"There is a common misconception that people with allergies have to suffer from them for their entire life. Luckily, this isn"t the case. With allergy desensitization, you can overcome your allergies through safe, gradual trigger exposures. At Asthma Allergy Centre in Tigard, OR, we have used this technique to help many clients turn off their allergies and improve their quality of life significantly. Here"s what you need to know about this treatment.
What Is Allergy Desensitization?
This is a type of treatment that teaches your body how to respond to histamines, such as environmental allergens, foods, and other triggers. It involves safe gradual exposure. Depending on the severity of your allergic responses, it may make you feel better or save your life.
How Does Allergy Desensitization Work?
There are numerous allergy desensitization techniques that may be used to teach your immune system how to act in response to histamines.
OIT
OIT, sometimes known as oral immunotherapy, is a two-phase food allergy treatment. The first phase of OIT involves the introduction of a solution containing a tiny amount of the problem food. Over time, the dosage of the trouble food is increased slowly.
When a highly concentrated dose of the allergen is tolerated, the second phase of the treatment is initiated. The second phase of the treatment involves giving clients a small portion of the whole trigger food. With enough therapy, most people who receive this treatment can eat previous trigger foods safely.
Subcutaneous Immunotherapy
Subcutaneous immunotherapy achieves desensitization to allergies through injections. At first, only a tiny amount of the histamine is administered subcutaneously. However, over a period of several weeks, the dosage administered is gradually increased. By the end of the course of treatments, most people are no longer triggered by the triggering food.
Sublingual Immunotherapy
Sublingual immunotherapy involves the placement of dissolvable drops beneath the tongue rather than injections. This convenient therapy method is ideal for people who don"t have a lot of time to come in for regular injection sessions throughout their course of treatments.
What Kinds of Allergies Can Be Treated With This Method?
Regardless of how severe your allergic responses are, this treatment can benefit you. It can be used to treat almost all types of allergies. Here are just a few of the specific allergens it can treat:
Pet dander
Peanuts
Tree nuts
Other types of nuts
Shellfish
Mildew and mold
Environmental histamines
Eggs
Wheat
Milk
The Benefits of Desensitizing Allergies
You"re Safer
Strong allergic reactions can lead to anaphylaxis, a condition that can be life-threatening. However, even if you"re not deathly allergic to a histamine, you could still feel in fear for your life or need to go to the hospital. Among the most dangerous food-related histamines are shellfish and nuts. These histamines commonly trigger anaphylaxis, causing such symptoms as airways closing and blood pressure dropping suddenly and significantly.
With desensitization therapy, you can stop living in fear of triggering an allergic reaction. Foods that were once life-threatening become innocuous. If you are exposed to histamine after treatment, your life may be saved.
You Will No Longer Need To Carry an EpiPen
If you have a severe nut or shellfish allergy, you currently have to carry an EpiPen. If you choose desensitization therapy, you will no longer need to carry an EpiPen. This auto-injection kit is incredibly expensive and needs to be replaced when it expires. However, it can stop the progression of anaphylaxis if it is injected quickly enough after allergen exposure.
Nevertheless, it takes a great deal of concentration to remember to keep your EpiPen on you all of the time. If you leave it in your purse in the car when you visit your friend, and you have exposure to a trigger, your life can be threatened. After desensitization therapy, you will no longer need to spend hundreds of dollars per year keeping EpiPens that aren"t expired on your person."
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