Welcome to the official website of www.allergy-ireland.ie
This is the internet representation of the Allergy Investigation, Diagnosis & Treatment facility
at Slievemore Clinic in Stillorgan, south Dublin.
Sinusitis
Steps to healing
by Dr Paul Carson
Sinus problems have risen dramatically in recent years, affecting some 25 per cent of the population.
Symptoms are debilitating and often difficult to shift. Sinusitis, Steps to healing, is written by an
expert in allergic disorders.
Most common conditions include:
Blocked, stuffy nose. Runny nose, sneezing. Snoring. Post nasal drip. Reduced or loss of taste and smell.
Tired all the time. Usually (but not always) caused by an allergy. Can be fully investigated and treated at
this facility.
Immunotherapy an increasingly important new treatment.
How the problem can be assessed,
with fiberoptic and captured on screen.
usually associated with blocked nose, snoring, reduced or loss of senses of taste and smell. Drip down the back of the throat. Ear pain or ‘fullness’ in ears reducing hearing. Headaches, especially over forehead but sometimes at side of head. Usually (but not always) caused by an allergy. Can be fully investigated and treated at this facility.
Immunotherapy an increasingly important new treatment. How the problem can be
assessed with fiberoptic technology and captured on screen.
cough, wheeze, shortness of breath. Occasionally very aggressive breathless attacks. Can start as lingering cough or unduly ‘puffed-out’ with exercise. Is always associated with nose and sinus problems and these must be tackled at the same time for optimum management.
Immunotherapy an increasingly important new treatment but patients must be selected carefully.
can cause immediate symptoms such as swelling of lips and skin around face. Can cause widespread swelling of all skin on face (‘Michelin Man’). Can produce itchy hives all over the body. Can also trigger vomiting, diarrhoea, stomach cramps. Delayed reactions can make eczema and asthma worse. There is a very dangerous food allergy reaction that leads to whole body collapse (anaphylaxis). Can be fully investigated and treated at this facility.
Eczema/Dermatitis (both terms mean the same thing). Redness, scaling and itch of the skin. Urticaria is the term used for widespread hives affecting all areas of the body. Angioedema is another medical term where the skin fills with fluid and distorts surrounding tissue. This usually affects lips and skin around the eyes. Can be fully investigated and treated at this facility.
redness and itch of the whites of the eye. In aggressive reactions the white part of the eye may swell and bulge (looks both unsightly and scary). Almost always caused by breathe in allergy substances such as dust mites, pollens or animal hair. Can be fully investigated and treated at this facility.
Immunotherapy an increasingly important new treatment.
The only safe, accurate and medically acceptable method of identifying what substance(s) is causing your allergy. There are two different tests, a blood test (called RAST) and skin prick method. We use the skin prick method but may back up our results with RAST testing in life-threatening food allergy investigation. There are many bogus allergy tests offered by health food shops and some alternative medicine practitioners. Beware being ripped off. Beware even more of being told inaccurate information and believing it will help your (your child’s) medical problem. For more information see
what is allergy? and
how allergy testing works.
Our allergy clinic started as a part-time service in 1984, about 500 yards from the current facility. Over the
years this has expanded and now sits proudly in the impressive re-vamped Slievemore Clinic building.
The facility is all embracing: we deal with food allergy, respiratory allergy and skin allergy. Our allergy
testing is extensive, with extracts sourced from US and France. Our investigative equipment is also on site.
For example, we use fiberoptic digital imaging to allow us educate our patients about their nose, sinus or
throat symptoms (or help parents better grasp their child’s ENT complaint).
We do not keep long waiting lists and results are available on the day.
The unit is uniquely child friendly with separate play area on ground floor, specially commissioned artwork
to distract children while being examined and books to read or colour while waiting.
We do link up with other specialised allergy centres and specialists if we feel your (or your child’s)
condition needs extra attention. For example, ear, nose and throat appointments can be arranged quickly
with our visiting ENT specialist.
In broad terms the main conditions dealt with at the facility are: rhinitis, sinusitis and asthma; conjunctivitis
(eye allergy); food allergy and skin allergy, especially dermatitis/eczema.
