Allergies might begin in spring, but they often persist right through the summer, causing congestion; itchy, watery eyes; and a runny nose. So what are your options in dealing with a bad case of allergies? One such treatment is immunotherapy, more commonly known as allergy shots.
How It Works
Once a doctor determines what’s triggering your allergies (usually by using a skin test), he or she can administer to you an allergy shot that contains a small trace of that particular substance—such as pollen, a common allergen. The allergy shot contains enough of an allergen to stimulate your immune system just a little. Over time, this amount is increased in each shot so that your body becomes desensitized to the allergen. Once your body builds enough of a tolerance, allergy symptoms will diminish. This could take anywhere from three to seven months, with shots being given about one to three times weekly.
Who Can Get It
Allergy shots are often used to control symptoms caused by seasonal allergies (to pollens released by trees and grasses); indoor allergies (to dust mites, mold, or dander from pets); and insect stings (by bees and wasps). They’re not recommended to use for food allergies. They’re often prescribed if allergy medications don’t work for a person, if medications cause side effects or interactions with other drugs, or if a particular allergen is unavoidable.
Overall Time Frame
Using allergy shots to reduce allergies is effective, but it takes a good deal of patience to see change. That’s because while symptoms improve during the first year while taking the shots, most of the improvement isn’t detectable until the second year. By this time, a person will no longer experience considerable reactions to allergens, although he or she will likely need to continue having the shots for three to five years longer about once a month to "maintain" this positive response.
Safety and Risks
Are they safe? For most people, the answer is yes. However, since allergy shots are essentially injections of the particular substance you’re most allergic to, there can be reactions. The site of the injection can become irritated, red, or swell, which is normal, and usually clears up within four to eight hours. Less common reactions include sneezing, nasal congestion, and hives; more severe reactions are wheezing, throat swelling, or tightening of the chest. Lastly, a rare, but fatal, reaction to allergy shots is the triggering of a severe allergic reaction in which a person might have breathing problems or experience low blood pressure. For the possibility of such a case, a doctor or allergist instructs that you remain in the office for about 30 minutes after getting the allergy shot, since this is often the time frame in which such a serious reaction could occur.
What’s an Alternative?
For people not willing to invest the time that is required of allergy shots, an allergy-relief alternative is allergy drops. Called sublingual immunotherapy, or SLIT, allergy drops come in a bottle of purified antigen solution that’s made especially depending upon the allergen a person has. Essentially, the drops contain the serum found in allergy shots—just more of it. A person normally needs to take a few self-administered drops each day under the tongue. They begin working for most people in six to twelve months, and full immunization occurs in three to five years. However, allergy drops are waiting approval from the US Food and Drug Administration, so speak with your doctor about possible options that are available to personally treat your allergies.
