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Allergy Shots

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 rhinitis 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.

How Do Allergy Shots Work?

Allergy is when your immune system mistakes a harmless substance for a dangerous one and triggers the release of chemicals into your body, thus creating symptoms like runny nose, sneezing, watery eyes, itching and in some cases, more serious symptoms like coughing or wheezing, swelling of the throat and tongue, and in the worst case anaphylaxis. To learn about allergies READ MORE »

Allergy shots increase your tolerance to the harmful allergen. By injecting gradually increasing doses of the offending allergen extract, the immune system builds up a tolerance to that allergen. Allergy shots slow down and reduce the production of the IgE antibody. You can think of each shot as adding a brick to the "wall of protection" against things that trigger your allergies.

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:

• If the medications to control your symptoms (i.e., antihistamines, decongestants) do not work.
• If the medication used to control your symptoms produces too many side effects.
• If complications (i.e., sinus infections, ear infections) develop.
• If you have asthma triggered by allergies.
• If you are at risk of developing anaphylaxis (a severe reaction that, in some cases, may be fatal) when exposed to an allergen. (As noted above - allergy shots are not used for food allergy.)
• If medications control your symptoms, but your symptoms flare back up every time you try to reduce your medications.
• If you can't effectively avoid things that trigger your allergies.
• If you would rather take a series of allergy shots than daily medications.
• If you would rather treat the actual problem rather than just use medications to control symptoms.
• If cost of the medications is a burden, allergy shots are very cost effective compared to the use of daily prescription medications over several years.

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How Often Do I Need Shots?

Allergy shots are typically started on a weekly schedule during the build-up phase. This can be accelerated under certain circumstances and this may be discussed with your allergist. Symptomatic improvement may occur within the first 3-6 months with full benefit usually seen with the first 12-18 months.

After a maintenance dose is reached, your allergist will determine when to decrease the interval between shots (for example, every 2 weeks, every 3 weeks, every 4 weeks). This usually occurs at 6 to 12 month intervals but is also affected by how your allergy symptoms are responding to treatment. Most people will be able to stop their injections after about 4 to 5 years.

Typically, board-certified allergists are trained to safely utilize potent allergy extracts which are more complicated to use but which provide significantly greater benefit than the low-dose allergy extracts used by physicians not specifically trained in the subspecialty of Allergy/Immunology.

You should always consult with a Board Certified Allergist before beginning a program of allergy shots.

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 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 in those patients who have significant allergic disease.

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Last Update: August 1, 2003