Immunotherapy for Allergies

Immunotherapy for allergies is a treatment plan that involves consistently and gradually introducing an allergen to the body to help deactivate a patient’s immune response. In the past, only immunotherapy injections could relieve respiratory problems, stomach upsets, and other reactions to common allergens. Today, oral immunotherapy options can offer patients a more comfortable and convenient alternative. Not only can these injections and oral treatments resolve everyday irritations related to seasonal allergies, but clinicians can even help prevent the serious onset of anaphylactic shock from bee stings, pet dander, and more.

If you want to gain more control over your health and live without the burden of uncomfortable symptoms, get in touch with Pineapple Health, a primary care clinic and allergen treatment center in Phoenix. With the help of our team of healthcare professionals and Dr. Kevin Chan, you can find personalized care catered to your exact needs.

To get started today, call (480) 961-2366 or use our contact form, and a staff member from our office will help you find an appointment date that works best for you.

What Causes Allergies?

An allergy is an overactive immune system response to a certain food, environmental factor, or animal. Though the immune system is designed to protect the body from foreign bodies, it can sometimes malfunction and react to harmless substances. When the body comes into contact with an allergen- a substance that provokes an allergic reaction- it may release more immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibodies. ⁽¹⁾ Those with one or more allergies have various types of IgE antibodies that increase in quantity upon exposure to the allergen. They mostly produce symptoms in the nose, throat, lungs, or skin. Less severe signs of allergies include:

Food allergens can affect the stomach and the GI tract and result in:

While many might not think of serious reactions in association with everyday allergies, these do occur and can result in serious consequences. This type of reaction is anaphylaxis, which requires immediate medical attention:

Regardless of whether an allergen creates serious or less dire consequences, immunotherapy can help. Nobody deserves to feel sick or held back by cold or flu-like symptoms. Those who are at risk for an anaphylactic reaction can live without needing to carry auto-injectable epinephrine (like EpiPen®) or worry about a trip to the ER.

How Does Immunotherapy Work?

In essence, oral or injectable immunotherapy works by increasing your tolerance for an allergen, reducing the immune response, and preventing it from interfering with your everyday life. Research has shown that immunotherapy is effective in treating a variety of allergies to:

If you have been diagnosed with “hay fever” or seasonal allergies- common names for allergic rhinitis- we can provide you with an appropriate injectable or oral treatment plan and even help prevent the onset of new allergies. Food allergies, specifically, require oral immunotherapy to help the body adjust accordingly.

The Benefits of Immunotherapy

Immunotherapy offers a range of benefits that may not be obvious at first glance:

Treatment Plans

A course of immunotherapy can prevent future allergy flare-ups for many years. Under the supervision of Dr. Chan, he will carefully monitor your progress and customize your treatment according to your symptoms and sensitivities. If you have not been properly diagnosed with a specific allergy, he will conduct an allergy test that involves a scratch test and/or a blood test. This will also help him gauge if you have other allergies that you are unaware of to make your treatment plan more effective.

Allergy Shots

Allergy shots, also called immunotherapy injections, only require once-weekly visits to start. Dr. Chan will administer an injection with a minuscule amount of the chosen allergen to reintroduce it, but it will not be enough to trigger any uncomfortable symptoms. This first phase of treatment will only continue for a few months. In the second phase, Dr. Chan will increase the frequency of this dosage from once-a-week injections to three or more times per week, depending on the severity of the allergy.

After these initial phases, you will only need a maintenance injection every month or so to sustain your protection against the allergen. You will be able to fully prevent allergic reactions for several years after three to five years of maintenance. Dr. Chan will give you more personalized guidance about when you can stop immunotherapy. ⁽⁴⁾

While allergy shots can treat environmental allergies, Dr. Chan can also deliver venom immunotherapy with venom allergens. This subtype of injection can offer protection against common stings and bites from honey bees, yellow jackets, wasps, and hornets.

Sublingual Immunotherapy

With sublingual immunotherapy, Dr. Chan can prescribe an allergen spray for you to self-administer under the tongue. While this method is only available for certain allergies, it can be a great cost-effective, convenient alternative to injections. For this particular treatment, you will have to keep the spray under your tongue for at least half a minute before swallowing to allow absorption into the bloodstream. Sublingual immunotherapy can be an excellent choice if you have a fear of needles or simply have a preference for a non-invasive method. Research also suggests that if you had a less optimal experience with injections, you are more likely to reap better results with sublingual immunotherapy. ⁽⁴⁾

Food Allergy Immunotherapy

Food allergy immunotherapy is another type of oral immunotherapy. For this type of treatment, Dr. Chan will gradually increase your threshold of tolerance for a specific food. He may first conduct a test to find out if you are allergic to a specific protein. He will give you a tiny amount of the food allergen- not enough to stimulate an immune reaction- and increase the amount over several months. Undergoing this can give you the protection you need in case you accidentally consume the allergen.

Am I a Candidate for Immunotherapy?

If you are a good candidate for immunotherapy, you will find the treatment to be transformative for your overall quality of life and well-being. If you relate to any of the following, you should consider scheduling an appointment with an immunotherapy specialist like Dr. Chan:

Consultation

If you are interested in learning more about the specifics of immunotherapy, scheduling a consultation with Dr. Chan should be your first step. This will give you an opportunity to ask questions to a physician who has vast experience in multiple fields of study, including functional, integrative, metabolic, and anti-aging medicine. His well-rounded background will give you a comprehensive understanding of your health and whether immunotherapy is right for you. During your first appointment at his office, he will give you more information about allergy testing and his personalized treatment protocol for your specific allergy issues.

To inquire more today, call Pineapple Health in Phoenix at (480) 961-2366 or fill out his online form, and a team member will get back to your appointment request promptly. If you would like to know more about the other services at Pineapple Health, visit our blog.

Cost of Immunotherapy in Phoenix

Dr. Chan will give you a total cost estimate for your immunotherapy treatment at the end of your consultation. He will take into consideration the length of your treatment, the chosen method (oral or injection), and the severity of your allergy. Immunotherapy can be deemed medically necessary, and your insurance may provide coverage. Pineapple Health accepts a variety of different insurance plans.

References

1. Sutton BJ, Davies AM, Bax HJ, Karagiannis SN. IgE Antibodies: From Structure to Function and Clinical Translation. Antibodies. 2019;8(1):19. doi:https://doi.org/10.3390/antib8010019
2. Farzam K, O’Rourke MC. Antihistamines. PubMed. Published December 27, 2022. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK538188/
3. Yasir M, Sonthalia S. Corticosteroid Adverse Effects. Nih.gov. Published July 3, 2023. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK531462/
4. Moote W, Kim H, Ellis AK. Allergen-specific immunotherapy. Allergy, Asthma & Clinical Immunology. 2018;14(S2). doi:https://doi.org/10.1186/s13223-018-0282-5