We know the medical field is filled with long, hard-to-pronounce words that aren’t always clear on what they mean. We also know that it’s hard to feel connected to or excited about a treatment if the terms are vague or confusing. To help with this, we’ve built a small “dictionary” of sorts to explain what immunotherapy is and the options available.
Immunotherapy
Allergy symptoms occur when a harmless substance, such as pollen or dust, enters the body and the immune system mistakes it for a germ or other threat to your health and attacks it in response.
Immunotherapy is a type of allergy treatment that desensitizes your immune system to that substance. We introduce small doses of the substance into your body and gradually increase the dose to train your immune system to recognize it and not treat it as a threat.
Immunotherapy is a great option for people with severe allergic reactions, such as asthma or anaphylaxis, or for those who aren’t getting the relief they need from over-the-counter allergy medications. There are two options for immunotherapy: subcutaneous and sublingual. Studies suggest that they are equally effective.
Subcutaneous Immunotherapy
Subcutaneous immunotherapy, or SCIT, is a type of immunotherapy administered as a shot. You receive a regular injection containing small amounts of extract of the allergy-triggering substance. Over time, the dosage is increased.
SCIT has a build-up phase and a maintenance phase. During the build-up phase, you visit the allergist’s office once a week for a shot until you reach the maximum dose. Once that maximum is reached, you begin the maintenance phase, during which the dosage is no longer increased at each visit, and the frequency of shots decreases to about once a month.
Sublingual Immunotherapy
The other option is sublingual immunotherapy, or SLIT. This option is very similar to SCIT; the difference is that it is administered orally. You drip a liquid containing the substance extract under the tongue, hold it there for a minute or two, then swallow. As with SCIT, the dosage will increase as treatment progresses.
Your first dose will be done in-office so we can guide you on doing it correctly and monitor you for extreme reactions. After that, you can administer the allergy drops from the comfort of your own home. You’ll need to take a dose daily.
Ask Us to Learn More
We want you to feel empowered in your allergy treatment journey, and that starts with understanding your treatment and how it will benefit you. We hope this guide has cleared that up for you and made you feel more excited about what’s to come.
If you want to learn more about immunotherapy or start treatment, contact us at Carolina Ear Nose & Throat – Sinus and Allergy Center today.