Medical Advices Blog

Archive for the ‘Allergies’ Category

Risks

Most people do not experience adverse reactions to allergy shots. Sometimes they may have swelling, redness or itching at the site of injection. These mild reactions are usually treated with antihistamines, and the doctor may adjust the dose for the next injection.

Rarely more severe reactions are manifested. In sensitive individuals, the vaccine can cause asthma symptoms such as difficulty breathing, wheezing or coughing. In addition, an anaphylactic reaction can cause dizziness, nausea, chest tightness or swelling of the throat that prevents you from breathing. These reactions can be treated in the office, but sometimes may require treatment in hospital. Read the rest of this entry »

Preparation

Before administering vaccines allergy testing is needed to determine which allergens will trigger allergic reactions. These studies include skin or patch tests and a blood test called “radioallergosorbent test” or RAST. The results are not always accurate. You may get a positive test without allergic symptoms or, conversely, to show allergy symptoms even with a negative test.

How it is done

When given an allergy vaccine is injected a small amount of allergen under the skin, usually in the fleshy part of the forearm. At the start of treatment, the injections are usually once a week and go increasing doses of allergens gradually with each injection. A patient can achieve the maximum dose, also known as a maintenance dose at four to six months of starting treatment. Read the rest of this entry »

Allergy shots, also known as immunotherapy, are a medical procedure that involves making the body insensitive to not overreact to certain allergens. They are given small amounts of the substance to cause discomfort by injection to stimulate the immune system gradually. As the weeks and months will increase the amount of allergens in gradually.

It is not yet clear how the allergy shots, but it is estimated that the treatment stimulates an immune response against allergens other, which is more comfortable than traditional allergic response. The vaccines do not provide immediate relief, but may be a good long term solution if they work well. Many people have managed to reverse the symptoms of allergy after completion of treatment (3 to 5 years) with allergy shots.

It may take six months to a year before symptoms begin to disappear. For those who respond to treatment, allergy shots can significantly reduce the intensity and frequency of symptoms. However, in some cases, it may not produce any effect or the results are minimal, even after completing a year of treatment. Read the rest of this entry »