Are Allergy Shots For You?
When persistent allergies don't respond to medication, or side effects interfere with treatment, allergy shots may be an option to consider. Immunotherapy is a series of injections given to desensitize asthma and allergy sufferers from specific allergens, which are determined through extensive skin and blood testing. Allergy shots are like vaccinations because they boost the defenses of the immune system to help the body block the allergic reaction. To be effective, the shots are given on a typical schedule of twice weekly, weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly. For the first three to six months the dosage is increased gradually with each injection, which gives the body time to accept the allergen as harmless. For long-term allergy relief, sometimes monthly shots are the best bet for allergy relief.
Allergy shots are a common treatment prescribed for allergic rhinitis or hay fever, as it is most commonly known and allergy-induced asthma. Allergies can be seasonal due to trees, grasses, and weeds, or occur throughout the year, indicating sensitivity to indoor allergens too. Dust and dust mites are common irritants, as well as molds and pet dander, so people with a beloved cat or dog would choose treatment any day than part with a member of their family. Unfortunately, for people with allergies to their favorite foods, like seafood for instance, the only treatment is to abstain completely because there is no vaccine yet available. Reactions to bees, yellow jackets, wasps, and hornets can also be decreased or eliminated with immunotherapy, meaning that there would no longer be a need to carry an Epi Pen for possible anaphylactic reaction.
If you're considering allergy shots, you've probably been experiencing symptoms for quite some time. Immunotherapy testing is the best way to confirm that your symptoms are being caused by allergies, and to determine the specific allergens to be focused on during treatment. Allergy symptoms won't go away overnight, but you will experience a noticeable amount of relief within a year of starting therapy. Immunotherapy is very safe, but because it uses everything that makes you miserable, the possibility of a local or systemic reaction occurring can't be ignored. This is why patients are required to stay in the waiting area for a specified amount of time following administration of the allergy shots. Don't let this scare you; the benefits of immunotherapy far outweigh the remote possibility that a severe reaction may occur. The decision to make the commitment to proceed with therapy truly depends on just how uncomfortable you are, and how satisfied you are with your present treatment regimen.
