If you’re looking for long-term relief from your allergy symptoms, you might consider looking into immunotherapy. Like many medical treatments out there, the term “immunotherapy” might sound somewhat intimidating at first, but the science behind it is pretty simple to understand once you look into it, so let’s dive into how it works.
What Are Allergies?
First, let’s review what happens in the body when you have an allergic reaction. Substances that can trigger allergy symptoms are known as “allergens.” Some common allergens are pollen, pet dander and mold. Notably, allergens are not actually dangerous to your body; they won’t destroy the cells in your body or reproduce, as a virus or bacteria would.
However, your immune system treats the allergen like a threat anyway. It will deploy a powerful offensive against the perceived threat to remove it from the body. This creates the symptoms that plague you: inflammation meant to trap the allergen causes congestion and hives, and increased mucus production meant to carry the allergen out causes sneezing and a runny nose.
Keep all this information in mind, as it will help make immunotherapy more understandable.
What Is Immunotherapy?
Immunotherapy is a powerful type of medical treatment that boosts, alters or trains the body’s natural immune system to fight off threats. We use it to treat allergies, desensitizing the immune system to the allergen (or allergens) it mistakenly perceives as a threat. But the methods of immunotherapy have been instrumental in combating other conditions, as well, such as:
- Cancer
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Autoimmune disorders
- Neurological diseases
- Organ transplantation
How Does Immunotherapy for Allergies Work?
When we use immunotherapy to manage allergies, we introduce small doses of the allergen you’re sensitive to into your body to acclimate your immune system to the allergen’s presence and convince it that the allergen is not a threat. The dose starts out very small and gradually increases over time. That gradual increase builds the body’s tolerance to the allergen until it can encounter it without reacting.
How Is the Allergen Introduced to the Body?
There are two options for introducing the allergen: allergy shots and allergy drops. Allergy shots are a small injection that must be administered at the allergist’s office. It strongly resembles a vaccine against allergies. Allergy drops are administered orally, placed under the tongue with a dropper before being swallowed.
How Can I Begin Allergy Shots or Drops?
If you’re tired of being bogged down by allergy symptoms, consider treating your allergies with immunotherapy and decreasing your reactions to your allergens long-term. In order to start, schedule an allergy test at ENT & Allergy Specialists – Ear Nose and Throat Physicians and Surgeons; once we have your results, we can create a custom allergy treatment plan that handles your allergies.