More than 150 million people suffer from allergies in the United States. Environmental allergens, such as pollen and mold, are especially worse in Northern Virginia, Maryland, and downtown DC. Allergic symptoms are sometimes indistinguishable from a deviated septum. Both conditions can cause post-nasal drip, runny nose, nasal congestion, snoring, fatigue and tiredness, and facial pressure. Both a deviated septum and allergies may occur at the same time.
Many patients think they may have an allergy to dust, pollen, mold, trees, or pets but their nasal symptoms are primarily due to a deviated septum and/or large turbinates. Only through complete testing can the cause of symptoms for a particular patient be determined.
Allergy patients may be treated with immunotherapy (allergy shots), in addition to antihistamines and allergy medication. These allergy shots are a series of injections that patients with allergies may choose in order to improve their health by reducing allergic symptoms and reducing the need for allergy medication. Allergy shots are specific for each particular patient, with injections performed in the office under medical supervision. While Dr. Chaboki, a facial plastic surgeon, does not personally perform allergy injections, he works closely with many metropolitan Washington DC, Northern Virginia, and Maryland allergists.