Allergy shot therapy, also known as immunotherapy is an allergy treatment option where you visit an allergy doctor and he/she injects you with allergens so that your body can get used to them. Over time your body will get used to the allergens and you won’t develop symptoms.  Immunotherapy is grouped into two phases: the buildup and maintenance phases.

The buildup phase lasts for 6 months. During this time the doctor administers shots 1-3 times a week. During the administration, the doctor increases the allergy dose so that he/she can stretch the body’s response. The maintenance phase continues for 3-5 years or longer. During this time you have to take a shot at least once a month.

When to consider immunotherapy

You should consider allergy shots as a treatment option when all the known allergy medications aren’t working. Also, consider the treatment option when your body is interacting with the medications. To avoid the complications you should get the allergy shots. When you are suffering from allergies you have to regularly take the medications for you to avoid the symptoms. Regular consumption of the medications can be a bother to most people. If you don’t like taking the drugs you should consider undertaking immunotherapy.

Allergies that you can control using allergy shots

While this allergy treatment option is highly effective, you can’t use it for all types of allergies. According to allergy experts, the allergy shots are effective for

Indoor allergies: These are allergies brought about by indoor allergens such as mold, pet dander, dust mites, and cockroaches.

Seasonal allergies: The conditions come about when you are allergic to pollen released by weeds, trees, and grasses. One of the most common types of seasonal allergy is hay fever.

Insect stings: This is brought about by insect stings from insects such as hornets, bees, wasps and yellow jackets.

It’s good to note that allergy shots don’t work when you are suffering from hives or food allergy.

Conclusion

Immunotherapy is probably one of the most effective ways of treating your allergies. When considering it, you should know that it will take you years before it’s complete. During the treatment, you stand to face a number of risks such as local and systemic reactions. It’s also common to suffer from anaphylaxis which is a life-threatening condition. To lower the risks of developing complications you should work with a certified and experienced allergist. This calls for you to take your time doing your research.