Previous
Next
Allergy immunotherapy is a long-term treatment for allergies. It is unknown exactly how it works, but researchers think allergy immunotherapy works by changing how your immune system responds to allergens (things you may be allergic to). Allergens may include tree, weed, and grass pollens, pet dander, and dust mites.
Allergy immunotherapy works differently from over-the-counter (OTC) allergy medicines. OTC medicines treat your allergy symptoms only temporarily. Researchers believe that over time, allergy immunotherapy helps teach your immune system not to react too strongly to the allergens that cause allergy symptoms. Allergy immunotherapy is used as an
alternative to or together with OTC allergy medicines.
alternative to or together with OTC allergy medicines.
To better understand allergy immunotherapy, it may be helpful to know more about your immune system and what
happens in your body during an allergic reaction. Here’s a quick and easy-to-understand explanation of a complex reaction:
happens in your body during an allergic reaction. Here’s a quick and easy-to-understand explanation of a complex reaction:
Your immune system at work
Your immune system works hard to defend your body against things that are harmful, such as bacteria and viruses (called invaders). Most of the time this is a good thing.
Your immune system is always on the lookout for invaders it thinks will hurt your body.
When your immune system senses an invader,
it calls upon millions of immune cells to destroy the invader or keep the invader out of your body.
What’s an allergic reaction?
For most people, an allergen is usually harmless. But if you’re allergic to a certain allergen, your immune system made a mistake when you were exposed to the allergen. Your immune system went into action and attacked the allergen the same way it would attack an invader. This is called an allergic reaction.
Now each time you come into contact with the allergen, the immune cells trigger an allergic reaction. This includes the release of certain chemicals in your nose.
It’s these chemicals that cause allergy symptoms, such as stuffy or runny nose, sneezing, and itchy, watery eyes.
Allergy immunotherapy may be an alternative treatment option for people who are allergic to grass pollen and other allergens. While the science of allergy immunotherapy isn’t fully known, researchers think allergy immunotherapy helps teach your immune system not to overreact to an allergen. This is done by introducing tiny amounts of the allergen to your body over time.
Now, when your body is exposed to the allergen, your immune system doesn't try to attack it. This can mean you have fewer allergy symptoms and can take less other allergy medicine.
