What You Should Know About Allergy Shots and Immunotherapy

There are a lot of people in this world who suffer from allergies, and this can really be a bothersome and downright depressing state of being. Your nose is runny, your eyes are itchy, you've got sneezes, just to name a few of the symptoms. It all depends on what you're allergic to as to what kind of symptoms you will have. It is my aim in this article to explain a little bit about allergy shots so that you can have an understanding of what to expect.

The main purpose of getting an allergy shot, is to help to desensitize your body against the contaminants that are causing the reaction. It is common for a person to need a series of these shots spanning over a time frame of around 3 to 5 years in order to get over the allergy completely.

This is commonly known as immunotherapy. The only times that this is really effective is if proper testing has truly identified what the allergic trigger is. It is found to be highly effective against allergic reactions that are caused by bites and stings from bees and such. Most generally though it is used for people with normal allergies such as dust mites, grass, pollen, and other airborne allergies.

These treatments aren't cheap, and they do take time, so before you get involved in it you need to understand and be aware of the realistic benefits that you will receive from following this plan. It would be a good idea if you would discuss the following five things with your Dr. to see if it is right for you.

1. There isn't any way to avoid the triggers that cause your allergies, or if avoiding them hasn't really done any good for you.
2. You have suffered from the symptoms of your allergies for a period longer than two years.
3. You have tried many different home remedies that haven't been effective.
4. None of the over-the-counter or prescription medicines that you have tried ever seem to do any good.
5. It has been found in studies and experience that immunotherapy has benefited people who have the same conditions as yours.

If any of these pertain to you, then it is a good idea to talk to your doctor and find out if immunotherapy might be right for you. You never know, over a period of a few years you could be completely free of all of the plaguing symptoms that have been hounding you.