Allergy Options was established in 2012 to meet the growing demand for more effective and more accessible treatment of allergies. 

​​

​

• Nationally, there are 40 million people affected by airborne and mold allergies. 

• In the North Texas region, the trend of more severe allergies or first time allergy symptoms is on the rise. 

• In 2014, according to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA), Dallas jumped from 52 to 35 on their list of Top 100 Allergy Capitals. 

​

​

We feel strongly that the right approach to treating a patient with allergies is by partnering with the primary care physician.  This ensures that a thorough medical history is at the foundation of a patient's allergy testing and treatment.    

​

For the Patient, having Allergy Options co-located with their doctor makes seeking allergy testing and treatment accessible and convenient. 

​

For the Physician, having Allergy Options co-located with their practice allows them to refer a patient for on-site and immediate allergy testing and effective allergy treatment.  Before Allergy Options, patients' choices were limited to suffering through allergy seasons or taking (one or more) medications that only temporarily alleviated symptoms.  Now, the physician has the ability to improve the quality of life for their patients with truly effective treatment options. 

​

To ensure a comprehensive diagnosis, Allergy Options tests for all 70 airborne and mold allergens most common in the North Texas region. 

​

• Test results are available in as little as 20 minutes

• Painless testing, no needles used

• Results help guide a customized and effective allergy therapy

​

Immunotherapy:  What it is and How it Works

​

Immunotherapy treatment (allergy shots, creams or oral drops) is based on a century-old concept that the immune system can be desensitized to specific allergens that trigger allergy symptoms. These symptoms manifest not only as allergic rhinitis (hay fever) and asthma, but also as recurrent respiratory infections, a chronic dry cough, or snoring. 

While common allergy medications often control symptoms; if you stop taking the medication(s), your allergy symptoms return shortly afterward. Immunotherapy treatment can potentially lead to lasting remission of allergy symptoms, and it may play a preventive role in terms of the development of asthma and new allergies.

​

The Process
Treatment involves systematically exposing the patient to allergens which cause the allergy symptoms. These specific allergens are identified by a combination of a medical evaluation performed by a physician followed by a painless skin test performed by a trained Allergy Technician. 

​

The treatment begins with a build-up phase.  If injections are used, for example, the Injections containing increasing amounts of the allergens are taken 2 to 3 times a week until the target dose is reached. This target dose varies from person to person and is based on the results of your allergy testing. 

​

The maintenance phase begins when the target dose is reached. Once this maintenance dose is reached, the frequency of the allergy injections can be reduced to just once or twice a week. 

​

Individual results will vary, but with our proven accelerated protocol, full allergy protection can be achieved at the end of the build-up phase in as little as 34 weeks.  A patient experiencing this level of success would then move to the maintenance phase for an additional 18 weeks.  The total combined treatment in this case would be 52 weeks.   

 

Most patients will have lasting remission of their allergy symptoms but others may partially relapse after discontinuing immunotherapy. Consequently, the duration of allergen immunotherapy varies from person to person.  The maintenance phase is designed to minimize the chance of a relapse which is why 52 weeks is referenced as the full treatment duration.   

Risks involved with the immunotherapy approach are rare, but may include serious life threatening anaphylaxis. Your Allergy Technician will thoroughly discuss these risks throughout the cycle of your testing and treatment of allergies. 

​

The decision to begin immunotherapy will be based on several factors, all of which will be discussed with your Physician and your Allergy Technician.

​

• Length of allergy season and severity of symptoms

• How well medications and avoiding allergens control allergy symptoms

• Desire to avoid long-term medication use

• Time Commitment:  Immunotherapy will require a significant time during the build-up phase with less time required during the maintenance phase

• Costs may vary depending on region and insurance coverage. Yet, immunotherapy can be a cost-effective approach to managing allergy symptoms.

​

​

​

Sources:

​

• National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases

​

• American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology

​

​

​