According to medical experts, allergies are no longer seasonal. Symptoms can pop up at any time year-round, causing excessive discomfort.

According to medical experts, allergies are no longer seasonal.  Symptoms can pop up at any time, year-round, causing excessive discomfort.   

Experts say certain environmental factors play a big role in how our body reacts and the symptoms we experience, but finding the right treatment can help ease allergies.

In northern Nevada, there are several clinics and specialists that offer allergy testing and treatment.

Many people assume prescription or over-the-counter medication is the solution.

"Ultimately (you are) doing more damage to your body with the pills," said Rachel Hueftle, FNP-C at Reno Regenerative Medicine. "Often, those with allergies go to prescriptions that do more bad than good. There's no immunity."

Allergy testing through skin pricks or blood work helps determine if your symptoms come from pollen like sagebrush, juniper, mulberry, and ragweed, or something else, like dust mites, mold, or pets.

"When it comes to pollens and environmental, once we see how severe that reaction is to the exam, then if the patient opts in to doing what we call immunotherapy, then we send that off to the lab and they're able to compound," said Kellie Rohrback, Clinic Director at Reno Regenerative Medicine. "it's essentially a compound of different botanicals, where it ultimately allows your body to become de-sensitized to the allergen."

If you are reactive, you'll develop a small, raised bump, which gives quick results.

For those who are more sensitive, small amounts can be injected under the skin, which is sometimes used to refine results when a skin prick doesn't show everything.

Allergy immunotherapy can retrain your immune system. Allergy shots are given weekly, then monthly for 3–5 years. They are effective for pollen, dust mites, and pet dander, all of which are common in Nevada.

Specific targeted treatment plans will give you longer-lasting results, rather than a quick pill-popping fix.

The reason why we utilize this as opposed to prescribing over-the-counter medicines is that it is longer-lasting.

It is either a once-a-week or twice-a-week injection, and it's about a year-long program for each person.