What Are Allergy Shots
Allergies cannot be cured. But with allergy shots, also known as immunotherapy, people who suffer from severe allergies can be treated to reduce the effects. These are typically recommended for people who suffer from allergies more than three months out of the year. The purpose is to reduce the sensitivity of allergies so when they are triggered, you are not suffering as badly as you typically would.
Allergy shots are given in the upper arm. Each time you see the doctor, the amount of allergen increases to a point where your allergy symptoms are mild or possibly even gone.
How to Prepare for Allergy Shots
When preparing for your allergy shots, you should not exercise. Since allergy shots are an injection, the faster your blood pumps, the faster the shot enters your body and goes into your blood stream. If the allergen enters your bloodstream too rapidly, it could cause a reaction.
Check with your doctor about the medications you are on also. This includes any vitamins or over-the-counter vitamins, minerals or supplements. You may need to avoid taking some of your medications to avoid a reaction with the allergy shots or a preservative in them.
As always, with any treatment, you should let your doctor know if you are pregnant or trying to get pregnant. This is extremely important.
What to Expect From Allergy Shots
As with all shots, you can expect some redness and sensitivity in the injection area. If it is something you are really sensitive to, you may experience some burning when you initially get the injection.
Let your doctor know if the injection site looks swollen more than a typical flu shot would. If you have any trouble breathing, this is not normal, so let your doctor know immediately!
Risks of Allergy Shots
Risks of getting allergy shots are pretty much the same as getting any other shot. With all medical procedures come risks. If this is your first allergy shot, and you are worried about any risks or complications, stick around your doctors office for a half hour just to make sure you do not have any reaction.
New Alternatives to the Old Allergy Shots
Intranasal Immunotherapy: This is one of the newest therapies used to treat allergies. A small amount of the allergen is dissolved in liquid and is sprayed up the nose. This works primarily with allergens that cause nasal allergies, such as pollen or ragweed. This is similar to the nasal therapy that is used for the flu vaccine.
Oral Immunotherapy: This alternative is placed under the tongue for a small amount of time and then swallowed by the patient. This has not been approved by the FDA to date, but it is expected to become widely popular in the next several years.
Rush Immunotherapy: This uses the same principle as allergy shots, except it is pushed into the patient’s system faster. It is not typically done in a doctors office, since the risk of the therapy is higher. It is typically done in a hospital and is given more frequently than the regular allergy shots. Rather than every week, it is done every couple of hours. The purpose of this is to build a tolerance to the allergen faster.