755 Mount Vernon Hwy NE, Ste 370
Atlanta, GA 30328
Tel : 404-252-PENT (7368)
Fax : 404-256-PENT (7368)
Focused ENT Care for All Ages
What Is an Allergy?
An allergy occurs when your immune system overreacts to a normally harmless substance, such as pollen, dust, mold, or pet dander. This reaction can cause symptoms that affect your nose, ears, throat, sinuses, eyes, skin, and lungs, impacting your daily activities and quality of life.
Common symptoms include sneezing, nasal congestion, runny nose, itchy or watery eyes, postnasal drip, chronic cough, recurrent sinus or ear infections, and fatigue. Allergy symptoms can change over time and may vary from person to person.
A diagnosis begins with a thorough medical history and physical examination. Allergy testing can help identify the specific allergens responsible for your symptoms and guide a personalized treatment plan.
What are the Symptoms of ear, Nose and Throat Allergies?
People often think of allergy as only “hay fever,” with sneezing, runny nose, nasal stuffiness and itchy, watery eyes. However, allergies can also cause symptoms such as chronic “sinus” problems, excess nasal and throat drainage (postnasal drip), head congestion, frequent “colds,”hoarse voice, eczema (skin allergies), recurring ear infections, hearing loss, dizziness, chronic cough and asthma. Even stomach and intestinal problems as well as excessive fatigue can be symptoms of allergy.
Symptoms of ear, nose, and throat allergies may include:
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Repeated sneezing
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Nasal itching and rubbing
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Nasal congestion
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Runny nose
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Dark circles under the eyes
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Frequent throat clearing
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Mouth breathing
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Diminished/lost sense of smell/taste
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Recurrent, unexplained nosebleeds
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Recurrent ear infections
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Recurrent sinus infections
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Fluctuating hearing loss
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Cold-like symptoms more than 10 days
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Symptoms recur same time each year
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Chronic fatigue
Allergy Prick Testing
Modified Quantitative Testing (MQT)
At ENT of Georgia North – Sandy Springs, we offer Modified Quantitative Testing (MQT) to identify environmental allergies that may be contributing to chronic sinus problems, nasal congestion, sneezing, itchy eyes, postnasal drainage, and other allergy-related symptoms.
MQT is performed in our office by our experienced allergy team. During the test, small amounts of common environmental allergens—including trees, grasses, weeds, molds, dust mites, cat, dog, and other regional allergens—are introduced just beneath the surface of the skin using a series of tiny injections. The response to each allergen is measured to determine both which allergens you are sensitive to and the degree of sensitivity.
The testing process typically takes 60–90 minutes, and results are available the same day. Based on your results, our providers will develop a personalized treatment plan, which may include environmental avoidance recommendations, medications, or allergy immunotherapy (allergy drops or allergy shots) to help reduce symptoms and improve long-term quality of life.
Our goal is to identify the underlying cause of your allergies and provide a treatment plan tailored to your individual needs.
STOP!
WHY DO I NEED TO STOP SOME MEDICATIONS BEFORE AN ALLERGY TEST?
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When you are allergic to a substance, your body releases certain chemicals such as histamine. When these chemicals are released in the skin during a test, we see a small bump in the skin that is often surrounded by redness. Certain medications can decrease this response and cause allergy testing to look negative even if you do have allergies.
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Other medications can be dangerous to take if you are having an allergy test. Some medications can increase your chance of a life-threatening reaction to an allergy test or make treating a severe reaction more difficult.
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You only need to consider stopping medications if you are going to have a skin test for allergies. If your allergy test will be done with a blood draw - no medications need to be stopped.
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It is important to review your list of medications with your ENT allergist in order to ensure the most accurate and safe outcome when you have your test.
SAFE
Medications That Are Generally Safe to Continue
The medications below do not typically interfere with allergy skin testing and are generally safe to continue unless your provider instructs otherwise.
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ACE Inhibitors: benazepril, captopril, enalapril, lisinopril, perindopril, quinapril, ramipril
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Immunosuppressants: cyclosporin
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Nasal Steroid Sprays: beclomethasone, budesonide, ciclesonide, fluticasone, mometasone, triamcinolone
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Decongestant Nasal Sprays & Expectorants: guaifenesin, oxymetazoline, phenylephrine, pseudoephedrine
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Leukotriene Modifiers: montelukast, pranlukast, zafirlukast, zileuton
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Serotonin & Norepinephrine Reuptake Inhibitors (SNRIs): atomoxetine, desvenlafaxine, duloxetine, levomilnacipran, milnacipran, tramadol, venlafaxine
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Proton Pump Inhibitors (PPIs): dexlansoprazole, esomeprazole, lansoprazole, omeprazole, pantoprazole, rabeprazole
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Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs): citalopram, escitalopram, fluoxetine, fluvoxamine, paroxetine, sertraline, vilazodone, vortioxetine
Immunotherapy Options
