Allergy Services

If you suspect you may have an allergy, don’t underestimate the possibility that you could be right. Each year, more than 50 million Americans are affected by allergies. They are the sixth largest cause of chronic illness, and treating them in the U.S. alone costs more than $18 billion each year.

A Miami allergy doctor can tell you with certainty whether you belong in this group, but if you’re suspicious, it makes good sense to have a consultation. This is not a rare affliction, and it’s one that is usually easy to manage.

Some of the symptoms of a common cold are very similar to the symptoms of allergies. Runny noses, watery eyes, congestion, and other symptoms are common to both. However, there are differences between the two:

• If your eyes feel itchy, you’re wheezing, or you have a skin rash or hives, it’s likely allergies.
• If you’re tired, have a fever or sore throat, or other aches and pains, it’s likely a cold.
• It’s not a hard and fast rule, but as you may have noticed, colds are much more common during the fall and winter.
• If you regularly get “colds” in the spring and summer, there’s a good chance you’re reacting to a sudden influx of pollen.
• How long are your symptoms persisting? Your allergy won’t calm down until you get treated or remove yourself from whatever is causing it.

If you experience any of these symptoms and are in the south Florida area, it may be time to see an allergist in Miami.

Even though the symptoms you’re experiencing have a significant impact on your quality of life, there’s an excellent chance that the right treatment can make a big difference very quickly. 

If you’re fairly sure that exposure to certain environmental factors (spring flowers, for example) sets you into a cycle of misery, you always have the option to try to “live with” your problems. But if that isn’t working, here are good some reasons to make an appointment with an allergist:

• Your symptoms are making it hard to get through the day at work and home
• You have problems for several months out of the year
• You are getting no results from over-the-counter medications
• You spend enough time affected by your symptoms or thinking about them that it’s affecting your ability to enjoy your life

As frustrating as these problems can be, it won’t take forever for South Florida ENT Associates to help you put them behind you.

Many common substances can be allergens, including pollen, food, mold, dust, feathers, animal dander, chemicals, drugs such as penicillin, and environmental pollutants.

• Pollens: One of the most significant causes of allergic rhinitis in the United States is ragweed. It begins pollinating in late August and continues until the first frost. Late springtime pollens come from the grasses, i.e., timothy, orchard, red top, sweet vernal, Bermuda, Johnson, and some bluegrasses. Early springtime hay fever is most often caused by pollen from trees such as elm, maple, birch, poplar, beech, ash, oak, walnut, sycamore, cypress, hickory, pecan, cottonwood, and alder. Colorful or fragrant flowering plants rarely cause allergy symptoms because their pollen is too heavy to be airborne.
• Household Allergens: Certain allergens are present all year long. These include house dust, pet danders, some foods, and chemicals. Symptoms from these are frequently worse in the winter when the house is closed up, and where there is poor ventilation.
• Mold: Mold spores can also cause allergy problems. Molds are present all year long and grow outdoors and indoors. Dead leaves and farm areas are common sources of outdoor molds. Indoor plants, old books, bathrooms, and damp areas are common sources of indoor mold growth. Mold is also common in foods, such as cheese and fermented beverages.