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Allergy Drops

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Relief at the Tip of Your Tongue: Sublingual Immunotherapy
Drops Vs. Shots: Benefits of Sublingual Immunotherapy

 

 

Relief at the tip of your tongue: Sublingual Immunotherapy

Sublingual Allergy Immunotherapy may be new to the United States, but in Europe, it is the most widely used form of non-injection allergy therapy. The World Health Organization (WHO) recognizes sublingual allergy immunotherapy as viable, effective treatment for people with allergic diseases, especially children. And with an increasing number of studies proving the overall effectiveness of sublingual allergy immunotherapy in treating allergies, this revolutionary therapy is an exciting new approach that will one day become a mainstream therapy for allergy sufferers.

The philosophy behind sublingual allergy immunotherapy is similar to that of allergen immunotherapy or “allergy shots”. Allergy shots work by gradually exposing the body to measured amounts of a specific allergen to help the body build an immunity against allergy triggers. After a period of treatment with allergy shots, when a person encounters the particular allergens, they will have a reduced or very minor allergic response.
Sublingual allergy immunotherapy works in the same way… without the shots! Rather than administrating vaccinations, allergists create a custom-designed, diluted formula of your particular allergens in the form of drops that are taken orally.

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Drops vs. shots: benefits of sublingual immunotherapy

Sublingual allergy immunotherapy has raised the bar for allergy sufferers. Allergy drops work in a similar fashion to lifting weights. Just as weightlifters start out with low-range weights and slowly work their way up to heavier poundage as the body becomes stronger, allergy drops provide a “workout” for the body’s immune system, much in the same way as do allergy shots. The body is challenged with low doses of a particular allergen until it becomes stronger through exposure and can tolerate higher doses of allergens, giving the body lasting immunity against allergy triggers.

Aside from eliminating the need for unpleasant shots, allergy drops are not time-consuming. Once an allergist establishes the nature of the allergies, there is no need for a weekly visit. Rather, patients can take their drops in the morning before work without having to schedule a doctor’s appointment. And allergy drops are a saving grace for the parents of children with allergies who find it hard to fit in doctor’s visits after school, work, and before sport’s practice and dinner time. Treatment is safe, convenient, and perhaps best of all, administered at home! Since treatment with allergy drops is so easy, unlike allergy shots, people are more likely to follow through and see results. Studies have shown that people are more likely to finish their course of therapy with drops, which means faster tolerance to allergens.

Research shows that allergy drops are safer than injections as well. Take penicillin as an example; most doctors do not give penicillin injections anymore because of the risk of side effects. Instead, it’s taken orally. Why should allergies be any different? Many doctors using sublingual allergy immunotherapy claim that they have never had a patient experience anything more than mild side effects. That’s a big relief for people worried about the dangers associated with injections. And what’s better is that there are customized treatment plans for each individual patient. People are given specific treatments designed for their particular allergies. Studies show that after a 3-year period, patients can expect to be well-protected from their allergies, protection that will last a lifetime, even when therapy is discontinued.

Lastly, there is no contest between allergy drops and conventional allergy medications. Rather than simply putting a band-aid over the problem, allergy drops actually treat allergies. More importantly, they have been known to lower asthma rates associated with allergies in children, a problem that is reaching an epidemic proportion.

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