University Health System Blog

Dr. Mary Beth Hogan answers the question: “Do allergy shots provide relief from allergy symptoms?”

Allergy injection therapy is a treatment modality in which the allergy patient receives injections of the allergenic substance to which she is allergic.

The allergens selected for treatment are determined by the sensitivity shown on the skin testing and their relationship to the patient’s history. The allergy extract contains only those allergens that cannot be avoided.

Allergy immunotherapy is a specific therapy which treats the basic cause of the patient’s problem—their allergy. It increases their resistance to those allergen to which they are allergic, resulting in fewer symptoms after allergen exposure.

Allergy immunotherapy is used in patients whose allergy symptoms are severe and are not adequately relieved by the use of oral medication and avoidance measures. It may also be used in one whose symptoms are becoming worse each year in an effort to prevent progression to more severe allergic problems.

There is also evidence that allergy immunotherapy performed for allergic children may prevent progression to asthma.

All in all allergy shots reduce medication need by 60 percent and may even get rid of allergy symptoms completely.

Once allergy shots are discontinued, the duration of benefits resulting from allergy shot injections varies from one person to another.

In some people, improvement is permanent. In others, mild symptoms return, but can be controlled with medication. A few patients develop increasing symptoms and require a reinstitution of allergy shots.

Mary Beth Hogan, M.D. is professor of pediatrics and section chief  of pediatric allergy, immunology and pulmonary medicine at the University of Nevada School of Medicine. Dr. Hogan is based out of Reno, Nevada.

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Dr. Evan Klass answers the question: “I’ve heard that you shouldn’t eat sweet fruits such as mangoes if you have diabetes. Is this true?”

The sweeter the fruit the more concentrated the sugar content. So the sweeter the fruit, the smaller the portion size needs to be. So when people say that fruit is healthy, it is partly true.

Fruit does contain vitamins and is free of fat, but it has lots of natural sugars. Remember that all sugar is natural–it comes from a plant source.

That’s the problem with fruit juice. Juice gives all of the sugar of many fruit servings–the sugar of about four oranges is in one glass of juice!

Evan Klass, M.D. is an endocrinologist practicing in Reno, Nevada at University Health System. Dr. Klass completed his fellowship training in endocrinology at George Washington University Medical Center.

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Dr. Shawn Tsuda answers the question: “Is the new way of using ultrasound to blast fat without surgery looking promising?”

Methods of reducing areas of fat in the body without the use of incisions, but instead with ultrasonic energy through the skin, holds promise as a cosmetic procedure for patients concerned with “probem areas” on their body.

This procedure, now starting to see use in the U.S., is akin to liposuction, but minus the incisions. Doctors are quick to note that this is not a weight-loss procedure, but purely a cosmetic one.

It’s important for patients to recognize when obesity is better served by methods of weight reduction rathar than targeted fat reduction, for which liposuction or ultrasonic methods may be useful.

Occasionally, obesity can be accompanied by serious health problems—morbid obesity—that has more to do with extra fat on conspicuous areas on your body.

Your physician can identify the relationship between your height and body surface area known as the body mass index, or BMI, which tells doctors whether you are overweight, obese, or severely obese.

In some cases, lifestyle changes and a tailored diet and activity plan may be warranted to help reduce your risks for heart disease, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and numerous other obesity-related health problems.

In cases of severe obesity, surgical management options such as laparoscopic gastric bypass or gastric banding may be the best option for weight reduction.

Shawn Tsuda, M.D. is vice chief for bariatric surgery at the University of Nevada School of Medicine, in Las Vegas, Nevada. Dr. Tsuda completed his fellowship training in minimally invasive and bariatric surgery at Harvard Medical School. He is board certified in general surgery.

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Dr. Mary Beth Hogan answers the question: “What are the dangers of allergic reactions if I don’t seek medical treatment?”

There is no danger if an allergic reaction is confined to the skin. These reactions can be treated with antihistamines. However, on rare occasions, a highly sensitive patient may develop symptoms of a systemic reaction after allergen exposure.

Symptoms include itching of throat, nose, palms or skin, hives, flushing, feeling warm, dizzy, sneezing, runny nose, coughing, wheezing or chest tightness, nausea or vomiting and diarrhea. If this reaction is not stopped it can progress to difficulty breathing, a drop in blood pressure or even death.

It is not the presence of hives or extreme swelling of the skin or face that is concerning in these reactions, but the presence of symptoms relatable to difficulty breathing—throat closing off or wheezing—and decreased blood pressure—volume loss from vomiting or diarrhea or a direct drop in blood pressure with loss of consciousness—that can result in a fatality.

Studies have shown that survival after a systemic reaction is directly relatable to how quickly epinephrine can be given. So allergists currently recommend that all patients use their epi-pen and go to an emergency room immediately after developing any symptoms of a systemic reaction.

Mary Beth Hogan, M.D. is professor of pediatrics and section chief  of pediatric allergy, immunology and pulmonary medicine at the University of Nevada School of Medicine. Dr. Hogan is based out of Reno, Nevada.

Have a question? University Health System doctors answer select questions from readers like you.