Allergy Treatment Specialist

What happens before allergy treatment?

In some cases, a review of your medical history and symptoms may be enough to start allergy treatment. However, most people need allergy testing so their provider can recommend the best treatment for their specific allergen.

Though your treatment is customized, allergy treatment generally involves avoiding your allergens, taking medications, and immunotherapy.

How does avoiding allergens treat my allergies?

If you’re not exposed to your allergen, you won’t have an allergic reaction. Though it’s not easy to avoid allergens like pollen and mold, you can take steps to minimize your exposure. For some patients, that’s enough to reduce their symptoms.

Avoiding your allergen is the primary treatment for food and drug allergies. While oral immunotherapy can reduce the allergic response to peanuts, there’s currently no treatment for food allergies other than keeping the food out of your diet.

What medications are part of allergy treatment?

Antihistamines and mast cell stabilizers block the chemicals that trigger allergic reactions. Decongestants and corticosteroids relieve a stuffy nose. If over-the-counter treatments don’t help, your symptoms may improve with prescription-strength medications.

If you have an allergy that puts you at risk of having a life-threatening allergic reaction (anaphylaxis), you also need self-injectable epinephrine. This medication stops anaphylaxis triggered by food, insect sting, latex, and drug allergies.

What type of allergy treatment is immunotherapy?

Immunotherapy changes the way your immune system responds to allergens. Your provider gives you controlled doses of your allergen. Over time, your immune system gets used to the allergen and stops causing an allergic reaction.

The types of immunotherapies include:

Allergy shots

For this treatment, your provider gives you shots of your allergen on a regular schedule. The typical schedule follows two phases.

During the first phase, you get 1-2 shots every week. With each shot, your provider gradually increases the dose. This phase continues for several months until you reach a target dose.

For the second phase, you get 1-2 shots every month, with each shot containing the same dose. This phase typically lasts 3-5 years. During that time, your symptoms significantly improve or disappear.

Sublingual medication

Instead of a shot, your provider may treat some allergens with drops or dissolving tablets that go under your tongue. You get your first dose in the office to be sure you don’t have a strong allergic reaction to the allergen, then you keep taking the medication daily at home.

If you need relief from allergy symptoms, call Allergy and Asthma Treatment Center or book an appointment online to start customized allergy treatments.