Allergy shots are a type of allergy treatment that involves an allergy doctor injecting small amounts of allergens into your body via injection. Depending on your allergies, your doctor will create a customized cocktail of allergens in the shots for you.
The shots are a form of immunotherapy that helps decrease or even stop allergy symptoms.
You develop a tolerance to allergens by exposing your body to tiny amounts in the shots. Then, when you encounter allergens, such as during allergy season, your body does not react as strongly to them.
This treatment necessitates numerous doses, usually weekly, over several years. The doctor gradually increases the amount of allergens in the shot, but you need to have the shots less frequently once you’ve reached the maintenance phase.
Why do allergy reactions come about
A regimen of allergy shots always begins with extremely low doses of the allergens. The idea is to excite your immune system sufficiently for it to recognize allergens while not causing a severe reaction.
However, unpleasant reactions to allergy injections may occur on occasion. The reason for this is that you are being given something that you are already allergic to, which increases the risk of an allergic reaction.
Common allergy shot reactions
Reactions might range from mild swelling at the injection site to life-threatening anaphylaxis. While this is the case, you should know that serious reactions to allergy shots are less common — often less than 1%.
Swelling at the injection site is the most common reaction to allergy injections. This swelling can range from the size of a pea to a golf ball, but it usually goes away within 48 hours. Itching and/or hives may also occur over vast areas of your body.
Less common but more significant reactions may also come about. They include:
- Breathing difficulties such as chest tightness, wheezing, and/or shortness of breath.
- A decrease in blood pressure accompanied by dizziness and/or fainting.
- Hives that appear in other parts of the body apart from the injection site.
How soon do the allergy reactions come about?
If you have a bad reaction, it will most likely occur within 30 minutes of the shot. As a result, you must wait 30 minutes before leaving your doctor’s office.
A clinician will evaluate you for any troubling signs at the end of the 30 minutes.
In extremely rare situations, a delayed reaction to an allergy shot can occur up to a few hours later. These reactions might be moderate to severe.
In extremely rare cases, you will have an allergic reaction the following day.
To combat allergic reactions, doctors prescribe an epinephrine autoinjector (EpiPen®) to persons undergoing allergy immunotherapy.
This injectable device contains epinephrine, which treats severe allergic responses.
Who can develop allergy shot allergies?
Asthmatics are more likely to have an allergic reaction to allergy injections.
If you have asthma, you should stay on your asthma meds and control your asthma before having these shots.
Most doctors recommend a peak flow test before each shot, which measures how quickly air exits your lungs when you exhale. This test determines whether or not your asthma is under control.
If you take beta-blockers or other blood pressure medications, you also may be more susceptible to a response.
While the above two are the most susceptible to the condition, anyone might have an allergic reaction to allergy shots. There’s no way to predict that ahead of time, which is why you should always take precaution before taking the shots.
Ways to avoid allergy shot reactions
Here are some of the measures you can take to reduce your chances of having an allergic reaction to an allergy shot:
Inform your healthcare practitioner if you have asthma. When you go to an allergy clinic, don’t just assume that your doctor will know you have asthma, as they most likely don’t have your records.
Before the doctor administers the shot, let them know about your condition so that they can decide whether it’s a wise idea to go ahead with the shots. Informing them will also help them know the right shots to administer.
In most cases, the doctor will give you a set of medications that you need to take to prevent the reactions from coming about. You should religiously take your meds as directed to keep your asthma under control.
If you have a cold or a respiratory infection, postpone getting your allergy shot until you feel better.
Avoid strenuous activities immediately after receiving an allergy injection. If you work on the farm or any other area where you need to put in a lot of energy, you should take some time off for the shots to wear out.
Follow your doctor’s advice and take an antihistamine before your shot.
As much as you should be cautious when taking the shots, you should note that the risk doesn’t last forever. Your risk of a reaction decreases significantly once you reach the maintenance phase in your course of allergy shots. This means you don’t need to be too cautious when taking the shots.
And, while getting weekly shots for months or years may be annoying, if you stay with the treatment, you should get significant relief from your allergies.
Parting shot
Allergen immunotherapy, often known as allergy shots, treats common allergies to pollen, dust mites, pet dander, and mold spores.
The shots may also be beneficial if you are allergic to the venom of stinging insects such as bees, hornets, wasps, and yellow jackets.
As mentioned, allergy shots might cause several reactions, so you should be ultra-cautious when taking them. As a rule of thumb, ensure that an experienced allergy specialist Manassas VA administers your shots.
If you have an underlying condition such as asthma, always inform the specialist beforehand. You don’t want the reaction to develop. Do you?
