Allergies and Allergy Testing
At least 20% of Australians have one or more allergies, making us one of the most allergic nations in the world. Allergic reactions can range from slight sensitivity to life threatening anaphylaxis. Your sensitivity to one allergen does not mean you are sensitive to any other allergens that cause other people issues. An allergic reaction is your body’s defence mechanism kicking in to protect you from a perceived threat.
Common allergies include:
- Hay fever
- Allergic asthma
- Eczema (Dermatitis)
- Food allergies
- Drug allergies
- Bee venom allergy
Dr Alison Muller has a special interest in allergies and allergy treatments (including allergen immunotherapy). Dr Muller also has significant success with severe eczema patients of all ages. Dr Muller is endorsed by South African Dermatologist Dr Richard Aron whose area of expertise is in severe eczema and whose protocol she uses.
Severe Eczema
Severe Eczema is a condition affecting children and adults that can cause significant pain, red itching weeping skin, infections, sleepless nights, exhaustion, poor quality of life, and feeling of hopelessness. Less effective treatments may include diets, bleach baths, wet wrapping, paste bandages, moisturizers, herbs, acupuncture, steroids and antibiotics. Effective treatment can have dramatic results within days improving quality of life significantly.
Eczema treatment begins with a 30 minute appointment charged at $250 (with Medicare rebates depending on actual time taken).
Skin Prick Tests
The first step in dealing with someone with any allergy is to achieve an accurate diagnosis of the allergy. Depending on the nature of your allergy, a skin prick test may be carried out (also called a scratch test) which will test for allergic reactions to many different substances at once. On adults and children this is normally done on the forearm, and on babies occasionally on the upper back. The tests use plastic lancets that barely penetrate the skin, so you won’t bleed or feel any pain. Dr Muller will draw a series of marks on your skin followed by the lancet prongs to guide the allergen into the skin, using a new lancet for each allergen. Two additional comparison substances are tested on your skin – a histamine, which causes a reaction in most people (just to make sure you do react to allergies), and saline to see if you react to something which should not cause a reaction (if you react to this there may be some false positive results on the other test spots). After 15 minutes you
are checked for reaction size and the results recorded. You’ll know the results of a skin prick test before you leave our Clinic.
Our skin prick testing begins with a one hour consultation charged at $450 for all patients, with possible rebates depending on allergens used. A deposit of $250 will be taken upon booking of the appointment. You must complete a Questionnaire prior to your appointment and will receive instructions about ceasing all antihistamines, Singulair tablets (if safe to do so) and antihistamine nose sprays and eye drops for three days prior to the appointment. Desensitisation Treatments (Immunotherapy or Allergy Vaccination) Once we have determined your environmental allergies we can consider desensitisation if appropriate which works like a vaccination. Food desensitization is still in the study phase and not yet readily available outside of large teaching institutions.
Subcutaneous Immunotherapy
We start by injecting a tiny dose of your allergen mix, after having pre-dosed with a non- sedating antihistamine such as Zyrtec and then monitor your reaction for 30 minutes. After one week we inject a higher dose. You are then at maintenance dose and will continue to have monthly injections at that dose for a total of 3 years. You will be monitored for 30 minutes following each injection to observe for adverse reactions. Side effects of immunotherapy are very uncommon. Allergen immunotherapy can stop after three years. Studies have shown that many patients no longer suffered allergic response for more than 10 years after ceasing vaccinations.
Monthly appointments are bulk billed.
Sublingual desensitization
Allergens can also be administered daily at home using drops under the tongue. This is a daily process for 4 years and has similar success rate to the subcutaneous injections over 3 years.
Food Intolerance and Unsettled Babies
Food intolerance in babies can cause reflux (food and stomach acid flow back up the food pipe), stomach/bowel cramping, green mucousy stools, constipation, eczema, appetite and growth issues, pain and a severely distressed and sleep deprived baby AND parents! Most infants outgrow food intolerance and reflux but some forms of reflux are severe and ongoing (gastro-oesophageal reflux disease GORD) leading to feeding and speech issues.
Initial 30 minute appointment is $250, with Medicare rebates depending on length of consultation.
Mast Cell Disorders
Mast cells are our oldest immune cell which exist to monitor for threats to the body and to keep our organ systems safe. Mast cell disorders occur when there are increased numbers of overactive mast cells in multiple organ systems which, when provided by triggers, cause symptoms in these affected organ systems.
There are many potential triggers and treatment is aimed at identifying triggers, avoidance as able and stabilizing Mast cells to minimise symptoms.
Initial 60 minute appointment is $450, with a deposit of $250 being taken upon booking of appointment.
Lipoedema (Abnormal fat condition)
Lipoedema is a non-allergic condition affecting mainly women, characterized by painful swelling of the legs, thighs and buttocks and sometimes the arms, due to accumulation of abnormal fat under the skin. There is a related abnormality in lymphatic drainage associated with this condition. It affects approximately 11% of women. The condition is recognised by absence of fat on ankles or feet, lack of fat on the upper body, and diet and exercise do not decrease the abnormal fat deposits. Patients find that diet and exercise shift the lifestyle-related fat, not the abnormal Lipoedema fat tissue. There are a range of conservative and active treatment modalities that can be explored.
Initial 30 minute appointment is $250.
Please contact On Point Family Practice on 07 5211 0206 to make an appointment to see Dr Alison Muller at our Practice at 139 King Street, Buderim.
Allergies and Allergy Testing
At least 20% of Australians have one or more allergies, making us one of the most allergic nations in the world. Allergic reactions can range from slight sensitivity to life threatening anaphylaxis. Your sensitivity to one allergen does not mean you are sensitive to any other allergens that cause other people issues. An allergic reaction is your body’s defence mechanism kicking in to protect you from a perceived threat.
Common allergies include:
- Hay fever
- Allergic asthma
- Eczema (Dermatitis)
- Food allergies
- Drug allergies
- Bee venom allergy
Dr Alison Muller has a special interest in allergies and allergy treatments (including allergen immunotherapy). Dr Muller also has significant success with severe eczema patients of all ages. Dr Muller is endorsed by South African Dermatologist Dr Richard Aron whose area of expertise is in severe eczema and whose protocol she uses.
Severe Eczema
Severe Eczema is a condition affecting children and adults that can cause significant pain, red itching weeping skin, infections, sleepless nights, exhaustion, poor quality of life, and feeling of hopelessness. Less effective treatments may include diets, bleach baths, wet wrapping, paste bandages, moisturizers, herbs, acupuncture, steroids and antibiotics. Effective treatment can have dramatic results within days improving quality of life significantly.
Eczema treatment begins with a 30 minute appointment charged at $250 (with Medicare rebates depending on actual time taken).
Skin Prick Tests
The first step in dealing with someone with any allergy is to achieve an accurate diagnosis of the allergy. Depending on the nature of your allergy, a skin prick test may be carried out (also called a scratch test) which will test for allergic reactions to many different substances at once. On adults and children this is normally done on the forearm, and on babies occasionally on the upper back. The tests use plastic lancets that barely penetrate the skin, so you won’t bleed or feel any pain. Dr Muller will draw a series of marks on your skin followed by the lancet prongs to guide the allergen into the skin, using a new lancet for each allergen. Two additional comparison substances are tested on your skin – a histamine, which causes a reaction in most people (just to make sure you do react to allergies), and saline to see if you react to something which should not cause a reaction (if you react to this there may be some false positive results on the other test spots). After 15 minutes you
are checked for reaction size and the results recorded. You’ll know the results of a skin prick test before you leave our Clinic.
Our skin prick testing begins with a one hour consultation charged at $450 for all patients, with possible rebates depending on allergens used. A deposit of $250 will be taken upon booking of the appointment. You must complete a Questionnaire prior to your appointment and will receive instructions about ceasing all antihistamines, Singulair tablets (if safe to do so) and antihistamine nose sprays and eye drops for three days prior to the appointment. Desensitisation Treatments (Immunotherapy or Allergy Vaccination) Once we have determined your environmental allergies we can consider desensitisation if appropriate which works like a vaccination. Food desensitization is still in the study phase and not yet readily available outside of large teaching institutions.
Subcutaneous Immunotherapy
We start by injecting a tiny dose of your allergen mix, after having pre-dosed with a non- sedating antihistamine such as Zyrtec and then monitor your reaction for 30 minutes. After one week we inject a higher dose. You are then at maintenance dose and will continue to have monthly injections at that dose for a total of 3 years. You will be monitored for 30 minutes following each injection to observe for adverse reactions. Side effects of immunotherapy are very uncommon. Allergen immunotherapy can stop after three years. Studies have shown that many patients no longer suffered allergic response for more than 10 years after ceasing vaccinations.
Monthly appointments are bulk billed.
Sublingual desensitization
Allergens can also be administered daily at home using drops under the tongue. This is a daily process for 4 years and has similar success rate to the subcutaneous injections over 3 years.
Food Intolerance and Unsettled Babies
Food intolerance in babies can cause reflux (food and stomach acid flow back up the food pipe), stomach/bowel cramping, green mucousy stools, constipation, eczema, appetite and growth issues, pain and a severely distressed and sleep deprived baby AND parents! Most infants outgrow food intolerance and reflux but some forms of reflux are severe and ongoing (gastro-oesophageal reflux disease GORD) leading to feeding and speech issues.
Initial 30 minute appointment is $250, with Medicare rebates depending on length of consultation.
Mast Cell Disorders
Mast cells are our oldest immune cell which exist to monitor for threats to the body and to keep our organ systems safe. Mast cell disorders occur when there are increased numbers of overactive mast cells in multiple organ systems which, when provided by triggers, cause symptoms in these affected organ systems.
There are many potential triggers and treatment is aimed at identifying triggers, avoidance as able and stabilizing Mast cells to minimise symptoms.
Initial 60 minute appointment is $450, with a deposit of $250 being taken upon booking of appointment.
Lipoedema (Abnormal fat condition)
Lipoedema is a non-allergic condition affecting mainly women, characterized by painful swelling of the legs, thighs and buttocks and sometimes the arms, due to accumulation of abnormal fat under the skin. There is a related abnormality in lymphatic drainage associated with this condition. It affects approximately 11% of women. The condition is recognised by absence of fat on ankles or feet, lack of fat on the upper body, and diet and exercise do not decrease the abnormal fat deposits. Patients find that diet and exercise shift the lifestyle-related fat, not the abnormal Lipoedema fat tissue. There are a range of conservative and active treatment modalities that can be explored.
Initial 30 minute appointment is $250.
Please contact On Point Family Practice on 07 5211 0206 to make an appointment to see Dr Alison Muller at our Practice at 139 King Street, Buderim.