Allergy Shots

Allergy shots (immunotherapy)

Allergy shots, also called immunotherapy, help decrease sensitivity to allergens and often lead to lasting symptom relief even after treatment is stopped. Immunotherapy has been proven to be effective for allergic rhinitis (congestion) and conjunctivitis (itchy eyes), allergic asthma, and stinging insect allergy.

Many patients can cut back or stop their allergy medications once they start immunotherapy. There are two phases:

- Build-up phase: injections with increasing amounts of the allergens are administered about one to two times per week. The length of this phase depends upon how often the injections are received, but generally ranges from three to six months.

- Maintenance phase: once the effective dose is reached, shots are typically administered monthly.

You must stay for 30 minutes after each injection to ensure you do not have adverse reactions.

You may notice a decrease in symptoms during the build-up phase, but it may take as long as 12 months on the maintenance dose to notice an improvement. About 3-5 years of maintenance treatment is recommended for lasting relief.

If you are interested in learning more about allergy shots, call to schedule an appointment with one of our providers!

Adapted from:

https://www.aaaai.org/tools-for-the-public/conditions-library/allergies/allergy-shots-(immunotherapy)