For those with severe allergies, daily life can be a constant battle against symptoms like sneezing, itchy eyes, and difficulty breathing. While over-the-counter allergy medications can offer temporary relief, they don’t address the root cause. Immunotherapy, commonly known as allergy shots or sublingual tablets, provides a long-term solution by gradually reducing the body’s sensitivity to allergens. It’s important to understand how immunotherapy can help relieve your allergies so that you can function easier each day.
Understanding How Immunotherapy Can Benefit You
Immunotherapy is a medical treatment designed to reduce allergic responses over time by exposing the immune system to small, controlled amounts of an allergen. By building up a tolerance to allergens, it can lessen or even eliminate allergic reactions. There are two main types of immunotherapies that your allergist may recommend. This can be done through allergy shots or sublingual immunotherapy.
Immunotherapy works by retraining the immune system. Allergic reactions occur when the immune system mistakes harmless substances (like pollen or pet dander) as threats. Over time, the immune system becomes less reactive to these allergens, meaning fewer symptoms and less severe reactions.
During the first phase, you will start receiving small but gradually increasing doses of the allergen, typically over several months. This helps introduce the allergen to your body more often and helps your body create the proper immune response to these triggers. Once the effective dose is reached, you will continue with regular doses, usually once a month, to maintain tolerance.
Unlike antihistamines, which provide temporary relief, immunotherapy addresses the underlying cause of allergies, offering lasting improvement. Many people who undergo immunotherapy can reduce or even stop using allergy medications. For individuals with allergic asthma, immunotherapy can help lessen asthma symptoms by reducing sensitivity to allergens that trigger respiratory issues.
Contact Our Allergist Today
Find out how you can manage your severe allergies. Contact your allergist to learn more about immunotherapy and if it’s right for you.