Have You Heard about Allergy Shots?
Allergy shots are routine injections to avoid or reduce allergy symptoms over a period of time, typically about three to five years. Allergy shots are a kind treatment known as immunotherapy. A small amount of the particular substance or substances that cause your allergic reactions is contained in every allergy shot. These are allergens. Allergy shots contain only enough allergens, but not enough to induce a full-blown allergic reaction, to activate the immune system.
Your doctor raises the dosage of allergens in each of your allergy injections over time. This helps to get the allergens used to the body. Tolerance to allergens is built up by your immune system, allowing your allergy symptoms to decrease over time. This is the key to this treatment and all is done after going through allergy testing.
Why is that done?
Allergy shots could be a good choice of treatment for you if:
Medications cannot control your symptoms well and the things that cause your allergic reactions cannot be prevented.
Allergy drugs interfere with other medicines that need to be taken or cause annoying side effects.
You want to decrease the long-term use of medicine for allergies.
You are allergic to stinging insects.
Allergy shots can be used for symptom management caused by:
Seasonal Allergy – You could be allergic to pollens from trees, weeds or grass in different seasons if you suffer from hay fever or asthma.
Indoor Allergens - You may be allergic to indoor allergens, for example cockroaches, dust mites, mold, pet dander such as cats or dogs, if you have year-round symptoms.
Insect Bites - Bees, wasps, hornets or yellow jackets may cause allergic reactions to insect stings.
How Do the Shots Work?
A small amount of the particular substance or substances (allergens) to which you are allergic is carried by each allergy shot. Allergy shots activate the immune system, but do not induce an allergic reaction that is full-blown. The allergen dose is raised over time so that the body gets steadily used to it.
Gradually, as the doses grow, the immune system becomes tolerant of the allergen, and allergy symptoms decrease over time.
Who Gets the Benefit?
Allergy shots may be offered to children and adults alike, although they are typically not recommended for children under 5 years of age. During the procedure, young children can have difficulty cooperating with the program and talking about the adverse symptoms. When contemplating allergy shots for older people, you should first address medical conditions such as heart disease with your doctor.
Expected Result
In the first year of treatment, allergic symptoms typically increase, but the most significant change usually occurs in the second year. By the third year these allergens do not have serious allergic symptoms in most people. Many individuals do not need medicine after they have undergone allergy shots to treat their allergy. This helps to improve the quality of life.
See here at OKOA for allergy testing. The treatments we cover in OKC are ENT problems, pediatric ENT, nose and sinus, neck and throat, cosmetic and reconstructive treatment.
**Disclaimer: The information on this page is not intended to be a doctor's advice, nor does it create any form of patient-doctor relationship.