How to Prepare for Your Visit - WKRN, Nashville News, Nashville Weather and Sports

To help assure that you get the most accurate testing, diagnosis and treatment, it's important that you prepare for your visit several days before your appointment: Discontinue use of antihistamines at least 5 days before appointment.

Discontinue use of inhalers 12 hours before appointment if possible, but use them if you are too sick to stop them.

ANTIHISTAMINES

Accuhist Doxepin

Actifed  Extendryl

Advil Allergy Sinus  Mesocolor

Alavert Naldecon

Allegra/Allegra D  Nyquil

Antivert (Meclizine) Periactin

Atarax (Hydrozyxine)  Phenergan (Promathazine

Benadryl (Diphenhydramine)  Rescon

Brompheniramine Rynatan (Azatadine) 

Chlorpheniramine Triaminic

Claritin/Claritin D  Tylenol Allergy Sinus

Clarinex/Clarinex D Tylenol PM

Compazine  Tussi-12

Deconamine Zyrtec/Zyrtec D

Dimetapp   

NASAL SPRAY ANTIHISTAMINE:

Astelin

EYE DROPS:

Levostin

Optivar

Patanol

INHALERS 

Advair  Maxair

Aerobid Proventil

Albuterol  Pulmicort

Azmacort  QVAR

Breathaire  Serevent

Combivent  Vanceril

Flovent  Ventolin

Foradil  

Patient Testing

Patient testing may include:

CT Scan, also called a CAT Scan. This is a special type of x-ray that allows the patient's sinuses to be viewed. Abnormalities of the sinus can cause many conditions, including asthma, sinusitis, and headaches.  In fact, 50 to 70 percent of moderate to severe asthma sufferers have sinusitis and don't know it.

Allergy Testing is a basic tool for determining the cause of allergy symptoms and takes 30 to 60 minutes.  Allergies are also the cause of many diseases including asthma, rhinitis, and bronchitis. Studies show that all asthma has an allergic trigger.

Pulmonary Function Testing is performed to determine how well air is getting to the patient's lungs, how well the patient's lungs use the air breathed, and how well air is expelled from the lungs.  This can be a key indicator of reduced breathing capacity.

Endoscopic Examination provides a closer examination of the patient's nasal passages and sinuses.  A small scope is inserted into the patient's nose in order to identify polyps or other abnormalities that result in a variety of breathing disorders.

Chest X-Rays can help determine whether the patient has abnormalities in the lungs, which could be the cause of their breathing disorder.

Treatment

Acute medical care for your condition

Long-term care for your condition

Education for avoiding allergies

Inhaler and nasal spray techniques

Urgent treatment for asthma attacks and sinus infections

Comprehensive evaluation by an allergy/asthma specialist, ear/nose /throat specialist, nurse practitioner and patient educator