Allergy Injection Clinic

Notify the nurse immediately if you experience symptoms not occurring before your injection.

If a reaction occurs after leaving our office, you are responsible for immediately seeking treatment by returning to our office or visiting an urgent care or ER.

Local Reactions

Local reactions are common and include redness, itching and swelling at the injection site. We stock anti-itch spray. One hive per injection is normal. If you experience more hives around the injection site, please contact the nurse.

To Minimize Local Reactions

• Take an antihistamine at least 3 hours prior to your allergy injection (e.g., Zyrtec, Allegra, Xyzal). Claritin (loratadine) and Benadryl are not an effective pre-treatment for most people. Pretreatment can be the night before shots, the morning of shots, or at least 3 hours prior to shots.
• Apply ice pack to the injection site during your 30 minute wait. We stock ice packs.
• Apply hydrocortisone cream to the injection site following your shots.
• Take ibuprofen or Tylenol for discomfort.  Ibuprofen is an anti-inflammatory that may help decrease swelling.

Systemic Reactions

• Symptoms may include itchy/runny nose, sneezing, nasal congestion, itching or hives on the body aside from the injection site, feeling flush/warm or burning sensation away from the injection site, and nausea.
• Notify the nurse immediately of these symptoms or visit the nearest urgent care or ER. To reduce the risk of reaction, take an antihistamine at least 3 hours prior to your shots.

Anaphylaxis Reaction

• Symptoms include coughing, wheezing, chest tightness, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, difficulty talking, closing of the throat or lump in the throat, shock, rapid pulse, feeling faint or dizziness, vomiting, diarrhea and abdominal cramping.
• Notify the nurse immediately of these symptoms or visit the nearest urgent care or ER.