Allergy Shots (Immunotherapy)
Find Relief With Allergy Shots
Allergen immunotherapy, also known as allergy shots, works by desensitizing your body to substances you are allergic to. This treatment gradually builds tolerance over time and can alleviate symptoms for a longer period compared to medications.
Our board-certified allergists and immunologists offer allergy shots for environmental allergens, animal dander and insect venom, as well as for conditions like asthma and eczema. With five allergy clinics located throughout Southeast Tennessee and North Georgia, including Cleveland, Chattanooga, Dalton, Fort Oglethorpe, and Hixson, you can schedule your visit at the location nearest to you!
How Allergy Shots Work
Allergy shots are made with natural extracts of the things you are allergic to. For example, allergy shots for ragweed have ragweed extract purified directly from ragweed fields. This approach offers a more natural alternative to medications that may cause long-term side effects.
During allergy shots, you will be injected with a small amount of your allergen. This helps your immune system build up protection by creating antibodies that fight off the allergen. As the dose increases over time, your body will adapt to the allergen and stop reacting, leading to improved symptoms!
Commitment to a Regular Schedule
Allergy shots are a proven and natural way to desensitize the body to allergens over time. To see continued results, patients typically need to receive allergy shots for 3 to 5 years. Most people who reach the full treatment window will see long-term benefits that traditional allergy medications don’t provide.
To build up your allergy tolerance, allergy shots need to be administered on a regular schedule in two phases. Consistent treatment is needed for allergy shots to effectively work. If you build up your dose and then miss a few weeks, your dose may need to be lowered, hindering your progress.
- Buildup Phase: The buildup phase usually involves one to three allergy shots per week and continues for around one year. During this phase, the amount or “dose” of the allergen will be gradually increased.
- Maintenance Phase: The maintenance phase typically requires one allergy shot per month and continues for three to five years.At The Allergy & Asthma Group of Galen, we also offer an expedited immunotherapy process called RUSH. The RUSH process lessens the time needed between receiving low to high doses of your allergen. We offer two RUSH dosing schedules:
- Full RUSH: You’ll receive 10 total injections in a single day. One injection is given every 30 minutes.
- Modified RUSH: You’ll receive two injections per visit every week.
What Do Allergy Shots Treat?
Allergy shots treat a variety of environmental, animal, and insect allergies such as:
Environmental:
- Trees
- Grass
- Weeds
- Pollen
- Molds
- Dust Mites
Animals:
- Dogs
- Cats
- Horses
Venom:
Allergy shots also treat asthma and eczema symptoms. However, immunotherapy is not used to treat food allergies.
Who Can Benefit From Allergy Shots?
Allergy shots are a great treatment option for people with allergy, asthma, or eczema symptoms that affect their quality of life, especially if allergy medications don’t provide relief or cause side effects. They provide a more natural way of managing symptoms that helps reduce using daily medications long-term. If your symptoms are severe, allergy shots can be lifesaving! Because allergy shots are more natural, they are generally safe for:
- Children as young as 4
- Pregnant women
What are the Risks of Allergy Shots?
Because allergy shots involve the introduction of an allergen to the body, there are some risks involved. Most patients will not experience reactions, but they are always possible. About 1 in 1,000 allergy shots will result in a full body reaction, but that is why starting at a low dose and building up over time is important. An immediate high dose would cause an instant reaction.
Most of the time, reactions are mild. However, we advise that you wait 30 minutes after your shot before going home. Taking an antihistamine such as cetirizine or fexofenadine an hour or two before an injection also helps prevent a full body reaction. If a local reaction does happen, take Motrin or Naproxen and apply ice to help with any swelling. Some swelling or irritation where the skin changes colors can occur after an injection, but it usually only lasts for a few hours and should clear up shortly after.
Take Your First Step Toward Improved Quality of Life
If allergy symptoms are impacting your quality of life, allergy shots may be a natural and effective treatment option for you. At The Allergy & Asthma Group of Galen, our allergists will perform an evaluation to determine what course of treatment best suits your needs. Start your journey toward a symptom-free life by scheduling an appointment today!