Allergy Testing And Treatment Specialist

Family Care & Wellness

Family Medicine located in Allen, TX

If you’re among the 50 million Americans who suffer from allergies, board-certified family medicine physician Tariq Mallick, MD, and Zayba Hoda, PA-C, at Family Care & Wellness can help. The team offers skin prick (also known as scratch or puncture) testing and immunotherapy at their practice in Allen, Texas. To find relief from allergies that don’t improve with over-the-counter medication, call the office for allergy testing and treatment. You can also go online to schedule using the convenient online booking tool.

469-656-1033

Allergy Testing and Treatment Q & A

What are allergies?

Allergies are a significant cause of sickness in the United States. When you have an allergy, your body responds to a substance (allergen) that generally shouldn’t cause an immune response.

Some allergies cause symptoms that resemble the common cold. For example, if you sneeze a lot or suffer from a runny nose and watery eyes, you may have a seasonal allergy, such as hay fever. Fortunately, hay fever is one of the allergies that are easiest to treat with immunotherapy.

How are allergies diagnosed?

If the team suspects you have allergies, they may recommend an allergy test to discover the precise cause of your allergic reaction. There are two ways to test for allergies: blood tests and skin tests.

Skin tests involve pricking the surface of your skin and applying a small drop of a particular allergen. The team can test several allergens at the same time on separate patches of skin. If you’re allergic to something, a localized reaction usually appears within 20 minutes.

What are allergy shots?

The best way to prevent an allergic reaction is to avoid the allergens that affect you — however, this often isn’t possible. Allergy shots are a form of immunotherapy that helps your body get used to an allergen over time. Immunotherapy for allergies eventually reduces or eliminates a reaction.

Each allergy shot contains a small amount of the allergen — just enough to stimulate your immune system but not enough to trigger a full-blown reaction. You continue to receive these shots at regular intervals for about three to five years. Over time, your immune system builds up a tolerance to the allergens.

Allergy shots can help you find relief when allergy medications fail to work. Injections may also reduce your long-term use of allergy medicine.

Who can benefit from allergy immunotherapy?

Allergy immunotherapy is a helpful solution for people with certain types of allergies. The team may recommend allergy shots if you suffer from one or more of the following:

Seasonal allergies, such as hay fever
Indoor allergies, including dust mites, mold, or pet fur

Allergy shots are not used for food allergies.

To find out if you’re a good candidate for allergy shots, call Family Care & Wellness or book an appointment online today.

What we offer