Immunotherapy Treatment
- Medical Specialities
- Pulmonology & Chest Medicine
- Allergy and Immunotherapy
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Allergy and immunotherapy
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Immunotherapy entails administering the allergen and harmful substances in escalating quantities. This gradual increase of allergen makes the immune system less sensitive, most likely by producing a "blocking" antibody, which lessens allergy response when the allergen enters the body again. Immunotherapy is a treatment that prevents allergic reactions to grass pollen, home dust mites, bee venom, etc. Immunotherapy also lowers the inflammation that is common in rhinitis and asthma.
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Allergy shots, which is also called as subcutaneous immunotherapy (SCIT), are the most popular and successful type of allergy immunotherapy. This is the only treatment that alters the immune system, allowing for the prevention of new allergies and asthma.
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Types of allergy shots are indoor allergy, insect strings and seasonal allergy. Allergy shots are typically delivered in the upper arm of the body.
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To be effective, allergy injections are administered on a 2-phase schedule:
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One is the maintenance phase which often lasts three to five years or longer. The patient will need maintenance shots around once a month. The second one is the building phase which typically takes 3 to 6 months. Most of the time, these shots are administered one to three times each week. During the building phase, the allergen dose increases progressively with each shot.
