Allergy Immunotherapy consists in the administration of an allergy vaccine containing the allergens that produce the symptoms that the affected individual suffers from. The responsible allergens are mixed into a vaccine. The vaccine is given in progressively larger doses over a long period of time. As the dose increases, the symptoms start to decrease. When the tenement is maintained for a long period of time the results upon discontinuation are very long. In Dr. Saporta’s experience when a treatment is continued for 5-6 years the results are evident for many decades even for life. Shorter treatments of 2-3 years often give a result for 5-7 years upon discontinuation. The vaccine can be admission by injections or by oral drops.

 

The injectable version of the vaccine (properly called Subcutaneous Injection Immunotherapy) is given weekly at the doctor’s office. The oral version, known as Sublingual Immunotherapy or SLIT, is administered weekly at patient’s home but also for the same amount of time.

 

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The word “vaccine” often generates worries or “fears” in the patient. This is understandable as there is an unending series of reports in the press of different problems that occur in patients that receive vaccines. These vaccines (administered by general doctors and pediatricians) are known as a “stock vaccines” and carry a series of preservatives that are chemical substances that serve as stabilizers and allow the vaccines not to deteriorate and therefore be commercially available for a rather long time. To compound this problem sometimes these stock vaccines also carry live organisms. While the problems generated by the administration of stock vaccines can potentially be plentiful, those problems do not exist with allergy vaccines.

 

The allergy vaccines administered at Associates in ENT & Allergy contain only natural products and therefore unable to produce an adverse effect.

 

Adverse effects can develop when unnatural (man-made) substances are introduced in the body, because not always the body is able to eliminate these substances properly.

 

There are potential reactions to allergy testing and immunotherapy administration consisting in an allergic reaction, not a side effect. These are rare but precautions are routinely taken when testing patients or administering allergy vaccines in order to avoid them or minimize their impact.

 

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Allergy immunotherapy is traditionally administered through weekly shots. There are two other alternative treatments to the weekly allergy shots: