Allergen Immunotherapy

Allergen immunotherapy can help eliminate the cause of your symptoms by slowly reducing your sensitivity to allergens over time.

Allergen immunotherapy is a medical treatment for allergies that invloves receiving a series of injections or sublingual drops over a period of time. Allergen immunotherapy works for allergic rhinitis and allergic asthma.

Am I A Good Candidate for Allergen Immunotherapy?

Physicians may recommend allergen immunotherapy if a patient:

• Experiences side effects from other allergy medications
• Suffers from a respiratory condition such as asthma
• Continues to experience allergies despite avoidance and medication
• Is allergic to a few unavoidable allergens

How Does Immunotherapy Work?

Allergen Immunotherpay works by exposing your immune system to progressively stronger concentrations of allergens. Over time, the incremental increase in exposure desensitizes and changes your immune systems response to the allergen.

Immunotherapy can be administered via two methods:

• Subcutaneous Immunotherapy (SCIT)
• Sublingual Immunotherapy (SLIT)

SCIT

Allergy shots (subcutaneous immunotherapy or SCIT) are safe and effective and remain standard treatment at our practice and other practices throughout the country.

Injections are initially given once a week. As treatment progresses , injections are scheduled biweekly and eventually monthly. The treatment usually takes five years, but the results last a lifetime.

SLIT

Sublingual immunotherapy utilizes drops that are placed under the tongue. Like allergy shots, the dosage increases as treatment progresses to desensitize the immune system to an allergen. The drops are taken at home rather than in the office. This method is a safe and effective alternative for both adults and pediatric patients or those who cannot tolerate injections.

Most patients notice benefits from treatment within 3-6 months. The total treatment time to acheive maximal benefit is typically 5 years.