Do Allergy Desensitization Shots Work?

Allergydesensitization shots are made of allergen proteins mixed with preservatives and solvents. This is called an extract. Your doctor will give you the extract that matches yourallergy. If you’reallergicto cat dander, you will get the cat dander extract, for example.

Over time, your doctor will slowly increase the amount of allergen in your shots. The gradual buildup changes your immune system and desensitizes it to the allergen. Your body gets used to the allergen, and you become less likely to react to it.

There are also other forms of desensitization treatment called sublingual immunotherapy. These are drops or tablets of extract that you put under your tongue for 1 to 2 minutes and then swallow.

Not all types of allergies can be treated withallergy shots. These shots are only helpful for IgE-mediated allergies, which cause a quick reaction throughout your whole body within minutes or hours.

Additionally, allergy shots can only help specific allergies, including seasonal, indoor, and insects. These include allergies to:

• Dust mites
• Grasspollen
• Tree pollen
• Weed pollen
• Cat dander
• Dog dander
• Mold
• Cockroaches
• Bees
• Wasps
• Hornets
• Yellow jackets

Your doctor might prescribe allergy shots if:

• You have moderate to severe symptoms that last for months
• Other treatments aren’t helping
• You react to medications
• You try to control exposure, but your symptoms still last
• You want to stop taking long-term allergy medications
• You’re allergic toinsect stings

Allergy shots take time. The process usually involves 2 phases over 3 to 5 years and includes a buildup phase and a maintenance phase.

The buildup phase takes 3 to 6 months. You get 1 to 3 shots a week, starting with the weakest extract and slowly building up until you reach the strongest dose. Once you reach this stage, you’ll move to the maintenance phase, where you’ll receive doses once a month for 3 to 5 years.

Sometimes, your doctor can speed up the process and perform rush immunotherapy. In a rush process, you get several shots in one visit. This can be helpful if you have severe allergies and need to get relief faster, but you face a higher chance of having asevere allergic reaction.

You get a small amount of something you’re allergic to every time you get a shot. This means that there’s a chance that you’ll have anallergic reaction. Small reactions at the injection site are common and mild, while more severe full body reactions are rare.

Common side effects include:

• Mildrash
• Sneezing
• Watery eyes
• Tiredness
• Headaches
• Coughing
• Wheezing

Serious reactions can include:

• Swelling
• Hives
• Low blood pressure
• Severeitching
• Troublebreathing
• Nausea

Severe reactions are more likely to happen if you have acough, are sick, or are wheezing before you get a shot. Some medications likebeta-blockersmight also cause complications and make it harder to treat reactions. If you take these, your doctor might first adjust your medications before starting shots.

Most reactions happen within 30 minutes of getting the shot. You’ll need to sit in your doctor’s office or the clinic for those 30 minutes to make sure you don’t react.

Some research suggests that allergy shots are an underused treatment, but allergy shots can only be used for certain allergies. They can stop you from getting new allergies or experiencingasthma, and they can make your symptoms better, but they’re not a definitive cure. Your doctor might only recommend shots if nothing else helps.

If you’re struggling with your allergies, talk to your doctor about whether allergy shots can help you.