Does Allergy Immunotherapy Work?
How does allergy immunotherapy work?
Allergy immunotherapy exposes your immune system to small doses of what you are allergic to. Over time, your body becomes desensitized and stops reacting to allergens when you are exposed. This desensitization results in long-term allergy relief.
When it comes to finding a solution to allergies, sufferers want something that works and works well. Unfortunately, most over-the-counter allergy medications only offer short-term relief and don’t address the root cause of the problem.
Allergy immunotherapy, on the other hand, does work. And it works well. This clinically-proven treatment stops your allergies by making long-term changes to your immune system.
What Is Allergy Immunotherapy?
Immunotherapy exposes your body to the allergens that cause your reactions. This process desensitizes the immune system over time. Traditionally, allergy immunotherapy was only available in allergy shots. These weekly injections had to be administered by an allergy specialist at a doctor’s office. After the injection, patients had to wait for 30 minutes in case they experienced an anaphylactic reaction, a rare but life-threatening allergic reaction.
Allergy immunotherapy is also available from the convenience of home with sublingual immunotherapy. Sublingual immunotherapy is also known as allergy drops and tablets. Based on the same principles as allergy injections, sublingual immunotherapy contains trace amounts of what you are allergic to. You can get the same benefits you would with allergy shots without the uncomfortable injections or long waits at the doctor’s office.
How Do You Get Started With Immunotherapy?
Before you start allergy immunotherapy, you must take an allergy test to determine your specific allergens. There are two ways to get tested. You can schedule a skin-prick test at an allergist’s office. During this test, an allergy specialist places various allergen serums on your back, then pricks the skin beneath the serum. If a hive forms, it is likely you’re allergic to that allergen.
Wyndly’s at-home allergy test kit provides another option. This simple blood test arrives in the mail and includes easy-to-follow instructions. It requires only one finger prick and a few drops of blood. Once you administer the test, you return it to us in the provided envelope. Once your results are in, one of our doctors will meet with you to go over your results and a personalized treatment plan.
How Long Does Allergy Immunotherapy Treatment Take?
If you begin immunotherapy, we ship sublingual immunotherapy directly to you. You start in a build-up phase, where the amount of allergens in your dosage gradually increases, allowing your immune system to become used to the repeated exposure. Once you reach the optimal dosage, you move into the maintenance phase. On average the maintenance phase takes three to five years, the time required to make long-term immune system changes.
How Effective Is Immunotherapy?
Immunotherapy works for most patients who try it. The most commonly cited number for whether immunotherapy works is a 70% to 80% efficacy rate. Most patients who comply with immunotherapy experience fewer symptoms and take less medication, and many patients see a reduction in allergic reactions in six months or less!
If you’re ready to see if allergy immunotherapy will work for you, take our quick, two-minute assessment to get started. And be one step closer to finding long-lasting relief and no longer living a life ruled by allergies.
