Environmental Allergies

Dr. Cohen at Southern California Sinus Institute, which serves the Los Angeles, San Fernando Valley and Thousand Oaks communities, is an expert at the diagnosis and management of various conditions affecting the nose and sinuses. Environmental allergies are a common cause of inflammation of the lining of the nasal cavities and sinuses in Southern California leading to such problems as chronic nasal obstruction, nasal drainage, watery or itchy eyes, itchy ears, facial pain or headaches and sinus pressure. (see Figure 2) When this problem continues for more than 3 months then it is termed chronic allergic rhinosinusitis. At this point evaluation by an expert nose and sinus specialist is critical. If the problem is deemed to be simply allergies causing inflammation of the nasal cavity without significant sinus obstruction, then medical treatment options may be pursued to minimize the body’s inflammatory reaction to these allergens.

Allergens are irritants in the environment that individuals develop allergies towards, these commonly include dust mites, pollens, weeds, grasses, animal dander and molds. Once allergy testing is performed and the allergens for a particular patient are identified then behavioral management can be instituted. These include avoidance of the allergen as well as the use of hypoallergenic mattress and pillow coverings, washing bedsheets and pillow covers regularly in hot water, minimizing dust mite exposure, using air conditioners in the home rather than opening windows to avoid pollen entering the home, and use of HEPA filters in the home. When these measures are not sufficient, then medical treatment with intranasal steroid sprays, antihistamine pills or sprays, as well as other medications may be instituted. Lastly if the patient continues to be symptomatic then allergy shot therapy may be instituted to desensitize the patient against the inciting allergens.

With allergy shot therapy the patient is exposed to small escalating amounts of the allergen they are reactive to on a regular basis for months to years at a time until their body builds up immunity against the allergen. Patients with allergies, however, do have a tendency toward other nasal and sinus problems as listed on this site such as recurrent acute sinusitis, chronic sinusitis, nasal obstruction, nasal polyp formation, and sinus headaches; therefore, evaluation by an expert nose and sinus spcialist like Dr. Cohen is critical.

Figure 2