Top Allergy Care in Eastern Iowa
Our board certified physicians have helped thousands of patients in Cedar Rapids manage their allergies. Eighty-five percent of our patients experience significant improvement or complete relief from their allergy symptoms.
What Are Allergies?
An allergy is the body’s abnormal reaction to an allergen in the environment that does not affect most other people. The individual’s immune system reacts as if this allergen is the “enemy.”
When an allergen enters the body, the immune system reacts by producing a specific antibody. The next time the immune system recognizes the allergen it causes a series of reactions at the cellular level. This produces inflammatory chemicals, including histamine. Histamine produces symptoms such as sneezing, scratchy throat, hives, or shortness of breath, and an antihistamine may be recommended to block the reaction.
The tendency to develop allergies can be inherited, but can also be triggered by stress or illness which adversely affect the immune system. The onset of allergies varies from sudden to gradual and may lead to symptoms that affect your quality of life.
Allergy symptoms may include:
- sneezing
- watery/itchy eyes
- stuffy/runny nose
- postnasal drip
- head congestion
- chronic cough
- wheezing
- asthma
- headaches
- skin rash
- dizziness
- hoarse voice
- fatigue and/or
- recurring ear/sinus infections
It is not unusual for your allergy symptoms to change over time—but the allergies themselves don’t go away.
Diagnosing Allergies
Diagnosing allergies starts with a review of your symptoms, medical history and a physical exam. PCI ENT specializes in the evaluation, management and treatment of allergies as they relate to the ears, nose and throat. When appropriate, allergy testing can help identify the specific allergens that may be contributing to your symptoms.
Skin allergy testing uses small amounts of common allergens to evaluate your body's response. During intradermal testing, a small amount of each allergen is placed just beneath the surface of the skin and monitored for a reaction. Testing helps identify which allergens you react to and the degree of sensitivity to each. These results, along with your symptoms and medical history, help our team develop a personalized treatment plan.
During your allergy consult, you can expect:
- A thorough ENT evaluation, which may include nasal endoscopy, along with a review of your symptoms, medical history, and previous treatments.
- A personalized care plan based on your symptoms, evaluation and individual treatment goals.
- A discussion about whether allergy testing is right for you. If recommended, our team will explain the testing process and help coordinate your allergy testing appointment.
Our allergy team is here to support you throughout your care by answering questions, providing allergy therapies, monitoring your progress and adjusting your treatment plan as needed.