|
|
 |
How Referral to an Allergy/Immunology Physician can Help in the Diagnosis and Management of Sinusitis
1. Allergy Immunology Physicians Can Help Patients with Chronic Rhinosinusitis (Nasal and Sinus Inflammation) of Any Type
- Inflammation of the nose and sinuses often occurs in people with allergic rhinitis (nasal allergies). The Allergy/Immunology Physician is specially trained to diagnose and treat allergic rhinitis and its associated inflammation.
- Care by an Allergy/Immunology Physician has been shown to improve outcomes of importance to patients in chronic rhinosinusitis.
- Allergy immunotherapy has been specifically demonstrated to improve outcomes in allergic individuals.
2. Allergy Immunology Physicians Can Help Patients With Chronic or Recurrent Infectious Rhinosinusitis
- Many patients with chronic infectious rhinosinusitis have underlying disorders such as immune deficiency, cystic fibrosis, fungal sinusitis, and other diseases which predispose them to developing infectious rhinosinusitis. Allergy/Immunology Physicians are specially trained to diagnose and treat these disorders.
3. Allergy Immunology Physicians Can Help Patients with Chronic Eosinophilic Rhinosinusitis
- This is a chronic inflammatory disease with characteristics of the type of inflammation seen in allergic rhinitis (nasal allergies). It is often seen with other disorders that the Allergy/Immunology Physician has expertise in treating, such as aspirin sensitivity, asthma, and sinus or nasal polyps.
- Allergy/Immunology Physicians are experts in allergic inflammation and can evaluate and treat nasal and/or sinus inflammation and disease due to both environmental allergy and to aspirin sensitivity.
4. Allergy Immunology Physicians Can Help Patients with Allergic Fungal Rhinosinusitis
- This is a chronic inflammatory disease with characteristics of IgE (allergic) and eosinophilic inflammation (inflammation caused by eosinophils, one of the white blood cells).
- Diagnostic evaluation involves allergy skin testing and other laboratory testing.
- Management involves medical management (i.e., medications), allergy immunotherapy (allergy shots), and surgery.
- Allergy/Immunology Physicians are experts in the evaluation and medical management of allergic fungal rhinosinusitis, including performing allergy skin testing and other laboratory evaluations which might be required, prescribing medications, and in providing allergy immunotherapy (“allergy shots”).
<back>
|
