Best ENT Allergy Testing Doctor in Dubai – Dr. Muhammad Jabbr

Do you sneeze every morning, wake up with a blocked nose, or feel worse after a sandstorm? Many people in the UAE put up with this for years. ENT allergy testing in Dubai can show what you react to, so your treatment can be planned around it.

Dr. Muhammad Jabbr is a Consultant ENT and Head & Neck Surgeon at Medcare Hospital, Al Safa. He has more than 20 years of experience. Many patients see him as one of the best ENT specialists in Dubai for allergy symptoms that keep coming back. He reads your test results alongside your symptoms and a close look inside your nose.

What Are the Common Allergy Triggers in Dubai and the UAE?

The UAE is warm, dry and dusty for much of the year, and people spend long hours indoors with the AC on. This mix creates its own triggers. The most common ones include:

• House dust mites. These tiny creatures live in mattresses, pillows, carpets and sofas. They are a leading cause of year-round nasal allergy, and humid coastal air helps them grow.
• Dust and sandstorms. Fine desert dust can irritate the lining of the nose. It may also carry pollen and mould spores, so many people notice a flare after a dusty day.
• Date palm pollen. Date palms release pollen mainly in spring. If your symptoms peak in early spring, this may be part of the story.
• Grass and tree pollen. Bermuda grass in lawns and parks, and roadside trees such as mesquite, can cause seasonal symptoms.
• Mould from AC units. Damp filters and ducts can grow mould. If you feel worse at home or in one office, the AC may be a hidden source.
• Pets. Cat and dog dander can linger in a home for months.

Many people react to more than one trigger, so testing is more reliable than guessing.

What Does ENT Allergy Testing in Dubai Include?

A blocked, runny nose is not always allergy. Polyps, a deviated septum or long-standing sinus swelling can feel much the same. An ENT doctor can check for these in the same visit.

At your first appointment, Dr. Muhammad Jabbr will ask about your symptoms, when they happen, where you are when they start, and what you have tried. He will then examine your nose. He may also use a nasal endoscopy, a slim tube with a light and camera, placed after a numbing spray. If allergy seems likely, a skin prick test or a blood test can then be arranged.

If the shape of your nose or enlarged turbinates are part of the problem, allergy medicine alone may not give full relief. See our nose and sinus doctor page for more.

How Does a Skin Prick Test Work?

The skin prick test is the most common way to look for nasal allergies. Results are usually ready in 15 to 20 minutes.

1. Small drops of different allergen extracts are placed on your forearm or back. Each drop is a single trigger, such as dust mite, cat or date palm pollen.
2. A tiny plastic lancet lightly pricks the skin through each drop. It feels like a small scratch. A salt-water drop and a histamine drop act as controls.
3. After a short wait, each spot is checked. A raised, itchy bump with redness around it suggests you are sensitive to that trigger.

Antihistamine tablets can block the test and give a false negative result. You will usually be asked to stop them for a few days before. Do not stop any other medicine without advice. The test may not be suitable if you have eczema on the test area or take certain heart or blood pressure medicines.

When Is a Blood IgE Test Used Instead?

A blood test measures specific IgE. These are antibodies made against one allergen. The sample goes to a laboratory, so results take a few days.

A blood test may be the better choice when:

• You cannot stop your antihistamines.
• You have a skin condition that makes the prick test hard to read.
• A young child finds the skin test difficult.
• You have had a severe allergic reaction in the past.

How Do Allergy Test Results Guide Your Treatment?

A test result is only useful when it matches your story. Some people test positive to a trigger but never get symptoms from it. Doctors call this "sensitisation", not true allergy. Dr. Muhammad Jabbr compares each result with your history before giving advice.

• Dust mite positive: use mite-proof covers on the mattress and pillows, wash bedding weekly in hot water, and cut down on carpets and soft toys in the bedroom.
• Mould positive: have AC filters and ducts cleaned on a regular schedule, fix leaks, and keep indoor humidity under control.
• Pollen positive: keep windows closed on high-pollen days, shower and change clothes after time outdoors, and start your spray before the season begins.
• Pet positive: keep pets out of the bedroom; a HEPA air purifier in the rooms you use most may also help.
• Dust and sandstorm flares: stay indoors when you can, wear a mask outside, and rinse your nose with saline afterwards.

Avoidance alone rarely clears symptoms, but it may help you need less medicine.

Which Sprays and Medicines Can Help After Testing?

The medicines are the same whatever the trigger. Your results mainly guide timing: pollen allergy may need treatment in season, while dust mite allergy often needs it all year. Options include:

• Steroid nasal sprays to calm swelling inside the nose. They work best used daily with the right technique, and can take one to two weeks to work fully.
• Non-drowsy antihistamines for sneezing, itching and a runny nose.
• Antihistamine nasal sprays, sometimes combined with a steroid in one bottle.
• Saline rinses to wash dust and pollen out of the nose.

Decongestant sprays should only be used for a few days. Longer use can make the blockage worse. If you have a tickle in the throat or mucus running down the back, see our page on post nasal drip treatment. For a full look at long-term care of nasal allergy, visit our allergic rhinitis treatment page.

Is Allergy Immunotherapy an Option?

Immunotherapy slowly trains your immune system to react less to a specific trigger. It is only considered when testing clearly confirms the allergen and your symptoms match it.

It can be given as tablets or drops under the tongue, or as injections at a clinic. A full course usually lasts at least three years. Injections are given where you can be watched for a short time afterwards, in case of a reaction. It may help people whose symptoms stay troublesome despite good avoidance and regular sprays. It is not right for everyone.

Can Children Have Allergy Testing?

Yes. Children can have skin prick or blood tests, depending on their age and comfort. Allergies in children often show up as mouth breathing, snoring, dark circles under the eyes or constant rubbing of the nose. Large adenoids can cause similar signs, so an ENT check helps. Dr. Muhammad Jabbr treats both adults and children. Parents can find more details on our page about allergic rhinitis treatment for children.

When Should You Seek Urgent Help?

Nasal allergies are usually uncomfortable rather than dangerous. Call emergency services or go to the nearest emergency department if you have:

• Trouble breathing, wheezing or tightness in the chest.
• Swelling of the lips, tongue or throat.
• Feeling faint or dizzy after contact with a trigger.

See an ENT doctor soon if one side of your nose stays blocked. The same applies to blood-stained mucus, repeated nosebleeds or a loss of smell that does not improve.

Book an ENT Allergy Assessment

If allergies affect your sleep, work or school, start with a clear diagnosis. Dr. Muhammad Jabbr holds MD, MS, DOHNS (England), the European Board ORL-HNS and the Arab Board ORL-HNS, and has performed more than 3,000 ENT procedures.

Book online at Medcare Hospital Al Safa or call +971 52 751 7811.

Frequently Asked Questions

Conclusion

Dust, AC air and seasonal pollen are part of life in Dubai. Allergy tests show what you react to, and an ENT examination shows whether anything else in the nose needs care. With both answers, Dr. Muhammad Jabbr can help you choose changes and treatment that let you breathe more easily.