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Allergy is a sensitivity some individuals develop to substances which are ordinarily harmless to most people. When the allergic person comes into contact with something to which he or she is sensitive, symptoms develop. Symptoms vary greatly. Common ones are sneezing, rash, itching and wheezing. Substances to which the allergic individual may become sensitized are called allergens. They reach the body by being inhaled, swallowed, touched or injected.
Your Board Certified allergy physician is trained to diagnose allergy problems and to perform appropriate tests to determine the offending allergens. He/She is also skilled in the management and control of allergic symptoms because of special training and experience.
We work in concert with your primary care physician as consultants. We ask that all of our patients have a primary care physician
Since your allergy evaluation will take a considerable amount of time, it must be done by appointment. New patient appointments involve a complete allergy evaluation and allergy skin tests. We do not require that all patients be directly referred by a physician. Certain health insurance plans require a direct referral by your primary care physician. We recommend that each of our patients has a personal physician for non-allergy problems that may arise. We will send a report to your physician after your evaluation and we look forward to working closely with your physician regarding your care. If you will be unable to keep your scheduled appointment, please give us at least 24 hours notice.
Some allergy problems are relatively simple while others are very complex. Therefore, the extent of your allergy evaluation will vary depending on your problem. You need to plan to be in the Little Rock Allergy & Asthma Clinic for two to three hours, and patients with morning appointments may need to return in the afternoon to complete the evaluation. Your workup will be in the early morning or early afternoon with a detailed history of allergy symptoms, general medical history, family history and physical examination. The second part of the workup is the allergy testing. If asthma or breathing difficulty is a part of your diagnosis, then further diagnostic testing may be done. This could include peak flow measurements and pulmonary function testing. Information concerning asthma triggers, asthma exacerbations, exercise-induced asthma, inhaler use and asthma medications will also be provided and explained. At the end of the evaluation you will be given the results of all tests and specific recommendations will be made. A written report will be sent to your physician.
Please complete the history questionnaire as accurately as possible and bring it at the time of your appointment. You will receive a packet of information in the mail prior to your visit with instructions on completing the paperwork. Please obtain and bring records of any previous allergy test and evaluations. As part of the instructions you will be asked to discontinue all antihistamine-containing medications for three complete days (72 hours) before your appointment. These medications will interfere with allergy testing. If you have any questions about antihistamines and skin testing, please call our office prior to your appointment.
Certain medications should NOT be omitted prior to your appointment. This includes asthma medications, antibiotics, steroid medicines, or any other medicine that you may be on for other medical problems. Also, you may eat a regular diet on the day of your allergy test.
Allergy tests are done using a Multi-Test device on the back. The Multi-Test device can apply eight tests at once with minimal discomfort. Because the testing is done on the back women and children may want to wear a two-piece outfit. Your doctor may also want to do some intradermal tests during the evaluation. Intradermal tests are administered by injecting a small amount of the allergy extract into the skin. Your doctor prefers to have your workup completed with allergy skin tests. If for some reason your allergy skin tests cannot be adequately interpreted, your doctor may order a blood test for your allergy evaluation.
The person accompanying the child should be the individual most familiar with details of the allergy problem and the child's past history. Since the full attention of the parent is needed to keep a small child occupied during the testing session, it is highly recommended that other children not be brought to the clinic prior to testing. If a family has two children that are being evaluated on the same day, we ask that an adult be available to accompany each child. We recommend that the parents of teenage patients be available during and after the evaluation to discuss the findings and recommendations.
If you are covered under an insurance plan, you are required to pay your co-pay at the time services are rendered. Your co-pay is either a percentage of your total bill or a designated amount set by your insurance company. This is due on the day of service, and we will file your insurance claim for you.
If you are not covered by insurance, please call our patient accounts department to make arrangements before your first visit. You can call them direct at (501) 219-1575 or use our toll-free number 1-800-514-4343.
We have no way of knowing each family's circumstances, and we genuinely do want to help. We accept cash, personal check, Visa, MasterCard and Discover.
We participate in many health plans, HMOs and PPOs. Some plans require that you have a referral from your primary care physician. We cannot obtain this referral for you. If there are questions regarding our participation in your health plan, or whether or not a referral is needed, please contact our insurance department two days prior to your scheduled appointment.
Refills on prescriptions are authorized only during office hours when your chart is available for review to make certain the refill is appropriate. Prescriptions are not refilled unless you are being actively followed for an allergy condition. If you have not been seen in the last 12 months, please make an office visit appointment to review your situation before requesting any prescription refills. Refills can be given by your family physician or pediatrician. Please call at least 24 hours before a refill is needed. You should confirm with your pharmacist that this prescription has been authorized before going to the pharmacy.