When you visit our office, you can expect personalized and comprehensive care from our experienced team. Our practice has been serving the Buffalo community for more than 20 years, and we are dedicated to providing individualized attention and treatment plans for each patient.
During your first visit, you will meet with one of our allergists, who will review your medical history and discuss any concerns or symptoms you may be experiencing. This appointment typically lasts about two to three hours, and when possible, we will conduct a skin prick test to help identify the specific environmental allergies you may be suffering from. We will ask you to schedule a follow-up visit for further allergy testing if needed.
After we analyze the results, our next step is to create a personalized immunotherapy plan. We'll take the time to review this plan with you thoroughly, ensuring you understand the steps and the expected outcomes. This initial appointment lays the foundation for your tailored allergy management strategy.
At the start of your prick test, we'll clean the test area (typically your arm or back) and then mark it to track the reactions to different allergens. Small drops of various allergens will be placed on your skin, and then we will use a sterile lancet to prick your skin, allowing the allergens to enter.
While the procedure is generally not painful, some individuals might find it slightly uncomfortable. However, it is typically well-tolerated.
We will then closely monitor the test area for any reactions. A red, itchy bump, similar to a mosquito bite, indicates an allergic reaction. After about 15 minutes, we will measure and record the reactions to determine which allergens are causing your symptoms. Typically, these bumps disappear within a few hours.
To ensure that your test results are accurate, it's important to follow these medication guidelines:
You may continue using all types of inhalers; steroid nasal sprays like Flonase, Nasacort, Rhinocort, Nasonex, and Qnasl; and Singulair (montelukast).
If you have any questions about your test or how to prepare for it, please contact us! We're happy to provide any additional information or guidance you may need.
During your first visit for a patch test, a series of small patches with different substances will be placed on your skin, typically your back, using a strong adhesive material. This area must remain dry and in place throughout the testing period, so you should avoid showering, taking a bath, exercising, or engaging in other activities that could make you sweat. However, sponge baths are allowed.
During your second visit, we will remove the patches and assess your skin's reaction. If you notice any reactions after leaving our office, such as redness or irritation, please have someone take a clear photo of your back to share with us during your next appointment.
During your third visit, we'll conduct a final evaluation to note any delayed reaction, determine your allergy triggers, and discuss your treatment options. If you test positive for any of the substances we tested, we will provide you with detailed written information about those substances and how to avoid them.
If the test area begins to itch or burn at any point during the process, try not to scratch it. Scratching can irritate your skin further and potentially make the itching even worse. Fortunately, taking antihistamines like Benadryl, Zyrtec, or Claritin is allowed, and they can help relieve any discomfort.
Please contact our office if you experience severe itching or burning during the testing period.
To ensure that your test results are accurate, it's important to follow these guidelines:
Additionally, if you have hair on your back, we recommend shaving the area with an electric razor before your appointment. This will ensure that the patches adhere properly and prevent any inaccurate results due to the hair blocking the substances from making contact with the skin.
If you have any questions about your patch test or how to prepare for it, please call us! We're happy to provide any additional information or guidance you may need.
During the food challenge, you will be given "doses" of the challenge food, starting with a tiny amount and gradually working up to the full serving size. Our nursing staff will closely monitor you for 15-20 minutes between doses to ensure your safety and well-being.
If you develop any allergic symptoms during this period, a member of our team will immediately evaluate you. Should these symptoms indicate an allergic reaction, appropriate medication(s) will be administered, and you'll be monitored for an additional timeframe to ensure that the reaction fully resolves.
If no allergic symptoms appear, we will continue to observe you for two hours after completing the last "dose" of the food challenge. This observation period gives our team an opportunity to monitor for delayed allergic reactions, which provides a more comprehensive assessment of your condition.
A week before your appointment, our team will give you a call and provide specific instructions on how to prepare for the food challenge. These instructions may include:
Additionally, please bring the challenge food with you on the day of your appointment. If the appointment is for a child, we recommend bringing different preparations of the food (for example, if the food is eggs, bring scrambled eggs and French toast). During the call from our team a week ahead of time, we'll review exactly how much food to bring and remind you to stop allergy medications.
If you have any questions about your food challenge or how to prepare for it, please call us! We're happy to provide any additional information or guidance you may need.
During a medication challenge, you will be closely monitored by our nursing staff after being administered a small, controlled dose of the medication in question. If any allergic symptoms appear, a member of our team will promptly evaluate your condition.
Should these symptoms indicate an allergic reaction, appropriate medication(s) will be administered. Additionally, you'll be monitored for an extended period to ensure that the reaction fully resolves and that you're safe to leave our office.
If no allergic symptoms arise, we will continue to observe you for two hours after completing the challenge. This observation period allows us to monitor for delayed reactions and provides a more comprehensive assessment of your condition.
To ensure that your test results are accurate, it's important to follow these guidelines:
If the challenge medication is amoxicillin, we will provide the medication once you arrive at our office.
For all other medications, we will send a prescription to your local pharmacy to be filled out before your appointment. Please pick up the prescription and bring it with you on the day of your appointment.
DO NOT take the medication at home.
If you have any questions about your medication challenge or how to prepare for it, please call us! We're happy to provide any additional information or guidance you may need.
initial appointment lays the foundation for your tailored allergy management strategy.
During a spirometry test, you will be asked to breathe in and out of a tube attached to a machine called a spirometer. This machine measures how much air you can inhale and exhale, as well as the rate at which you do so.
Our team may also ask you to take deep breaths or forcefully exhale into the device to get more accurate readings. This test is typically repeated multiple times to ensure consistency and accuracy.
Before your test, your healthcare provider may ask you to:
If you have any questions about your medication challenge or how to prepare for it, please call us! We're happy to provide any additional information or guidance you may need.
