5 Benefits of Allergy Shots

Whether you suffer from seasonal allergies, bee stings, or atopic dermatitis, the symptoms they bring can make life miserable. But you don’t have to hide out to avoid your symptoms anymore, even if your previous medications no longer help.

Our team at Advanced Allergy & Asthma understands the importance of having well-controlled allergy symptoms. That’s why we provide on-site allergy shots — or immunotherapy — on-site to improve your quality of life. Here are a few benefits of allergy shots.

1. They reduce your sensitivity

When you have allergies, your immune system overreacts, treating a harmless substance as a threat. Elements that can trigger these reactions include:

• Mold
• Dust mites 
• Pet dander
• Pollen 
• Insect venom

Allergy shots desensitize you to these triggers by introducing small and safe amounts to your body. Over time, you develop an immunity, similar to a vaccine, which decreases your allergy symptoms. 

2. They work for a variety of allergies

Allergy shots are also safe in children five years of age and older, and for people experiencing severe allergy symptoms all year round. We recommend allergy shots for numerous allergic conditions, including:

• Seasonal allergies, including hayfever and allergic asthma
• Indoor allergies, including cockroaches, dust mites, and pet dander
• Insect stings, including yellowjackets, wasps, or bees

This therapy is so effective, it can even improve asthma symptoms and inflammatory skin conditions, like eczema. However, we don’t recommend immunotherapy for food allergies, during pregnancy, or if you have uncontrolled asthma or heart disease.

3. They get your allergies under control

Allergy shots offer tremendous results, even if your allergies no longer respond to medication. 

Throughout your treatment, we expose you to increasing levels of allergens. In response, your body starts making new antibodies to fight the perceived “threat.” By improving how your immune system functions, your body can start fighting off allergens, and your allergy symptoms subside. This approach makes allergy shots a highly effective alternative to traditional medications.

4. They reduce your need for medication long-term 

Unlike allergy medications that work by masking your symptoms, we use allergy shots to reduce your sensitivity to these triggers. However, it can take some time before you develop a healthy community.

Allergy shots occur in two phases: buildup and maintenance. During the buildup phase, you receive regular injections up to twice a week as your body develops immunity. This initial phase can take approximately six months.

Once your body grows accustomed to your allergy shots, you switch to the maintenance phase and receive injections once or twice a month. This phase typically lasts 3-5 years, and you shouldn’t miss any shots during this time. 

After completing your full allergy shot treatment cycle, you can expect long-term relief from your symptoms, even after stopping your injections.

5. You no longer have to avoid your triggers

With the new immunity you gain from undergoing allergy shots, you can regain freedom you’ve never had before. Instead of hiding from allergens or struggling through allergy medications’ side effects, you can face all of your allergy triggers with fewer, if any, symptoms still remaining.  

For more on allergy shots and whether they can help with your symptoms, contact us by calling one of our convenient Ogden locations today.