While avoidance is the best defense, it is often impossible to avoid allergens that can trigger your allergies. To relieve the suffering of allergy symptoms, for most inhalant allergies (dust mites, cockroaches, cats, pollen, mold) and stinging insect (bees, wasps) allergies, you can get allergy shots. Allergy shots are also known as “immunotherapy.” Recent research has clearly shown the effectiveness of allergen vaccine immunotherapy for both allergic rhinits and asthma. It is also highly effective for stinging insect allergies. These new studies have confirmed what allergy specialists have observed for years in their patients: Allergy shots work in relieving allergy symptoms! In fact allergy shots are the ONLY way to suppress the underlying allergy response for long-term relief.

Who are the Best Candidates for Allergy Shots?

If you are able to avoid the trigger of your allergies or if usual doses of medications control your symptoms, then immunotherapy might not be needed. While allergy shots have been proven effective against inhalant allergies and stinging insect allergies, they are not used for food allergies. If any of the following applies to you, then you may be a candidate for allergy shots:

How Do Allergy Shots Work?

Allergies develop when your immune system mistakes a harmless substance for a dangerous one and triggers the release of chemical into your body. These chemicals create symptoms like runny nose, sneezing, watery eyes, itching and in some cases, more serous symptoms like coughing or wheezing, swelling of the throat and tongue, and in the worst case, anaphylaxis. Allergy shots increase your tolerance to the harmful allergen. By injecting gradually increasing doses of the offending extract, the immune system builds up a tolerance to that allergen. Allergy shots slow down and reduce the production of IgE, the “allergic” type of antibody found in your system. You can think of each shot as adding a brick to the “wall of protection” against things that trigger your allergies.

How Often Do I Need Shots?

At the beginning, allergy shots are usually administered one or two times per week. The starting dosage is very small. The dosage is big enough to start building up immunity, but usually small enough not to cause a reaction. In order for your immune system to build up resistance to offending allergens, a significant dosage must be administered over time. Since dosages are so small at the start of treatment, frequency is important – explaining why you must have shots so often in the beginning. With this rapid build-up, improvement can occur within four to six months and will usually be at its full benefit within the first year to 18 months. In a typical treatment schedule, shots are tapered to weekly intervals once maintenance is reached (usually at four to six months) then to every two weeks at 12 months, then every three to four weeks after 18 to 24 months. Most people can come off their shots after about five years with long-lasting relief of allergy symptoms. Your shot schedule is individualized by your allergy and asthma specialist – these specialists are the only ones who receive extensive training in this procedure.

Do Not Stop Your Allergy Shots Early

Several years may seem like a long time for treatment, but it is vital that you maintain your therapy. The biggest mistake people make is that they stop coming in for their shots. Maybe they feel better or their symptoms are not as bad, but if shots are stopped too early, resistance will fall away, and the time spent on the therapy to-date will be wasted.

Are Allergy Shots Expensive?

Studies have shown that allergy shots are a very cost-effective way to treat allergies. They have been shown to reduce or even eliminate medication requirements and improve the quality of life in those patients who take them. They are the only long-term way to bring symptoms under control I those patients who have significant allergic disease.

WARNING!

It is recommended that you stay in the doctor’s office for at least 20 minutes after receiving your injection. It is very infrequent that a severe allergic reaction to an allergy shot occurs, but it can happen. Ninety percent of all severe reactions occur within 20 minutes of receiving the injection, so it is better to be safe than sorry. Although these reactions are more likely in the build-up phase, they can occur even after being on the injections for years. Also, it is important to tell the nurse who is administering the injection if you have nay reactions to the previous injection after you left the office or if you are experiencing any asthma symptoms prior to receiving your allergy injection. Local swelling or redness may occur in the location of the shot, especially in the beginning months as the dosage is being increased. This usually does not require an adjustment of the dose and typically resolves as your body builds up immunity to the allergens in the injection. Ice applied to the area as well as Tylenol and/or oral antihistamines usually provide relief. Taking an antihistamine before the shot may prevent this reaction.

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