Sniffling and sneezing lately? You may be able to blame the record setting rain of this past summer. Plants love water, so all that rain means plants like ragweed will likely be much larger this year, and more widespread. Many doctors including those at Innovative Health and Wellness in Woodstock are already seeing more patients who suffer from allergies due to higher pollen counts and the expectation is that the fall pollen season in the Woodstock area may be longer lasting than normal.
Ragweed pollen which is the largest contributor to fall allergies does not always clear out even after local rain. This is because ragweed pollen can travel far. It has been measured in the air 400 miles out to sea and two miles up in the atmosphere. So, you could be picking up pollen from another state.
It is important to know what is triggering your allergies however, because some people come in for treatment thinking that they have an allergy to ragweed, but in fact have an allergy to Cedar or Elm trees. These are some of the few trees that actually pollinate late in the year as opposed to the spring time. Knowing which one is the trigger helps identify the best treatment.
This is why we offer allergy testing in our Woodstock office utilizing skin tests which are considered the best type of allergy testing. Skin tests also provide the fastest results at less cost than blood tests. As an added bonus it is normally fully covered by health insurance.
In addition to various pollens we also test for the most common environmental allergens including pet dander and mold. This is important because although you may be under the assumption that your allergies are caused by a particular item, only testing can determine the exact cause.
Once your allergies are properly diagnosed we then work with you to customize a specific treatment. This treatment will be unique to your condition and will consist of either injections or oral delivery of immunosuppressant medications.
To schedule your consultation for allergy testing call us at 770-926-4646 or use the “Contact Us” feature on our website.
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