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Allergy Testing & Treatment
Trust the doctors at Acadian Allergy Center in Lafayette, LA for your allergy testing and treatment.
Residents of Southwest Louisiana are exposed to a broad spectrum of environmentally produced allergens. Pollen from trees and ragweed is often seen coating everything nearby in a yellow film. High humidity levels also produce mold-related allergens that can be troublesome. Allergies are rarely cured, but with proper diagnosis there are many medications, supplements, and treatment options available to help find relief from your symptoms.
We are a member of the American Academy of Otolaryngic Allergy. We attend continuing education courses regularly to keep our allergy staff educated with new information and industry innovations to benefit our patients. Recently, allergy testing methods have improved significantly and patients have more options than ever to relieve their allergy symptoms.
The Acadian Allergy Center is proud to offer comprehensive testing for an extensive array of allergens. Through a simple and virtually pain-free blood draw, we can test for up to 250 items at a time without the irritation of traditional skin prick tests. Patients can choose to have as many panels done as they need, screening for a wide variety of potential allergic reactions
Available Testing Panels, with examples of some of the substances we will be able to test for:
- Nuts – Almond, pecan, cashew, pistachio, walnut, peanut
- Seafood – Mussel, tuna, mackerel, lobster, trout, clam, oyster, crayfish, catfish, crab, shrimp
- Meat – Beef, chicken, lamb, turkey
- Dairy – Cow’s milk, soy milk, cheddar cheese, goat’s cheese, Swiss cheese, egg white, egg yolk, yogurt
- Spices & Herbs – Black pepper, garlic, cayenne pepper, cumin
- Alcohol – Barley, hops
- Grains & Baking – Wheat, gluten, baker’s yeast, oat, rice, cane sugar, vanilla, chocolate
- Legumes – Soybean, white bean, black-eyed pea, green pea, sunflower seed
- Melons – Watermelon, honeydew melon
- Fruits – Orange, coconut, strawberry, apple, kiwi, mango, banana, pear, peach, lemon, bing cherry, avocado, grapefruit
- Vegetables – Broccoli, cucumber, pumpkin, sweet potato, potato, tomato, corn
- Insects – Honeybee, white-faced hornet, common wasp, paper wasp, yellow hornet, fire ant, mosquito, common flea
- Feathers – Chicken, goose
- Epithelium (Animal Tissue) – Horse, cow, mouse, rabbit, dog, cat
- Occupational – Latex
- Medications – Amoxicillin, Penicillin V & G, Ampicillin, Sulfamethoxazole, Erythromycin, Acetyl Salicylic Acid (Aspirin), Ibuprofen
- Chemicals – Glutamic Acid, Sodium Nitrite
With proper diagnosis, there are many medications, supplements, and treatment options that are available to help relieve your symptoms. Contact (337) 237-0779 to schedule your testing appointment today!
Cross Reactive Foods & Food Awareness
Please watch these foods the day before, day of and day after your allergy injection.
Certain foods have been reported as presenting problems during pollen season. Therefore, it may be advisable to rotate or eliminate the proven cross-reactive food from your diet during that specific time of the year. When the season is over, the foods may be introduced into the diet. Problems can occur shortly after exposure to the inhalant or up to several days later, thus making it difficult to track down the food culprit.
Remember, you are not allergic to these foods but consuming them can raise your overall allergy load and make you feel symptomatic. Many patients find that by simply watching these foods during their season, they feel better and are less reactive to their shots.
Louisiana Pollenating Season:
Trees: Late December – May
Grasses: May – September
Weeds: Late July – Winter Freeze
Dust Mites, Mold Spores, Animal Dander & Foods are Year Round Allergens: This means these allergens have no particular season. They remain all year long.
Dust and Dust Mites: Year Round Allergen
- Oysters, crab, scallops, lobster, shrimp, crawfish, pecans, peanuts, almonds, macadamia, cashews and many other tree nuts
Pecan Tree: December – May
- Corn, banana, wheat & wheat products
Cedar Tree: December – May
- Beef, baker’s & brewer’s yeast
Elm Tree: December – May
- Milk, milk products, cooking mint
Oak Tree: December – May
- Eggs, egg products, apples, chestnut
Cottonwood Tree: December – May
- Lettuce
Timothy, Bahia, Bermuda, Johnson Grass: May – September
- Grains: such as bread, oatmeal & rice.
- Apple, carrot, celery, cucumber, peas, beans, tomato, peanut, wheat, rye and soy.
- Cottonseed: such as salad oils, some mayonnaise, also used in stores on fruit to keep them shiny, also found in commercial frying and baking items such as cakes, breads, fish, popcorn, potato chips and doughnuts.
Giant Ragweed: July – First Winter Freeze
- Milk, cooking mint, cantaloupe, honeydew melon, watermelon, cucumber, banana, and lettuce
Short Ragweed: July – First Winter Freeze
- Wheat, wheat products, watermelon, cantaloupe, and banana
Rough Marsh Elder: July – First Winter Freeze
- Wheat, wheat products
Lamb’s Quarter: July – First Winter Freeze
- Corn, corn products and banana
Mold:
- When mold spores are elevated, which is year-round in our state, watch the amount of moldy type foods you consume in your diet.
Food & Beverages That May Cause Symptoms in Mold Allergic Patients:
- Alcoholic beverages, especially beer & wine
- Beets
- Buttermilk
- Breads
- Ketchup
- Cheese, especially aged, blue or cottage cheese
- Ciders
- Corned Beef
- Dried Fruits
- Canned Juices
- Mayonnaise & sour cream
- Mushrooms, olives, pickles
- Pizza – most allergenic cross-reactive food for mold allergies
- Relishes, Salad Dressings, Sauerkraut
- Tomatoes, especially canned
- Vinegar and foods containing vinegar
Suggestions:
Eat only freshly opened canned foods, meats, fresh or frozen vegetables. Buy fresh meat and freeze as soon as it is brought home. Avoid leftovers unless you freeze them. You can get the local pollen count for the day by visiting our website – acadianent.com or by going to pollen.com.
Sublingual Immunotherapy
More than 50 million residents of the United States suffer from allergies today, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Allergies rank sixth as a cause of chronic illness in this country, costing $18 billion annually. Despite the prevalence of allergies, few people seek a permanent treatment for this condition in the form of immunotherapy. Immunotherapy is a process designed to pinpoint the source of allergies and alter the way the immune system responds to allergens, creating long-lasting relief from symptoms.
One of the primary ways to administer immunotherapy are through shots. Injections are used to expose the immune system to the reaction-causing substances in increasing amounts over time. This process increases the body’s tolerance to the allergen, significantly reducing symptoms like sneezing, wheezing, and itchy eyes. While immunotherapy typically takes years to complete, the positive benefits are long-lasting and can be permanent in some patients.
What is Sublingual Immunotherapy?
Sublingual immunotherapy or SLIT is a form of immunotherapy that involves placing drops of the allergen extracts under the tongue. This form of immunotherapy has been used for years in Europe and has recently increased use in the United States. A growing body of research supports both the efficacy and the safety of this treatment. This treatment is available at Acadian Allergy Center, offering our patients a convenient way to address their allergies when frequent shots are not a viable option.
Best candidates for Sublingual Immunotherapy?
We offer sublingual immunotherapy for the treatment of allergic reactions to dust mites, animal dander, cockroaches, mold, weeds, trees, and grass pollen. However, we do not use them for food, chemicals, and certain insect allergies. Patients that would benefit most from this include:
- Off-shore workers
- Residents of rural areas who are unable to get to a clinic or cannot drive
- Severe asthmatics
- People with needle phobias
- Small children
- It is also helpful for children who are afraid of needles.
How is the treatment done?
Sublingual immunotherapy begins with a test to identify the allergen that requires treatment. We offer both skin and blood draws for this purpose, depending on the suspected allergens. Once we receive the results, we can prepare customized vials for you to take home to administer daily. Drops are placed under the tongue via the metered-dose vial, ensuring that you receive the precise dosage required.
The first three months mark the escalation stage, where the amount of the allergen is gradually increased to build the body’s tolerance. Once that is completed, the patient enters the maintenance phase, where the same dose is administered daily for three to four years. This extended treatment time allows the body to build up a strong immunity that will provide long-lasting relief from allergy-related symptoms.
At the beginning of the treatment, patients may continue to take allergy medication to control their symptoms as the benefits will not be seen immediately. However, most patients experience noticeable improvement within the first three to four months. Patients typically find they no longer require antihistamines to control their symptoms over time, as the drops build up sufficient immunity to keep symptoms at bay.
Risks & Side Effects
While sublingual immunotherapy has been shown to be a relatively safe treatment method, there are some side effects patients can experience with the therapy:
- Itchy mouth
- Mouth and tongue irritation
- Nasal itching, sneezing
- Asthmatic symptoms
- Stomach upset
Side effects are rare, only occurring in a very small number of patients. In most cases, they are also temporary and subside on their own within a short time.
Why choose Sublingual Immunotherapy?
One of the primary reasons our patients choose sublingual immunotherapy is convenience. Patients will be able to take their pre-prepared drops from the comfort of their own home. With sublingual immunotherapy, you’ll require fewer office visits than you would if you underwent treatment like weekly injections. You do not need to take time off work or out of your busy schedule to maintain your treatment program. You can even travel with your drops.
Please note that sublingual therapy is a cash-pay only treatment, as is not covered by insurance, and cannot be used towards deductibles or Health Savings Accounts (HSAs). However, the cost of the treatment is very affordable and comparable to other types of allergy treatments. There is also savings since you do not have to come into the office more than once or twice annually throughout this process.
Sublingual immunotherapy drops are not for everyone. Your doctor will determine whether you are a candidate or if another treatment would be better suited to you. Contact the Acadian Allergy Center at 337-237-0779 today to schedule your appointment to discuss your options in person.
What to Expect on Your First Visit
Our resource center provides support to our patients and offers helpful information to make your experience as pleasant as possible. We have a number of patient information forms available for download, as well as pre- and post-operative surgery instructions, insurance providers and a list of frequently asked questions. Can’t find what you’re looking for? Give us a call and we’ll help you out.
TESTIMONIALS
Every time I have an appointment here, they are Friendly, Professional, and go beyond trying to make you feel comfortable. But best of all they are absolutely the BEST!!!
The team at Acadian ENT & Facial Plastic Surgery Center made my visit a very positive, informative & pleasant experience! The entire staff were welcoming & professional. My fear was taken from me by the knowledgeable information given me by the medical staff. I would highly recommend Acadian Ear, Nose, Throat & Facial Plastic Surgery Center to anyone in need of this type of medical care!
I get my allergy shots done here. Everyone is very professional and friendly. They get you in and out quickly and are great if you have any questions about your treatment! I can’t recommend them enough.
The office facility is always bright and comfortable. The nurses, staff, practitioners, and doctors are very knowledgeable and courteous when explaining my health issues and insurance coverages. Great office of professionals.
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