Here it goes again. Your allergy symptoms have fired up. What are you going to do now? Most people would want some quick relief with over-the-counter medication, but those who are interested in long-term relief, they should think about allergy shots. Allergy shots promptly relieve allergic symptoms. The medical term describing this treatment is immunotherapy. In each injection there is a small amount of the specific substance triggering your allergic reaction.
Ultimately, the goal of treatment is to increase the dose of allergen in each shot until full immunity is acquired. This process works very similarly to vaccinations. Eventually your body will be desensitized to the allergen, and when you are exposed to the allergen in the future you will not have symptoms.
Moreover, allergy shots can help reduce your body’s inflammatory response during an asthma attack. The therapy takes several years to be successful so being patient is just as much a part of the therapy as the shots. Something the allergy shot administrator will inform you is that up to thirty to forty-five minutes after the injection, you should stay at the clinic so you can be observed for any side effects. Also, here are some you should know about in case you feel them later:
- Pain at the injection site during and/or after the shot is administered
- Localized reaction
- Redness
- Swelling
- Systemic reactions
- Sneezing
- Coughing
- Hives
- Nasal congestion
- Throat swelling
- Wheezing
- Chest tightness
- Anaphylaxis
- Low blood pressure
- Trouble breathing
There is no reason to be alarmed by these side effects, but knowing them is important so you do not ignore them if you experience them. What your ENT doctor may do to protect you from these side effects is administer an antihistamine beforehand.
Before getting allergy shots it is important to figure out what is causing your allergies. This is a simple procedure, but it also takes time. For parents this is very hard to watch, so it is best to be informed beforehand what the testing entails. Ask your physician or primary care provider all about this information. If you live in Dallas, Fort Worth or Arlington, Texas, contact Central Park ENT & Surgery center. You can make an appointment with an ENT Allergist to alleviate your allergy symptoms with an allergy shot.
Allergy shots are not at all scary and they are very easily administered, so if you are a victim of allergies, get help today! Living with allergies hinders your day to day life and can be a disability. When you can’t go to work, you can’t hang out with your kids or you can’t make a social event because the cat or dog, it makes things more difficult.
Also, parents with children with food allergies are constantly worried and have to make lists of do’s and don’ts. This is just extra work and unfortunately necessary, because allergic reactions can be life-threatening. Allergists work very hard to ensure that their patients find the perfect treatment and management plan which will work for each individual. The goal of the allergy shot is provide lifelong relief, not just a quick fix.