WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT IMMUNOTHERAPY
If you have allergies to substances that don't bother most people, you may wonder whether allergy shots might help you. The following guide will introduce you to some of the basics involved with this kind of treatment.

WHAT IS IMMUNOTHERAPY?
Think of immunotherapy as a "vaccination" against allergies. Giving you steady, increasing amounts of the substances that cause your allergies may seem a bit odd, but in most cases, it works!

HOW DOES IT WORK?
Doctors know that receiving regular amounts of the substance that causes your allergies actually makes you less sensitive to them-- In other words, allergy shots seem to build up your resistance to the things that cause your symptoms, so the next time you ran into them, they give you less trouble.

WHAT IS INVOLVED IN IMMUNOTHERAPY?
First we will skin test you for pollens, using intradermal injections on the upper arm. The results are immediate. The results will help your doctor decide whether immunotherapy will help you.

Immunotherapy has been used for over 70 years and doctors have learned that it works better against some substances than others. As a general rule, immunotherapy tends to be most effective against substances that you breath, such as pollens, house dust, molds and animal dander. At first allergy shots are given once a week. Treatment starts with a proper amount of the substance that bothers you. Over three to five months, we will gradually increase the amount in each shot until it reaches a level that can really help you. If immunotherapy helps you, your doctor will usually continue it for several years. After the first six months, you may need a shot only once every two weeks. In some cases, if your symptoms return after allergy shots are stopped, it makes sense to start getting them again. Fortunately, most people don't need to continue shots indefinitely.

WHEN WILL MY SYMPTOMS GET BETTER?
Most people begin to notice improvement after three months. Be patient - it may take six to twelve. Be sure to tell us whether the shots are helping, or about any reactions to them. Things to look for include swelling, hives or redness. Most reactions occur within the first 24 hours after the injection. If immunotherapy is successful, you will have fewer or less severe reactions to the pollens that cause your allergies or asthma to flare up. Allergy shots are not a cure, but they can improve your quality of life.