Exploring Immunotherapy: How It Works for Long-Term Allergy Relief

You wake up and your sinuses are clogged. You have mucus dripping down your throat, making it itchy and raw. Your eyes are puffy and red, plus they itch like crazy. You can’t stop sneezing. Those are the key signs of an allergy to seasonal pollen.

You love your cats and have had yours for over 10 years. Your child just tested positive for allergies to pet dander. You can’t imagine rehoming your cats when they’re seniors, but you also hate watching your child suffer.

You might have one of the most frustrating allergies of all. You are allergic to dust mites. Even with the best cleaning habits, dust mites are hard to avoid. You’re desperate for a better solution. Immunotherapy with Premium  Allergy & Respiratory Center is the answer you’re looking for.

Understanding Immunotherapy

Allergen immunotherapy provides long-term allergy relief by helping your body learn to ease the reaction to different allergens. Through allergy shots into your skin or lymph nodes or drops/tablets taken orally, you’re slowly introduced to small amounts of the item you’re allergic to. 

The amount of allergen is small, so it isn’t enough to make you feel lousy. But, it’s enough that your immune system slowly begins to adjust to that allergen and no longer triggers a histamine response. It’s the histamines within your body that lead to the inflammation that increases congestion and itchiness, makes the eyes red, watery, and irritated, and makes you sneeze.

It’s the same idea as a flu shot. You get a small amount of different flu viruses to help strengthen the body to the different virus strains. If flu season hits and you’re exposed to one of those flu strains, your body already has a wall of defense in place. The symptoms you experience aren’t as bad. It may not stop the virus completely, but you’re not going to feel as bad.

The Three Types of Immunotherapy

Immunotherapy works well, but you do have options. For some people, allergy shots are great in theory, but having to return to a medical office for weekly shots is time-consuming and difficult when you have a busy schedule. That’s led to two newer options that are much easier to manage, but they may not be ideal for your needs.  That’s why it’s so important to work with an expert in allergy care.

Subcutaneous (SCIT):

Traditional allergy shots are an immunotherapy known as SCIT. You go to the allergist’s office each week for a shot that consists of a liquid form of the allergen affecting you. You need those shots every week or so for up to five years. If you live close to the office and have no problem making a weekly trip, this is a great option. It’s not for everyone though.

SCIT does require weekly shots, but after three to five years, you’ll find your allergy symptoms disappear. Most patients stop taking allergy medications and enjoy having a full life without having to limit activities when pollen counts are high or in areas where allergies typically flare up.

Intralymphatic (ILIT):

You need fewer shots with intralymphatic immunotherapy, which is an FDA-approved allergy treatment involving small amounts of a liquid allergen. These shots require an ultrasound to guide the needle to the correct location. A total of three shots are given directly into a lymph node. You’ll get one shot each month for three months. After that, your symptoms should be minimal, which improves your quality of life. 

When you go for the ILIT treatment, it’s usually in the groin area. You do need to stay still to ensure the needle placement is precise. 

Sublingual (SLIT):

Sublingual allergy treatments come in drops or dissolvable tablets that contain the allergen causing your symptoms. You take the drops each day for up to five years. They’re ideal for people with environmental allergies like tree pollen or ragweed.

When you decide on SLIT, you start on a build-up dose that increases as your body acclimates to that allergen. Most patients move to monthly doses over time. The lasting relief is worth it.

If SLIT is right for you, it’s one of the most convenient options. You apply the drops or place a dissolvable tablet under your tongue. You don’t have to go to the allergist’s office every week or so. You go to the office long enough to ensure the dosage of the dissolvable tablets or drops is correct, and then you use them at home. You will return periodically for follow-up care. 

This may be a newer option, but it’s also one that’s been studied a lot. Like the other treatment options, this immunotherapy is FDA-approved, especially for grass, ragweed, tree, and dust mite allergies.

What About the Future? 

Those are the immunotherapies currently available. Research is ongoing, however. According to the American Academy of Allergy Asthma & Immunology, these additional immunotherapy allergy treatments are currently being explored.

Nasal sprays intranasal immunotherapy)

Skin patches (epicutaneous immunotherapy)

Toothpaste (oral mucosal immunotherapy)

Schedule an Allergy Test

Before you experience lasting relief from your allergies, an allergy test is important. Allergists need to know exactly what you’re allergic to before developing a comprehensive treatment plan. Not every allergy responds to immunotherapy,  so you might need medications. You may need to adjust your daily routine to avoid certain allergens. 

There are four types of allergy tests available.

Blood Test – Blood is drawn and examined in a lab. Allergists look at the level of antibodies present in your blood when you’re exposed to an allergen.

Lung Function Testing (Spirometry) – When you’re dealing with allergies, your lung function is tested to see how much air you’re able to exhale. It also measures how fast you do.  This helps determine if your allergies are triggering asthma.

Patch Testing: A patch containing several allergens is applied to your skin and adhered to remain in place for several days. When it’s removed, the allergist can see if your skin reacted to any of them.

Skin Testing: Skin tests offer quick results, but it does require an allergen to be inserted into the upper layers of skin. After tiny pricks apply the allergen to the skin, you wait for no more than half an hour to learn if there’s a reaction or allergy to that substance.

Premium Allergy & Respiratory Center offers all four of those allergy tests. Schedule an appointment online to learn what allergies you have and the best treatment options for lasting relief.