The A, B, C’s of Allergy
Shots
In the ongoing battle with seasonal and
chronic symptoms like sneezing, itchy throat and watery eyes, many different
forms of treatment have been developed. Avoiding allergens that trigger
attacks is the most obvious, but not always easy to do. Medications like
antihistamines can also help, and in individuals who don’t respond to any of
these, allergy shots may be the answer.
So what exactly are these shots and how do they work to reduce or even
eliminate symptoms? They are a series of shots that contain a small amount
of whatever substance your doctor has determined to be a trigger for your
symptoms. Triggers can be anything from grass and weed pollen to dust or pet
dander.
After running either a skin prick test or a blood test to determine your
particular trigger or triggers, your doctor can than formulate a shot for
you that contains those triggers. The shots are then administered over a
lengthy period of time, first weekly and then monthly. The entire course of
the shot treatment can last for as much as 3 to 5 years before they are
completely successful.
The reason that these shots need to be given over a period of time is to
enable your immune system to build up a response to the substance that is
your trigger. As you are gradually exposed to a small amount of trigger
substance in each shot, you produce antibodies to help fight the effects of
the allergen. Once your body learns to respond in this way, it will be more
likely to do so each time it is exposed to that particular trigger, thereby
lessening your symptoms.
Shots can be used to treat many different kinds of allergies, including
those to pollen, ragweed, certain drugs and even bee stings. Because these
shots involve exposure to the trigger substance, they are generally
considered the last form of defense after other methods have been tried and
deemed unsuccessful. You’ll probably need to stay in your doctor’s office
for a short while after receiving each shot in case you have a reaction to
the shot itself.
Not everyone is an ideal candidate for allergy shots. Individuals with heart
conditions and severe asthma may not be able to tolerate this kind of
exposure to trigger substances. Pregnant women and children under age 5 are
also not able to be treated this way. As with any treatment, you should
never proceed with these shots without your doctor’s recommendation.
Though being exposed to trigger substances makes some people leery of
getting allergy shots, they are generally quite safe and can provide a long
term solution to unpleasant chronic symptoms. It may take some time before
you notice positive results, so be patient. Most people don’t begin to get
relief until they’ve had at least six months of treatment.
There is no reason to live with the discomfort and potentially serious
threat caused by allergies. If standard methods of treatment don’t work for
you, talk to your doctor about getting allergy shots to help retrain your
body and defend against common triggers so you can get back to enjoying life
again!
Wishing you the best of health
The Allergy Store
