How Can an Allergist Help with Different Allergies?

At Allergy & Asthma Care Rockland, our board-certified allergists specialize in diagnosing and treating a wide range of allergies, including seasonal allergies triggered by pollen, mold, and other environmental factors common in the Rockland County area.

When you visit our practice for seasonal allergy concerns, our compassionate team will take the time to thoroughly review your symptoms, possible triggers, and the ways allergies are impacting your daily life. We offer comprehensive allergy testing—including skin prick tests and blood tests—right here in our office to accurately identify the specific allergens responsible for your symptoms.

Once we determine your triggers, our allergist will create a personalized treatment plan tailored to your needs. This may involve:

● Expert advice on how to reduce or avoid allergen exposure at home or work

● Prescription medications such as antihistamines, nasal sprays, or leukotriene inhibitors

● Guidance on effective symptom management strategies

● Advanced therapies like allergen immunotherapy (allergy shots or sublingual tablets) can help desensitize your immune system and reduce your allergic reactions over time

Our team is also committed to educating you about environmental controls—such as using air purifiers, keeping windows closed during peak pollen seasons, and maintaining a clean home environment—to minimize your exposure to allergens. We’ll help you recognize early warning signs of worsening allergies or asthma and partner with you to develop an action plan for managing flare-ups.

At Allergy & Asthma Care Rockland, our board-certified allergists play a central role in the diagnosis and management of food allergies for patients throughout Rockland County and the surrounding areas. With specialized training and years of experience, our team begins every evaluation by taking a thorough medical history, including details about your symptoms, suspected trigger foods, timing of reactions, and any family history of allergies.

We utilize the latest diagnostic tools, such as skin prick testing and blood tests measuring allergen-specific IgE, to help identify the foods responsible for allergic reactions. When needed, our office can safely perform medically supervised oral food challenges—the gold standard for food allergy diagnosis—in a controlled environment, ensuring patient safety at every step.

Once a food allergy is diagnosed, our allergists take the time to educate patients and their families about how to avoid allergenic foods, recognize the early signs of an allergic reaction, and understand the risks of cross-contact. We provide practical guidance on reading food labels, dining out safely in local restaurants, and managing food allergies at school or social events.

A critical part of our care includes developing a personalized emergency action plan for each patient, which covers the proper use of emergency medications like epinephrine auto-injectors. We make sure you and your loved ones feel confident in responding to an accidental exposure, should it occur.

At Allergy & Asthma Care Rockland, support doesn’t stop after diagnosis. We offer ongoing management, follow-up care, and the latest information about advances in therapies—including oral immunotherapy when appropriate. By working closely with families, schools, and other healthcare providers in the community, we strive to help our patients with food allergies live safe, healthy, and active lives.

At Allergy & Asthma Care Rockland, our board-certified allergists offer a comprehensive and personalized approach to managing skin allergies for patients throughout Rockland County and surrounding areas. Our process begins with a thorough evaluation to identify the underlying cause of your skin allergy—whether it’s a reaction to certain foods, medications, plants, metals, or topical products.

Once we determine your specific triggers, our first priority is to help you minimize exposure to these allergens whenever possible. As part of your individualized treatment plan, we may recommend topical corticosteroid creams or ointments to reduce inflammation and itching. For sensitive areas such as the face or when steroids are not suitable, we offer alternative non-steroidal topical medications like calcineurin inhibitors.

Oral antihistamines are another effective option we prescribe to control itching and allergic reactions, especially when symptoms are more widespread or disrupt your daily life. For severe or persistent skin allergies, our team may consider a short course of oral corticosteroids to quickly bring inflammation under control. For chronic or recurrent conditions like atopic dermatitis, we can discuss advanced therapies, including immunomodulatory treatments or biologic medications such as dupilumab.

Education is a key part of our care. We provide guidance on gentle, fragrance-free skin care routines to help repair your skin barrier and reduce irritation. If necessary, we perform in-office patch testing to pinpoint contact allergens or can discuss desensitization protocols, including allergy immunotherapy when appropriate.

At Allergy & Asthma Care Rockland, under the expert care of Dr. Joel H. Selter, MD, we understand how challenging pet allergies can be for individuals and families. Dr. Selter and our team recommend a comprehensive, personalized approach to effectively manage pet allergies and help you maintain your quality of life.

● Limiting Exposure to Pet Allergens:

Our primary strategy is to help you reduce your exposure to allergens. We often suggest practical steps such as keeping pets out of bedrooms and off upholstered furniture, using high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters in your home, and regularly cleaning living spaces to minimize pet dander. Regular bathing and grooming of your pets can also decrease the amount of allergens they shed.

● Medication Management:

In addition to environmental controls, Dr. Selter may recommend medications to provide symptom relief. Common treatments include antihistamines for sneezing, runny nose, and itching, as well as nasal corticosteroid sprays to reduce inflammation. For patients with persistent or severe symptoms, prescription medications or allergy shots (immunotherapy) may be advised.

● Allergy Shots (Immunotherapy):

Immunotherapy is a proven treatment offered at Allergy & Asthma Care Rockland. It involves administering gradually increasing doses of the allergen to help your body build tolerance, significantly reducing allergic reactions over time.

Every patient’s situation is unique, so Dr. Selter and our team work with you to develop a customized treatment plan tailored to your specific needs. If you’re struggling with pet allergies, schedule a consultation with Allergy & Asthma Care Rockland to explore your options and find effective relief. For more information, call us or book an online appointment. We have convenient locations to serve yo