What is an allergic reaction?

In the event of an allergy, your immune system will mistake a normally harmless substance for something that is dangerous to your body. This reaction will cause your immune system to produce antibodies called “immunoglobulin E” (IgE), which attack the “danger” to protect you. Once they get to work, the antibodies create a range of minor or even serious symptoms. This reaction can occur when a person touches, swallows or inhales an allergen (the substance causing the reaction).

What are a few of the most common allergens?

Any substance can cause an allergic reaction, but here are some of the most common allergies we see in adults and children:

• Food: peanuts, milk, egg, tree nuts
• Insect stings: stings from bees, wasps, and hornets
• Drug: penicillin, sulfa drugs, and insulin
• Chemicals: Latex
• Pets: dogs, cats, horses
• Environmental Factors: dust mites, mold

What are some common allergy symptoms?

When a person is having an allergic reaction they may experience the following:

• Runny nose
• Nasal congestion
• Swelling
• Hives or Itching
• Watery eyes
• Wheezing
• Difficulty breathing
• Anaphylaxis

How can you diagnose and treat an allergy?

A medical specialist or allergist can diagnose an allergic condition through skin testing. This test helps determine what a person is allergic to by causing an allergic reaction in a controlled environment.

In most cases, avoiding the allergen completely is the most effective way to prevent a reaction. However, sometimes the allergen is unavoidable, especially in the case of inhalant allergies and stinging insect allergies. If this is your situation, your allergy specialist may prescribe medications such as antihistamines, leukotriene modifiers, and inhaled steroids or inhalers. For more long-term relief from allergies, allergy shots – also known as immunotherapy – are recommended.

How does immunotherapy work?

Immunotherapy happens in several phases. During the ‘build up’ phase, your doctor will provide increasing doses of allergy injections once or twice a week until a predetermined target (or ‘maintenance’) dose is reached.

Shots are usually administered every 1-4 weeks over the next several years of treatment, and symptoms will usually improve within the first year. In a small percentage of patients, there is no improvement; if this happens, your immunotherapy may be discontinued or you may be retested for a different allergy. However, when symptoms do improve, injections are usually continued for 4 to 5 years of maintenance therapy. At that time, you and your doctor will make a joint decision about whether to gradually taper and discontinue injections or to continue your treatment plan.