If youโve suffered with allergies for years but have put off treatment and opted instead for over-the-counter remedies, itโs time to get serious about treating your allergies. And no oneโs better suited to treat your allergies than an ENT allergy specialist. The good news isโthereโs one right here in Cleburne.
Dr. Ted Benke is an ENT or otolaryngologist, a doctor specializing in diagnosing and treating conditions affecting the ear, nose and throat. But heโs also your allergy specialist right here in Cleburne because thatโs precisely the area most affected by allergies. Thatโs why an otolaryngologist is often called an Allergy Specialistโbecause he is best suited to identify specific allergens and to help achieve effective control of allergies quickly.
Allergies affect millions of children and adults each year. They can appear at any age and can even disappear in childhood only to reappear in adulthood. And, Benke says their symptoms can range from annoying to debilitating, if not treated.
โDespite the advances in allergy care over the last few decades, there are still only three basic approaches to treating them,โ Benke said. โAvoidance of the offending allergens, which is the โthingโ the person is allergic to; pharmacotherapy, which is medication; and immunotherapy, which is desensitization to the trigger.โ
Benke said when patients come in with allergy symptoms, he completes a series of allergy tests to determine what the patient is allergic to and then discusses treatment options with him.
โSome people prefer to start conservatively by attempting to avoid grass if thatโs their trigger,โ he said. โThey may have to hire a lawn service instead of doing their own lawn, for instance. But if theyโre allergic to mold or dust, it can be difficult so we may have them take a decongestant, antihistamine or prescription nasal spray.
โBut, if avoidance and medication donโt do the trick, we explain the option of immunotherapy, where we can alter the bodyโs overactive response by carefully challenging the personโs immune system through doses of the actual allergen that the patient is allergic to.โ
Benke said it may seem contrary, but this approach is very similar to vaccinations for infectious diseases, such as the flu, and over time it may be possible to actually alter a personโs excessive response to the environmental antigens and both improve symptoms and decrease the need for medication and allergen avoidance for many years.
Most people know that treatment as allergy shots, administered weekly in the doctorโs office, and until recently, shots were the only form of immunotherapy. But now, Benke said, immunotherapy comes in a new formโin an easier form. Allergy drops.
โAllergy drops work much like allergy shots, slowly desensitizing the patient to what caused the allergic reaction but theyโre delivered under the patientโs tongue in liquid form that he can safely take at home.โ
Benke said the allergy drops, like the shots, are custom-formulated based on the results of the patientโs allergy testing and they can be effective on a broad range of allergies, including food and mold.
โThis is a convenient option for any patient, but especially young children,โ Benke said. โAnd, theyโve been proven especially helpful for children with eczema and recurrent ear infections, which often have underlying allergic causes.โ
Benke said research shows that many children with untreated eczema and allergies often develop asthma and other chronic conditions later in life so treating allergies early can have life-long benefits.
If youโve suffered with allergies long enough, call today for more information. The allergy specialist is in. Call Dr. Benke at 817-641-3750.