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Dr. Brendan Fitzpatrick
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Dr. Brendan Fitzpatrick, a UCD Medical graduate trained in St. Vincent's Hospital, Dublin.
He is a Medical Doctor  and since the early 1980's has had a special interest in Allergies and Complementary approaches to medicine.

Depending on the individual clinical problem, treatment methods include Allergy Management, Herbal and Homeopathic Medicine, Vitamin Supplements and Acupuncture. In addition to Allergy Diagnosis and Treatment, other methods used include Acupunctur...
Dr. Brendan Fitzpatrick is a member of the British Medical Acupuncture Society and a Medical Doctor with more than 20 years experience in Acupuncture. Acupuncture involves the insertion of high quality, fine needles into carefully selected Acupuncture points. Acupuncture is successfully used in a variety of painful conditions, e.g. neck, back, shoulder, elbow pain as well as other common medical conditions.

For further information on Acupuncture and list of conditions treated please click here

HAYFEVER 26TH MAY 2011

Now that the real spring has finally arrived, the Hay Fever season cannot not be far away. Tree pollen allergy starts around March/April but classical grass pollen allergy normally starts around early May. It affects 20% of the population and common symptoms include sneezing, runny nose, itchy eyes, itching of the roof of the mouth and tiredness. Approximately 20% of Hay Fever sufferers have hay asthma. High levels occur on warm, dry and sunny days. Pollen is released in the morning and descends again in late afternoon. Most Hay Fever sufferers respond well to anti-histamines and local over the counter or prescribed medications. For those people whose symptoms are not adequately controlled by these, other treatment options to be considered are:

  1. Low dose sub-lingual grass pollen de-sensitisation. (LDSD)  The grass pollen extract is serially diluted by a factor of 5 resulting in very low doses of grass pollen allergen.  The individual dilutions are tested under the tongue to see whether the Hay Fever symptoms are relieved or slightly increased.  When the correct pollen dilution is reached, drops are given to be taken on a regular basis during the Hay Fever season.  For optimum results this treatment should be commenced around April.
  2. If some symptoms are present all year round, then control of these allergies e.g. dust mite, mould spores, diet etc may greatly lessen the allergic reaction to grass pollen.  Eating certain foods, particularly raw apples can cross react with tree pollen allergy (Birch) with symptoms of the Oral Allergy Syndrome e.g. burning, swelling and soreness of the throat area.  A short course of Acupuncture may also be of benefit in Hay Fever.  This would normally consist of 2-3 sessions commencing a few weeks before the Hay Fever season.
 
                                   STRESS MANAGEMENT CLINIC MARCH 2011

Later his month we are commencing a Stress Management Clinic here at Slievemore.   The Clinic aims are:
  1.  To offer a broad based, non-drug approach to stress management.
  2.  It aims to help you to cope with present stress levels and provide coping strategies for the future.
  3. To reduce/prevent medical problems associated with prolonged stress e.g. Heart Disease, Asthma, poor immunity, bowel and skin disorders.
 
Stress may be defined as a negative response to pressure with widespread physical and mental effects. The nervous system is stuck in the “flight or fight mode” resulting in widespread effects on the nervous and hormonal systems. The initial visit consists of a comprehensive individual assessment based on full stress and medical history including details of diet, lifestyle and sleep. Treatment methods used will depend on this assessment, but include:
 
  1. Breathing techniques/muscle relaxation. Patients with stress often have a chronic low level hyperventilation. Proper breathing techniques and relaxation exercises can contribute greatly to relaxation.
  2. Diet/food sensitivities. Patients with stress often have widely fluctuating blood sugar levels related to high sugar and caffeine intake. Correction of these and food sensitivities e.g. wheat and yeast in particular can have widespread physical and psychological benefits.
  3. Nutritional Supplements. These can help energy, blood sugar levels and mood.
  4. Acupuncture. This helps to regulate the nervous system with effects on various organs e.g. bowel, bladder, skin and hormonal levels. It can be beneficial with general energy and physical and mental well being.
  5. Herbal/Homeopathic Medicines.
 For appointment please phone 01-2000530
 

            FOLLOW UP APPOINTMENTS AT ALLERGY CLINIC 01 Feb 2011  

A review appointment is often recommended for the following reasons:

  1. To confirm that your symptoms have improved with the treatment programme.  The history and testing and your level of response will give important information as to whether the omitted food can be tolerated in the future, when this is likely to occur and how much and how often the food may be eaten.  Food can react with the body in non allergic ways e.g. enzyme deficiency, toxic reaction and delayed sensitivity.  Therefore patients with negative Allergy Test are often put on dietary programmes.
  2. Patients often present with one main presenting symptom e.g. bowel, but the history often brings out several other symptoms which are at least partly related.  A review appointment helps to clarify which symptoms are related to which allergies.
  3. In highly allergic people it is very important to systematically bring in the omitted foods which should be done in incremental amounts depending on the level of reaction as indicated by testing and history.  Dangerous reactions can occur if the correct challenge protocol is not followed.
  4. Identification and removal of the main allergens is obviously very important.  However, it is also important to look at ways of helping your immune system become stronger in terms of controlling allergies.  Treatment required is individual, but may include Probiotics, Fish oils, preparations for gut permeability, Vitamins, Minerals etc.  Specific de-sensitisation may also be required for certain allergens e.g. dust mite and pollens where strict avoidance is obviously very difficult.
  5. If the history and testing suggest yeast/sugar hypersensitivity, treatment of this helps to down regulate your body’s allergies over a period of a few months.  This is treated with a combination of diet, supplements and anti-yeast medication.
  6. Acupuncture may also be useful both in overall benefit to the Immune system and also for specific problems e.g. Irritable Bowel Syndrome, sinus.




Address: Slievemore Clinic, Old Dublin Road, Stillorgan, Co. Dublin Ireland.

Phone: (01) 2000530           Email: bfitzpatrick@allergy.ie
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