Allergy Testing

Houston's most common triggers are mold spores, which stay elevated year-round in Gulf Coast humidity, and tree pollen from mountain cedar, oak, ash, and pine. Grass pollen from Bermuda and Bahia runs spring through fall, and ragweed peaks in early autumn. Indoor allergens — dust mite, cockroach, and pet dander — are equally significant here and frequently overlooked.

Houston does not have a true allergy off-season. Mountain cedar arrives in December, oak and other trees peak February through April, grasses run spring through fall, and ragweed lasts from August into November. Mild winters mean pollen-producing plants never fully go dormant, and mold spores are present every month of the year.

Three Gulf Coast factors compound. Humidity keeps mold spores and dust mites active all twelve months. Mild winters extend the growing season, so pollen production barely pauses. And prevailing winter winds carry mountain cedar pollen in from Central Texas, adding a trigger most people moving here have never encountered before.

Year-round symptoms usually point to perennial allergens rather than pollen. Mold, dust mite, and cockroach allergens persist in Houston homes continuously because of humidity, and mold spikes after rain and flooding. Testing separates these from seasonal pollen, which matters because the response differs — remediation and avoidance versus timing seasonal medication.

Consider testing if over-the-counter medication is not controlling your symptoms, if you need it more than a few months a year, if symptoms trigger asthma or repeated sinus infections, or if you cannot identify what sets you off. Testing replaces guesswork with a specific trigger list and a targeted plan.

Skin prick testing places tiny amounts of allergen on the forearm or back and is read in about 15 minutes, so results come during the same visit. Intradermal testing is added when prick results are negative but suspicion stays high. Blood testing measures allergen-specific IgE, used when antihistamines cannot be stopped.

Yes, for skin testing. Antihistamines suppress the skin response and produce false negatives, so most are stopped five to seven days beforehand. Nasal steroids, asthma inhalers, and blood pressure medications usually continue. Call our office with your medication list before your visit so we can confirm what to hold.

Yes. Untreated allergic inflammation swells nasal and sinus tissue, blocking drainage and setting up repeated sinus infections. Allergens are also a common asthma trigger, and postnasal drip is among the leading causes of chronic cough. Identifying and controlling the underlying trigger often improves all three at once.

Most major insurance plans cover allergy testing when there is a documented medical indication, such as persistent symptoms, recurrent sinus infections, or asthma. Coverage specifics vary by plan, including deductible and prior authorization requirements. Our office verifies your benefits before the visit so you know your expected cost in advance.

The Houston Health Department publishes a daily pollen and mold count measured from an actual air sample rather than a computer forecast, with tree and weed pollen broken out by species. Counts are posted on weekdays only. That species-level detail becomes far more useful after testing, when you can track just the counts that apply to you.

Allergy testing is performed at Remix Medical's Montrose — Upper Kirby clinic, 1724 Richmond Avenue, Houston, TX 77098, minutes from the Texas Medical Center. Blood draws are done on site, so specific-IgE testing does not require a second trip to an outside lab. Free on-site parking is available.