For an appointment with a Virginia allergist now, call Black & Kletz Allergy
Are you suffering from ongoing allergies? Do you find yourself dreading the changing of the seasons, or even the weather, because with that comes unpleasant symptoms? If so, you may be one of several million Americans who has allergies. Today, it is common for people to turn to various allergy medications. While these are great, and do aid in the relief of symptoms, they are not ideal for the long term. Think about it, no one wants to take allergy medicines every year, even a couple of times a year, for weeks at a time. At Black & Kletz Allergy, we empathize with you.
As a Virginia allergist, we help people like you, or even your family members, find relief. Not temporary relief, but long term! We treat people who need help to:
- Control asthma
- Control allergies that interfere with day to day activities
- Decrease the need for daily allergy or asthma medications
- Find practical alternatives to OTC medications, decongestants, and antihistamines – each of which can cause additional unpleasant symptoms
- Treat children with allergies
- Identify triggers of the symptoms
When to See an Allergist
You might be thinking to yourself “When should I see an allergist?” Realistically, if you are asking yourself this question, there is a good chance you can benefit from seeing one. Actually, you don’t have anything to lose from scheduling an appointment with a Virginia allergist. If you are still wondering, consider these signs that indicate its time to make the call:
- You suffer from a cough that won’t go away
- You feel like you have cold symptoms that are always there (or last more than 2 weeks)
- You have had an allergic reaction after eating a certain food, taking a medication, or being stung by an insect
- You experience signs of asthma, like shortness of breath, chest tightness, or coughing (especially after exercise or at night)
You have had more than three throat, ear, sinus, or lung infections in the last year - You have rashes like hives or eczema
- Your symptoms have increased around an animal
The above are all very common signs of allergies. We would encourage you to reach out to our VIrginia allergists if any of them resonate with you. Our clinic treats adults, childrens, and young infants. In general, we will begin the treatment with an in depth assessment followed by allergy testing. This is typically done through a scratch test or blood test. Knowing what you are allergic to is the first step towards getting rid of your symptoms. After we have identified your allergens, we will discuss treatment options. Allergy shots are one example of treatment solutions. These are natural, minimally invasive (just a shot), and very effective. Best of all they encourage the body to build up a resistance to the allergy. Not all patients are suited to allergy shots. In this case we will make other practical recommendations. To learn more, call an allergist in Virginia and Black & Kletz Allergy.
Why do Some People Have Allergies and Others Don’t?
People can develop allergies for a number of different reasons. This is also true for people at any age for the most part. Allergies are generally thought to be something that is inherited genetically. If your father or mother or both have allergies, then there is a good chance that you will get them as well. Everyone’s immune system reacts to things differently. Some people are affected by a high pollen count in the air if they live around many trees, others are affected by certain chemicals that are found in foods. Some other people may be allergic to certain animals too. Our immune systems produce certain antibodies that help to fight off reactions that we may receive from a number of different sources. Chemicals within our own body relay information to the body’s immune system to try and fight off these reactions that we have obtained from being allergic. Sometimes though these information relaying chemicals cause the immune system to overload and therefore they overreact, which leads to an allergic reaction. Contact an allergist in Virginia from Black & Kletz Allergy today to find out more about what causes allergies and how to treat them.
Common Types of Food Allergies
Some of the most common allergies that a person may face are from foods. There are some foods that tend to affect people more than others. Some of the foods that are known to cause many people an allergic reaction are:
- Certain seafoods like shellfish
- Peanuts
- Nuts from trees like almonds, walnuts, pistachios and cashews
- Milk
- Eggs
Your Virginia allergist can fill you in even more on other foods that can cause allergies like fruits and wheats. If you are dealing with allergies and are looking for a way to get some treatment, then discussing these allergies with an experienced allergist from Black & Kletz Allergy will be of benefit to you.
Is it Possible to Avoid Getting an Allergy?
Many people often wonder if it is possible to not get allergies at all. They may see individuals around them or friends and family dealing with allergies and think to themselves if they will have to deal with allergies in the future as well. One way of avoiding allergies is to avoid the foods or certain areas that are known to have more allergic reactions. By avoiding foods like certain tree nuts or fruits you can be assured that you will not have an allergic reaction. While this isn’t the most realistic thing to do it could help you to avoid an allergy with certain things. Aside from that though it depends upon your genetics and whether or not your parents or other family members have allergies. If your parents have allergies, then the chances of you getting them are quite high along with your children getting allergies too if you have them. Speak with an allergist in Virginia today from Black & Kletz Allergy to learn more about how to deal with your allergies or ways of possibly reducing the risk of getting them.
Meet Your Virginia Allergist
The board certified allergists at Black & Kletz Allergy serve as the allergist VA residents respect and seek when they suspect an allergy. The allergy practice has 2 convenient locations in Virginia and one location in the northwest section of downtown Washington DC. All the 3 office locations are frequented by an allergist VA inhabitants have long trusted.
The Black & Kletz allergist VA residents admire is a physician trained in diagnosing and treating diseases and disorders related to allergies and clinical immunology. That allergist Virginia residents are accustomed to and who works at Black & Kletz Allergy has more than 30 years of experience in treating patients with allergic and immunological disorders.
Our allergist VA patients respect diagnoses and treats many allergic conditions including asthma. Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disorder mostly affecting the individual’s lungs. Genetic factors may play a role in the causation of asthma making the malady more likely to run in families. Unfortunately, genetic predisposition cannot be altered at this time.
The symptoms of asthma include coughing, chest tightness, shortness of breath, and/or wheezing. Inflammation of the tissues in the lungs lead to swelling of the walls of the bronchial tubes carrying air in and out of the lungs. This swelling of the walls causes narrowing of the lumen inside the tubes. In addition, the muscles in the walls of the bronchial tubes go into spasmodic contraction, making the lumen even narrower. Inflammation also leads to excessive secretion of the mucus in the airways and thick secretions can plug the lumen of the airways causing additional blockage.
Environmental factors may play a role in aggravating asthma and triggering acute exacerbations of asthma symptoms. Our allergist Virginia residents have long trusted has special training in identifying these factors. Our allergist will educate patients in the various ways of avoiding exposure to them. Some of these factors may include infections, allergens, irritants, temperature changes, and physical exertion.
Viral infections are a known trigger for asthma symptoms. These infections may also lead to upper respiratory symptoms such as nasal congestion, post-nasal drip, runny nose, sneezing, sore throat, cough, and fever. The common cold and influenza (i.e., the flu) are examples of a viral infections that can aggravate asthma symptoms.
Cold air, smoke, chemical sprays, and strong odors are the typical irritants that tend to trigger asthma symptoms. Allergens differ from irritants in that they are mostly biological in origin and act through the immune system by forming antibodies. These allergens can be indoor or outdoor in nature. Indoor allergens include dust mites, mold spores, cockroaches, and cat/dog dander. Outdoor allergens include pollens from trees, grasses, ragweed and other weeds. The allergist VA inhabitants admire has the training and years of experience and expertise in identifying the specific allergens playing a role in aggravating asthma in individual patients. In order to confirm an individual’s allergies, our allergist Virginia patients respect are trained to perform and interpret skin testing with the common allergens. Once the specific allergens the patient is sensitized to are identified, a treatment plan is formulated in order to decrease the severity of asthma symptoms.
Our allergist VA patients confide in will then educate the patient in the ways to avoid exposure to the identified allergens. Furthermore, our allergist Virginia residents respect will prescribe the appropriate medications which are designed to control asthma if taken daily as a preventive maintenance option. Patients also need short acting rapid relief medications to relieve the acute symptoms quickly. These inhalers are used on an as needed basis. In addition to giving prescriptions, our allergist VA inhabitants trust will demonstrate and coaches the patient in the proper technique of using these inhalers. These asthma inhalers may differ in the way they are used depending on the type of inhaler prescribed.
The allergist VA residents have confided in for over 30 years also utilizes allergy desensitization protocols aimed at building up tolerance to the allergens which helps to achieve better control of allergies and asthma, as well as reduce the need for medications in the long term. Allergy immunotherapy (i.e., allergy shots) are advantageous in 80-85% of individuals who take them. Allergy shots have been used in the U.S. for more than 100 years and are very effective in treating asthma, allergic rhinitis (i.e., hay fever), and allergic conjunctivitis (i.e., eye allergies).
The board certified allergists at Black & Kletz Allergy will promptly answer any questions you may have regarding asthma or allergies. Our allergists have been diagnosing and treating asthma and allergies in the Washington, DC, Northern Virginia, and Maryland metropolitan area for more than 50 years. We have 3 convenient locations in the DC metro area with offices in Washington, DC, McLean, VA (Tysons Corner, VA), and Manassas, VA. There is on-site parking at each location and both the Washington, DC and McLean, VA offices are Metro accessible. There is a free shuttle that runs between our McLean, VA office and the Spring Hill metro station on the silver line. To schedule an appointment, please call us at any one of our 3 locations. You can alternatively click Request an Appointment and we will respond within 24 hours by the next business day. Black & Kletz Allergy is dedicated in providing the most up-to-date diagnostic and treatment modalities in the field of allergy, asthma, and immunology.
Hay fever (i.e., allergic rhinitis) and asthma are the two most common conditions treated by an allergist. Hay fever is a colloquial term used as an alternative name allergic rhinitis. Technically, allergic rhinitis means inflammation of the tissues inside the nostrils. An allergist Virginia inhabitants trust can be found at Black & Kletz Allergy. The allergists at Black & Kletz Allergy are board-certified and treat both adults and children. An allergist Virginia residents trust practices at Black & Kletz Allergy and is an expert in the field of allergy and immunology. The allergy specialists at Black & Kletz Allergy have special training in the treatment of allergic rhinitis, asthma, food allergies, medication allergies, sinus disease, insect sting allergies, allergic skin disorders (i.e., hives, eczema), and immune disorders.
Allergic rhinitis is caused by sensitization of our immune system to either allergens or irritants in the environment. Exposure to these agents is the actual trigger for symptoms. Typical allergens may include indoor agents such as dust mites, mold spores, animal dander, and/or cockroaches. Outdoor agents may include pollens from trees, grasses and weeds. Irritants are substances that do not cause allergies; however, they can cause allergic-like symptoms in susceptible individuals. Common irritants may include smoke, chemical sprays, strong odors, exhaust fumes, and/or other pollutants.
Our allergist Virginia residents respect may decide to test an individual with allergy symptoms in order to identify their specific triggers. Our allergist Virginia inhabitants admire may also prescribe oral anti histamines, oral decongestants, leukotriene antagonists, corticosteroid nasal sprays, antihistamine nasal sprays, anticholinergic nasal sprays, and/or various eye drops in order to alleviate one’s bothersome symptoms which should improve the quality of life for allergy sufferers. An allergist Virginia residents trust at Black & Kletz Allergy practice can also desensitize individuals to allergens so that their symptoms can be minimized and their medication can be reduced or eliminated. Desensitization is performed through a series of allergy shots (i.e., allergy injections, allergy immunotherapy, allergy hyposensitization) and it is effective in 80-85% of patients. Most individuals are on allergy shots for 3-5 years.
Asthma is another condition that an allergist Virginia inhabitants request at Black & Kletz Allergy has expertise in treating. The most common symptoms of asthma include wheezing, chest tightness, coughing, and shortness of breath. Both indoor and outdoor allergens may play a role in aggravating asthma. Exposure to non-specific irritants such as smoke and strong chemicals may trigger asthma flare-ups and result in emergency room visits. Every year, individuals end up in emergency departments of hospitals and many others need to be admitted into the hospital for the management of severe asthma. More than 10 million outpatient visits per year are due to asthma. There are more than 500,000 hospitalizations per year due to asthma. An allergist Virginia residents recognize can help in identifying the triggers, minimizing the symptoms, and preventing emergency room visits and hospitalizations by prescribing medications and providing an individualized asthma treatment plan.
Our allergist Virginia inhabitants admire also treats hives (i.e., urticaria). Hives are itchy red blotches or welts of various shapes and sizes which can be present anywhere on the body. They can last from days to years and can be very frustrating for the patient. They may interfere with day-to-day activities and also may affect one’s sleep at night. Hives can be caused by allergies to food and medications but also can be triggered by infections. Chronic hives may also be caused by various underlying medical conditions such as thyroid disease, liver disease, and connective tissue disorders, to name a few.
The allergist Virginia residents respect at Black & Kletz Allergy will take a detailed history in order to try to identify the possible cause of one’s hives. History taking is supplemented by a thorough physical examination. Our allergist Virginia inhabitants trust may order laboratory tests, if needed, which could aid in the diagnosis. Despite obtaining bloodwork, the cause can remain unidentifiable (i.e., idiopathic) in a majority of instances. Even when the cause cannot be identified, however, our allergist Virginia residents admire can provide relief from symptoms by prescribing different medications that alleviate or eliminate the hives.
The board certified allergists at Black & Kletz Allergy located in the Washington, DC, Northern Virginia, and Maryland metropolitan area will readily answer any questions you have regarding your allergy and/or asthma symptoms. We have 3 offices with locations in Washington, DC, McLean, VA (Tysons Corner, VA), and Manassas, VA. All of our offices offer on-site parking. In addition, the Washington, DC and McLean, VA offices are accessible by Metro. There is also a free shuttle that runs between the McLean, VA office and the Spring Hill metro station on the silver line. Please make an appointment by calling our office, or alternatively, you can click Request an Appointment and we will answer you within 24 hours by the next business day. The allergists at Black & Kletz Allergy treat both children and adults. We are privileged to serve the Washington, DC metro area residents as we have done for more than 50 years.