What Ingredients Are Used in an Allergy Shot?
Allergy shots, a treatment termed immunotherapy, are administered to people with moderate to severe allergies. They help those who don't respond to other allergy treatments, such as antihistamines and other medicines.
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Immunotherapy
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Immunotherapy doesn't eliminate allergies but reduces the need for allergy medicines. After you've been given a round of allergy shots, your allergy symptoms likely will lessen. Allergy shots work for people with seasonal allergies including hay fever (allergic rhinitis), indoor allergies such as dust mites, pet allergies and insect stings. They also help patients with eczema (atopic dermatitis) and airborne allergies. Research has shown that allergy shots may prevent the development of asthma in some patients with allergic rhinitis and may prevent future allergies. If given early enough, they may also prevent the development of asthma in children with allergic rhinitis.
What's In Allergy Shots?
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Allergy shots are made up of a mixture of allergen extracts. These extracts contain a small amount of the substance that causes your allergy (an allergen), such as small amounts of sterilized grass pollen or cat dander. They stimulate your immune system to desensitize you to the offending allergen. Allergy shots work like a vaccine. Your body responds to the injected allergen and builds up an immunity to the allergen.
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How Are Allergy Shots Given?
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Allergy shots are administered in two phases: build-up and maintenance. During the buildup phase (three to seven months), you get shots one to three times a week in gradually increasing doses. During the maintenance phase, you get shots with the same doses of allergen. This phase lasts three to five years or more.
Allergy Shots are Safe and Effective
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Immunotherapy, practiced since the early 1900s, is a safe and effective treatment for allergies. However, in rare cases severe reactions can occur; so it's recommended that only allergists--or other physicians with special training--administer or supervise allergy shots. Allergy shots are given to adults and to children as young as 4 years old.
What to Expect
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Improvement in allergy symptoms doesn't usually occur for nine to 12 months, so you should not stop taking your allergy medicines during immunotherapy. Medication requirements usually decrease after one year of treatment, but some patients never become free of medications. If after one year of immunotherapy your allergy symptoms don't improve, the doctor will likely discontinued treatment. Other treatment options should be considered at this point.
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References
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