

During the Balloon sinuplasty treatment, Dr. Slaughter places a small sinus balloon into the blocked sinus cavity while the patient is under IV sedation in our office. The balloon is inflated to open the sinus outflow tract allowing it to drain and ventilate normally. The balloon is removed immediately after dilation and nothing is left in the nose or sinus. This procedure can increase the ability of the sinuses to drain properly even when the patient is having an allergy exacerbation. This relieves the sinus pressure, headache, and drainage that normally accompanies an allergy flare up.

Dr. Slaughter was involved in the creation of the original prototype of the sinus balloon that he uses and serves as an instructor for ENT doctors nationwide on how to perform this procedure. He pioneered the use of IV sedation in the office for this procedure which allows him to do advanced balloon sinuplasty in th office. With this technique he can also address other structural issues at the same time such as a deviated septum, enlarged turbinates, and nasal polyps. He also has available the use of sophisticated 3D computer CT scan image guidance to accurately place the balloon in complex cases.

Schedule a consultation

Allergies can be very uncomfortable to live with and are constantly not being diagnosed properly. Call our practice today at 512-601-0303 to schedule a consultation with Dr. Slaughterand receive the proper treatment for your allergies. Our practice serves Austin and surrounding areas in Texas.

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