Living with allergies is more than just a nuisance – it can disrupt daily life, making it hard to enjoy work and social activities when you always seem to be dealing with itchy, watery eyes, sneezing, congestion, rashes, and more. At Great City Medical, our allergy doctors are here to provide world class health support and care for you during your visit!

In addition to allergy testing, our Immigration Doctors are licensed to conduct green card medical exams in NYC if you are looking for that service.

Believe it or not, living in densely populated areas such as New York City can actually compound the problem. That’s because increased air pollution common in urban areas can heighten the effect of pollen and other allergens, increasing symptom intensity for many allergy sufferers.

The first step toward allergy relief is properly diagnosing exactly what you’re allergic to. That’s where we come in. At Great City Medical, we can precisely identify what is causing your allergic reaction in order to help you keep symptoms under control. We offer top-notch Allergy Testing in the New York City area for all patients.

Skin allergy tests performed by our experienced and knowledgeable health care providers can identify which of many different food and environmental triggers may be causing your problems.

Food Allergies

Allergic reactions to certain foods can range from mild to life-threatening. These foods may include almond, peanut, walnut, hazelnut, cashew nut, codfish, salmon, shrimp, tuna, scallop, cow’s milk, egg white, sesame seed, soybean, and wheat.

Common signs and symptoms of food allergies include:

• Tingling and inflammation of the mouth, lips, face, and/or tongue
• Hives (urticaria) – the sudden appearance of red or pale bumps or welts on the skin, which are typically itchy but may also cause a burning or stinging sensation
• Nausea or vomiting
• Abdominal pain
• Difficulty breathing or swallowing

If you believe you are experiencing an allergic response to something you ate or drank, seek medical attention immediately. Anaphylactic shock is a serious, sudden, and potentially deadly allergic reaction. Left untreated, it can result in unconsciousness and death. Epinephrine (as delivered with an EpiPen, for example) is required to treat anaphylaxis.

The doctors at Great City Medical can test you for many of the most common food allergies, including milk, eggs, tree nuts, peanuts, shellfish, wheat, soy, and fish. Our food allergen panel also tests for mold and fungal allergies.

Environmental Allergies

Environmental allergens are the cause of allergy symptoms for many people. The most common environmental triggers are pollen, pet dander, and dust.

Pollen is an airborne powder produced by trees, grass, and flowers – and one of the most common allergy triggers in the US. A pollen allergy is often referred to as hay fever. Symptoms may differ from person to person and may include sinus pain, congestion, sneezing, a runny nose, itchy and watery eyes, headaches, and a scratchy throat.

There are many different types of pollen allergies, but the most common include:

• Oak, Birch, Maple: Allergy symptoms may spike in the spring when the trees are in bloom.
• Ragweed: Those who suffer from a ragweed allergy may notice an uptick in their symptoms in late spring and early fall.
• Grass: Most people notice more intense allergic responses in the summertime.

Other environmental allergies that can be detected through testing include: eastern cottonwood, American elm, mugwort, dog hair, rough pigwood, American Sycamore, mixed penicillium, American cockroach, Alternaria (plant fungus), white ash, mouse epithelium, white mulberry, black walnut pollen, cat hair, sheep sorrel (wool), Mite D. Pteronyssinus, and Mite D. Farinae.

Of course, exposure to pollen can occur year-round and almost anywhere in the world. In New York City, there are several geographic culprits responsible for aggravating pollen allergies, including Central Park in Manhattan, Prospect Park in Brooklyn, the Greenbelt on Staten Island, the botanical gardens in Queens, and Wave Hill Public Garden in the Bronx.

Additional Services

At Great City Medical, we offer more than just Allergy testing. We offer NYC STI Testing, Green Card Exams, Immigration Exams, and Gynecology exams. In addition to that, we also offer COVID-19 Antibody testing.