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Immunotherapy for Long-Term Seasonal Allergy Relief: How It Works and What to Expect
Seasonal allergies can make the start of a new season anything but refreshing. They happen when your immune system overreacts to something in the environment, typically during spring, summer, or fall when certain plants pollinate.
Seasonal allergy symptoms can impact your daily life and well-being. If they bother you, immunotherapy may be just what the doctor ordered.
At her office in Valencia, California, Dr. Maricar Cutillar-Garcia provides personalized seasonal allergy care for people of all ages.
Read on to learn how immunotherapy helps seasonal allergies and when to consider this minimally invasive treatment.
Seasonal allergy symptoms
You may experience seasonal allergy symptoms during one or more seasons, depending on what you’re allergic to, your environment, and your lifestyle. Common culprits include various grasses, plant pollens, and, most commonly, ragweed.
While seasonal allergies affect people differently, symptoms often include:
- Ear or nasal congestion
- Coughing or wheezing
- A runny nose or postnasal drip
- Headaches
- Watery or itchy eyes
- Sneezing
- Itching in your ear canals, sinuses, or throat
- Fatigue
- Shortness of breath
If you have seasonal allergies and asthma, exposure to allergens may prompt an asthma attack. Signs of an asthma attack include coughing, wheezing, chest tightness, and difficulty breathing.
How immunotherapy brings long-term relief
A form of immunotherapy is allergy shots. They work by injecting tiny amounts of an allergen to alert your immune system without causing symptoms. Over time, these shots desensitize your immune system to the allergen.
Treatment often starts with 1-3 allergy shots per week, with the allergen content increasing in your dosage for 3-6 months. This is known as the “buildup phase.” Then, you’ll move on to a maintenance plan involving one monthly shot for several years or more.
The shots take only moments, but you may need to stay in our office for 30 minutes to make sure you don’t experience an allergic reaction. Once you start treatment, you should notice benefits within the first year – as long as you stay on track with your appointments.
A complete series of shots can bring 3 to 5 years of seasonal allergy relief. About 80% of people who receive allergy shots experience markedly fewer or less intense symptoms within those years.
Good candidates for immunotherapy for seasonal allergies
If your seasonal allergies haven’t responded well to other treatments, such as avoiding your triggers and wearing an N-95 mask when spending time outdoors, Dr. Cutillar-Garcia may recommend allergy shots.
You may also be a good candidate for immunotherapy if you prefer to avoid taking oral allergy medication, struggle to avoid your allergens or have asthma.
To learn more about immunotherapy for seasonal allergies or get an expert assessment, call our office or book an appointment with Dr. Cutillar-Garcia through our website today.