Contents:
- Medical Video: What are allergy shots and how do they work?
- How are allergies treated?
- How to avoid allergens
- Allergy shots or allergy drops
- Compare allergic injections and allergy drops
- What side effects might occur from allergic injections and allergic drops?
- What should I consider before receiving this treatment?
Medical Video: What are allergy shots and how do they work?
Allergies are the body's reaction to substances around you. This article talks about allergies to airborne particles such as pollen, dust, pet dander, or mold. Allergies occur when the immune system (the system that protects your body from germs) reacts to one of these particles (called "allergens").
A reaction by the immune system that causes allergic symptoms. Symptoms of allergies from airborne allergens (air allergens) can include:
- Sneezing
- Nasal congestion or runny nose
- Itchy nose and throat
- Cough
- Mucus drips down your throat
- Eyes itchy, runny or swollen
- Pressure on the nose, cheeks and forehead
- A skin rash or itchy skin
In some people, allergies can also cause symptoms of asthma (wheezing, coughing, shortness of breath, or tightness in the chest).
Some allergies, such as pollen allergy, only occur at certain times of the year (for example, when trees and grass release their pollen). This is called "seasonal allergies" or "hay fever. ”Other allergies, such as dust allergies, can occur throughout the year. This is called "perpetual allergy." A person can only have seasonal allergies, only lasting allergies, or both types of allergies.
How are allergies treated?
First, your doctor may talk to you about symptoms and medical history and examine you to determine what allergies you have. Your doctor may recommend an allergy medication to help treat your allergy symptoms. Your doctor may also suggest ways to avoid allergens that might cause your allergies.
Common allergic drugs include antihistamines on the market such as fexofenadine (Allegra®), loratadine (Claritin®), or cetirizine (Zyrtec®). Doctors may prescribe steroids that are available as nasal spray drugs such as fluticasone propionate (Flonase®) or mometasone furoate (Nasonex®).
How to avoid allergens
Your doctor may also suggest ways to avoid allergens (airborne particles that can cause allergies), such as often cleaning your carpet and curtains, using air filters, or using a mattress cover cloth and special pillows to reduce the amount of dust allergens while you sleep.
If an allergic drug and an attempt to avoid allergens do not reduce your symptoms, your doctor may take a test to try to determine your allergens. Skin tests or blood tests can be done to see what allergens are causing the reaction. After you find the cause of your allergy, your doctor will probably suggest an allergy injection or allergy drops.
Allergy shots or allergy drops
This type of treatment works differently from allergy medications. Allergy injections and drops work to reduce your body's reactions due to allergens. Your doctor may recommend allergic injections or drops to make symptoms occur less frequently or to make symptoms lighter.
- Allergic injections: injections given under the skin (usually in the upper arm) are usually practiced by a doctor
- Drip allergy medicine: a liquid that is dropped under your tongue that you can do at home (this method is called "sublingual immunotherapy").
Allergy injections and allergy drops help your immune system become less sensitive to allergens. Injections and drops contain small amounts of allergens that cause your allergies. For example, if you are allergic to the banyan tree pollen, injections or drops will have a small amount of pollen from the banyan tree in it. Allergy injections and drops both contain allergens that cause your allergies. The difference between them is only how they are given.
The amount of allergens at an allergy injection or drops is so small that your immune system might not react strongly to this. Your doctor will talk to you about what to do if you have a strong reaction.
Your doctor will slowly place more allergens into the injection or drops until your immune system becomes less sensitive to allergens. This means that your immune system will not react strongly when you inhale allergens. Over time, your immune system will begin to tolerate allergens, and your allergy symptoms will improve.
Some people may not be able to get allergic injections or allergy drops. You should talk to your doctor if:
- You (or your child) have severe asthma
- You (or your child) use a type of drug called "beta-blockers," which is used to treat high blood pressure
- You (or your child) have a heart problem
- You are pregnant or planning to become pregnant
- You are considering allergic injections or allergic drops for children under 5 years of age
Compare allergic injections and allergy drops
How is this treatment done?
- Allergic injections: Injections given under the skin (usually in the upper arm) performed in a doctor's practice.
- Allergy drops: Drops of liquid are placed under the tongue and are usually taken at home.
How often is this treatment done?
- Allergy injections: Inject one or more each time you go to the doctor's practice:
- Once or twice a week for the first few months
- Once or twice a month afterwards
- Allergy drops: Several times a week or every day
How long do we have to carry this medication?
- Allergy injections: 3 to 5 years (or sometimes longer)
- Allergy drops: Usually 3 to 5 years (or sometimes longer)
What side effects might occur from allergic injections and allergic drops?
Allergy injections and allergy drops are safe, and side effects are usually mild.
Common side effects of allergic injections include:
- Itching, swelling and redness in the place where the injection was given
- Headache
- Cough
- fatigue
- Mucus drips down your throat
- Sneezing
Common side effects of allergic drops include:
- Throat irritation
- Mild swelling or itching in the mouth
Although rare, allergic injections and allergic drops can cause life-threatening allergic reactions called "anaphylaxis". Symptoms of anaphylaxis can include severe swelling of the face, throat, or tongue; itchy; skin rash; difficulty breathing; tightness in the chest; wheezing; dizzy; nausea; diarrhea; or lose consciousness.
If you or your child have these symptoms after getting an allergy injection or allergy drops, contact your doctor immediately. Anaphylaxis must be treated immediately with an injection of epinephrine, a type of hormone that regulates the heart rate and the respiratory part.
What should I consider before receiving this treatment?
There are many things to think about when deciding whether allergy shots or allergy drops are right for you or your child. You might want to talk to your doctor:
- How severe are your allergic or asthma symptoms (or your child)
- How well you can avoid or reduce allergens in your environment (for example, cleaning carpets and curtains or using air filters, cloth to cover mattresses, or special pillowcases)
- How good an allergy medicine (antihistamine or steroid nasal spray) works to relieve your symptoms (or your child)
- Advantages and side effects of allergic injections or allergic drops
- Which might work better to restore your allergic or asthma symptoms (or your child) - allergic injections or allergic drops
- Which suits your preferences and your lifestyle - allergy shots or allergy drops
- For example, would it be easier to use allergic drops every day or go to the doctor's office a few days to get an injection?
- The cost of allergic injections or allergic drops
You might also want to ask your doctor these questions:
- What is the best way for me to avoid or reduce allergens in my environment?
- Can allergy shots or alleric drops help me (or my child)?
- Does any of my medical conditions (or my child) affect my ability (or my child) to get allergic injections or allergic drops?
- Which is better: allergic injections or allergic drops?
- How long does it take for allergy shots or allergy drops to take effect?
- How long will it take me (or my child) to get an allergy injection or allergy drops?
- How long can allergy shots or allergy drops relieve my allergic or asthma symptoms (or my child)?
- What is the cost of allergy injections? What is the cost of allergy drops?
- Are there side effects that require me to contact you directly or who will require me to go to the emergency room? If so, what are the side effects? What should I do when these side effects occur?
