Allergy and Sinus Center

Allergic rhinitis and sinusitis are very common conditions in the South. Allergies are a year round problem in our area due to high humidity levels, higher than average temperatures and longer growing seasons. Allergies are an overreaction of the immune system that occurs when an allergic person comes into contact with an allergen. This often causes symptoms such as: sneezing, wheezing, cough, congestion, and itching, among others. Laurel ENT offers a wide variety of allergy services for both seasonal and perennial allergic rhinitis, as well as chronic sinusitis.

Allergy Department Policies:
1. All Allergy shot patients are required to have a six-month checkup appointment with their physician in order to receive further shots or vials.
2. Any patients that are on medication classified as a Beta-Blocker should not take allergy shots. Please inform the physician or nurse if you have been prescribed a Beta-Blocker

Allergy Shot Hours:
Mon, Wed, Thurs: 7:30—4:30
Tues: 8:00—4:30
Fri: 7:30 to 11:30

Please be advised that our Physicians are on call for the ER at all times. Please call to verify that we have a Physician in the clinic.

Types of Allergy Tests
Determining what a patient is allergic to can be a challenging task. Our physicians and experienced allergy nurses can assist you in identifying the things you are allergic to, and develop the best, individualized treatment plan for you based upon your specific symptoms and allergy test results. We provide the most up-to-date allergy testing and treatment options available for adult and pediatric patients. Your doctor will determine which type of test would best benefit you based upon your specific symptoms.

The different types of allergy testing include:
1. Intradermal Skin Testing: This test is performed on the skin of the upper arms and is usually considered the most accurate testing for inhaled allergens. It takes approximately 1 ½ – 2 hours to complete and results are immediate.
2. Blood Testing: With this test, blood is drawn from a patient and antibody levels are tested to determine allergies.  It usually takes about 1 week to get results.

Allergy Treatment Options
1. Allergy Shots (Immunotherapy) – Immunotherapy is a unique method of treating allergies. This is the only treatment that actually works on the root cause of allergies. The patient is actually injected with things they are allergic to. The body can then slowly build an “immunity” to the allergies they have. Allergy shots do not work immediately, but rather take time for the immunity to develop. Ideally, after taking shots weekly for 3-5 years, the body can build up long term immunity. Patients who take Beta-Blockers should not take allergy shots.

2. Sublingual Immunotherapy (SLIT) – Once, allergy treatment was limited to injections, medications that made you drowsy and lifestyle changes that were difficult to live with. Now, a new treatment method is available called sublingual immunotherapy. Using SLIT, a serum containing substances the patient is allergic to is placed underneath the tongue.. The body will absorb the serum and the immune system will then respond by making antibodies to build up an immunity to the antigens you are allergic to. After taking the sublingual therapy for 3-5 years, the body can build up an approximate 20 year immunity.

SLIT is not recommended for everyone, and most insurance companies don’t yet pay for this type of treatment, but it is proving to be another effective means of treating allergies. This type of treatment is considered when a patient can’t or won’t take allergy injections.

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Sinus Center

Chronic sinusitis:
Many people suffer from occasional sinus infections that can be treated with antibiotics which allow them to quickly return back to a normal condition. However, there are some that are not so fortunate. Some patients may suffer from very frequent infections (recurrent sinusitis) or have infections that never completely resolve (chronic sinusitis). These problems may need further evaluation and treatment by our team of ENT specialists. Our physicians can help you with these problems by offering either surgical or nonsurgical treatment options. We will work with you to decide the most appropriate course of action for your particular problem. Laurel ENT Physicians can diagnose your condition in the office with the most advanced, up-to-date tools, including in office CT scanner and endoscopy.

Conditions We Treat
• Nasal obstruction
• Rhinitis
• Sinus pain
• Sinus headaches
• Acute and chronic sinusitis
• Nasal polyps
• Post-nasal drip
• Fungal sinusitis
• Smell disorder
Services & Treatments
• Balloon sinuplasty
• In office procedures
• In office sinus surgery
• Septoplasty
• Nasal polypectomy
• Sinus irrigations
• In office CT scan
• Steroid inner ear perfusion
• Image guided sinus surgery

In Office Procedures
We are very excited about recent techniques that have been developed to move treatments from the operating room to the office. There are many advantages of in office treatment, including: avoidance of anesthesia, quicker return to work, NO NASAL PACKING, less bleeding, less pain, and a much lower cost to the patient. Please schedule an appointment with one of our physicians if you feel that you are a candidate for in office sinus procedures.

Among in office procedures are:
• CT Scans
• Removal of lesions inside the nose
• Balloon Sinuplasty

IMAGE GUIDED SINUS SURGERY
When medications fail and less invasive means of dealing with sinus problems no longer work, our team of sinus surgeons is able to take it to the next level. No one wants to have sinus surgery, but when the need is there, you couldn’t be in better hands.
At Laurel ENT, we live on the cutting edge of technology.  Image guided sinus surgery is like having a GPS for your head that helps us to navigate safely through complex anatomy. It helps us to more effectively and more safely open up blocked sinuses.
To use this technology, your CT scan is uploaded into a computer which will then reconstruct a 3 dimensional model of your head. Tracking devices and specialized instruments are then used in surgery to allow us to see EXACTLY where we are working by looking at an electronic map of your sinuses.

IN OFFICE CT SCAN
CT scans are one of the most valuable tools for assessing the extent of the sinus problems. Our patients can often have this test performed during their appointment, without ever having to leave the comfort of our office and they are able to immediately review the scan with the physician offering immediate results.

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Office Location: 203 South 12th Avenue - Laurel, MS 39440