MCAS & SLIT Allergy Care in Burlington, VT | Bendavid Clinic

MCAS & SLIT Allergies

MCAS & Sublingual Immunotherapy in Burlington, VT

Individualized care for suspected or diagnosed mast cell activation disorders — and sublingual immunotherapy for allergies, delivered under the tongue rather than by injection. From licensed naturopathic doctors in Burlington, Vermont.

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What’s Included

What MCAS & Allergy Care at Bendavid Includes

Whether you arrive with a mast cell activation diagnosis, a suspicion, or years of reactions nobody has connected, care starts the same way — a full review of your symptoms, your triggers, and what your body is actually reacting to, in Burlington, Vermont.

MCAS Evaluation for Suspected or Diagnosed Patients

You don’t need a confirmed diagnosis to be seen. We work with patients who arrive with a mast cell activation diagnosis and with patients who suspect one after years of reactions that were never explained — starting with a full symptom history rather than a label.

Multisystem Symptom Review

Mast cells sit in nearly every tissue, so mast cell–related symptoms rarely stay in one place. We work through the skin, gut, airway, cardiovascular, and neurological symptoms together — the ones patients are usually told are unrelated to each other.

Trigger Identification

Foods, medications, scents, temperature changes, stress, and environmental exposures can all act as triggers, and they differ from person to person. Identifying your specific pattern is what makes a plan usable day to day instead of a list of everything to avoid.

Sublingual Immunotherapy (SLIT) for Allergies

SLIT is a personalized allergy treatment delivered under the tongue rather than by injection, designed to reduce sensitivity to specific allergens over time. For appropriately selected patients, it may be incorporated into an individualized plan to support improved tolerance and symptom control.

MCAS with POTS & Hypermobility

Mast cell activation is the third condition in a cluster that also includes POTS and dysautonomia care and Ehlers-Danlos and hypermobility. Many patients carry all three, and one team evaluating them together beats three specialists each seeing a fragment.

Individualized, Ongoing Care

Treatment is tailored to your clinical presentation, not to a protocol, and mast cell–related symptoms shift over time — so the plan gets revisited as your triggers, your season, and your reactions change.

Our Approach

Our Approach to Mast Cell & Allergy Care

Naturopathic doctor with a patient during an allergy and mast cell consultation at Bendavid Clinic in Burlington, Vermont

Mast cell activation is one of the conditions patients most often reach us having already been dismissed over — the reactions are real, they cross too many body systems to fit one specialist’s referral, and the workup keeps coming back unremarkable. We start from the symptom pattern and the triggers rather than from whether a label has been assigned yet, and treatment is built around your presentation instead of a standard protocol. Where allergies are part of the picture, sublingual immunotherapy may become part of that plan for appropriately selected patients. This page is one part of complex and chronic illness care at Bendavid Clinic, and because we also provide primary care, the licensed naturopathic doctor managing your mast cell symptoms can be the same one reading your labs and coordinating with your allergist. Visits are long enough to work through a complicated reaction history rather than a single complaint.

Symptoms Taken Seriously

Reactions that cross several body systems at once get written off as anxiety or coincidence more often than they get investigated. We take the pattern seriously and work out what’s driving it.

One Team for Overlapping Conditions

Mast cell activation, hypermobility, and dysautonomia are usually one picture, not three referrals. Our licensed naturopathic doctors evaluate them together and coordinate with the allergist or immunologist already on your team.

Vermont Rooted

Deeply connected to our local community, serving adults across the Burlington region.

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Your Path to Fewer Reactions

Getting started is simple. Here's what to expect from your first visit.

Schedule in-person or via telemedicine through our EHR platform. You'll provide basic personal and medical history during sign-up.

802-881-0424

Connect with a Physician

We match you with one of our experienced physicians and schedule your appointment at a time that works for you.

Diagnosis & Treatment

Your physician diagnoses your condition and prescribes medication or an integrative treatment plan tailored specifically to you.

Follow-Up & Ongoing Care

Check-in appointments keep your progress on track and allow your care plan to evolve as your health improves.

What Our Patients Say

“

Dr. Jackie’s greatest strengths as a primary care provider lie in her natural abilities to listen, to empathize without judgement or condescension, and to enthusiastically and collaboratively design an action plan with her patients. While none of these qualities should make Dr. Jackie so unique as a care provider, it’s the unfortunate reality that many of us, especially female-identifying folks, live in. In just two visits, she was able to diagnose and create an accessible, approachable treatment plan for a number of deficiencies that other providers failed to notice. The experience has been not only validating, but healing both literally and figuratively. Burlington is BEYOND lucky to call her one of our own.

— P.T.

“

At the first appointment I instantly felt the warmth her office and whole self brings, it’s the most comfortable space and she offers the most inviting presence to be able to open up to and receive the kind of advice that is not only extremely helpful, but shows that she truly cares about her patients. I am so grateful I have found Dr. Jackie. Thank you so much for your inviting presence and everything you have taught me thus far!

— G.T.

“

I’ve had chronic health issues for years and Dr. Jackie is everything. Never felt so heard and seen and cared for by a primary care physician as much as I do with her! Thank you for truly caring about what you do and making the world a better place.

— H.P.

Find Us

Our Location

Address 305 St. Paul St., Suite 324
Burlington, VT 05401
Corner of Kilburn St. and St. Paul

Phone / Fax 802-881-0424 · Fax 802-352-8745

Hours Mon – Fri 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Parking Instructions
Parking available in the lots located on Kilburn St. Street parking also available. Handicap parking in 2 spots near the clinic entrance.

Insurance & New Patients

MCAS & SLIT Cost & Coverage

Coverage varies by plan and by service. Office visits for mast cell and allergy symptoms are generally billed as medical visits, while sublingual immunotherapy and some specialty testing are commonly not covered and may be self-pay. Call our Burlington, Vermont office at 802-881-0424 and we’ll help you confirm what your specific plan covers before your first visit.

We're currently accepting new patients and welcome referrals.

FAQ

We're Here to Answer All Your Questions

Have something on your mind that isn't covered here? Give us a call — we're always happy to chat.

Call Us: 802-881-0424

What is mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS)?

Mast cell activation syndrome is a condition in which mast cells — immune cells found in nearly every tissue in the body — release their chemical mediators too readily or in response to triggers that shouldn’t provoke them. Because mast cells are so widely distributed, symptoms typically appear across several body systems at once rather than in one place, which is a large part of why the condition is often missed.

What are the symptoms of MCAS?

Mast cell–related symptoms are multisystem, and the specific combination differs between patients. Commonly reported symptoms include flushing, hives and itching, abdominal pain, nausea and other digestive symptoms, nasal congestion, wheezing or shortness of breath, lightheadedness, rapid heart rate, headaches, and brain fog. Reactions that seem to come from unrelated systems at the same time are the pattern worth having evaluated.

What is sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT)?

Sublingual immunotherapy, or SLIT, is a personalized allergy treatment delivered as drops or a tablet under the tongue rather than by injection. It works by exposing the immune system to small, controlled amounts of a specific allergen to reduce sensitivity to it over time. Bendavid Clinic in Burlington, Vermont offers SLIT as part of an individualized plan for appropriately selected patients.

How is SLIT different from allergy shots?

The main difference is how the treatment is delivered. Allergy shots are injections given in a medical office, typically on a recurring schedule. Sublingual immunotherapy is taken under the tongue, which is why it’s often called allergy drops. Both aim to reduce sensitivity to specific allergens over time. Which is appropriate depends on your allergies, your history, and your preferences — it’s a conversation for your first visit.

Is MCAS related to POTS and Ehlers-Danlos syndrome?

Frequently, yes. Mast cell activation syndrome, POTS, and hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos syndrome overlap often enough that they’re commonly evaluated together, and many patients carry all three. Bendavid Clinic in Burlington, Vermont evaluates for the overlapping conditions rather than treating the reactions in isolation, so you aren’t sent to three separate specialists who each see one part of the picture.

Can SLIT help with mast cell–related symptoms?

For some patients, it may. Where allergies are part of the picture, sublingual immunotherapy can be incorporated into an individualized treatment plan to support improved tolerance and symptom control. Whether it’s appropriate depends on your specific allergens, your clinical presentation, and what else is driving your symptoms — which is why it’s considered as part of a full evaluation rather than offered on its own.

Do I need a diagnosis or a referral before being seen?

No. You don’t need a referral or an existing MCAS diagnosis to be seen at Bendavid Clinic — we see patients who arrive already diagnosed and patients who suspect mast cell activation after years without an explanation. We also welcome referrals from other providers and coordinate with your allergist or immunologist if you already have one. Call our Burlington office at 802-881-0424 to schedule.

Does insurance cover MCAS care and sublingual immunotherapy?

Coverage varies by plan and by service. Office visits for mast cell and allergy symptoms are generally billed as medical visits, while sublingual immunotherapy and some specialty testing are commonly not covered and may be self-pay. Call our Burlington, Vermont office at 802-881-0424 before your first visit and we’ll help you confirm what your specific plan covers.

Ready to Get Answers About Your Reactions?

Whether you have a mast cell activation diagnosis, suspect one, or are looking for an allergy treatment that isn’t weekly injections, it starts with a full evaluation at our Burlington, Vermont clinic. We’re currently accepting new patients.

Schedule a Visit

802-881-0424 · 305 St. Paul St., Suite 324, Burlington, VT