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| Who should get allergy shots and do they only help while one is taking them? | |
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Candidates for allergy shots include individuals with allergic causes of nasal rhinitis, chronic sinusitis, allergic asthma, or skin conditions such as hives or eczema. In addition, patients who are allergic to stinging insect venom are also candidates for allergy shots directed against the venoms.
A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine in 1999 found that individuals with grass-pollen allergies, who went through a complete course of immunotherapy or allergy shot treatment, were still benefiting three years after stopping shots. Allergen immunotherapy can have long-term, perhaps even permanent benefits. Most patients are on allergy shots for 3-5 years. Some patients may require shots longer and potentially for a lifetime. Allergy shots involve injecting small amounts of the allergen(s) to which a person is allergic. The concentration and amount of allergen is gradually increased and the patient’s tolerance for those particular allergens increases. |
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