Treatment Overview

When you get allergy shots (immunotherapy), your allergist or doctor injects small doses of substances that you are allergic to (allergens) under your skin. This helps your body "get used to" the allergen, which can result in fewer or less severe symptoms of allergic rhinitis.

Your allergist will use an extract of grass, weed, or tree pollen; dust mites; molds; or animal dander for allergy shots. You must first have skin testing to find out which allergen you are allergic to.

Your allergist injects under your skin a solution of salt water (saline) that contains a very small amount of the allergen(s). At first, you get the shot once or twice a week. You gradually receive more of the allergen in the shots.

After about 4 to 6 months of weekly shots, you are usually getting the best amount of allergen in the shot. This is called the maintenance dose. When you reach the maintenance dose, you get the same dose in shots every 2 to 4 weeks for the next 4 to 6 months.

The period between shots is gradually increased to about a month. And the dose usually stays the same each month. After 1 year of maintenance, your allergist will check to see if you have fewer or less severe symptoms. If your allergy symptoms have not changed, you will no longer get the shots. If your symptoms have improved, you may continue to get monthly shots for up to 3 to 5 years.¹

Other ways to get this treatment are called cluster or rush immunotherapy, in which you reach the maintenance dose more quickly.

What To Expect After Treatment

You receive allergy shots in your allergist's office. You will stay in the office for 30 minutes after you get the shots, in case you have a severe reaction (anaphylaxis) to the injected allergens.

Redness and warmth at the shot site are common. But these go away after a short period of time.

Why It Is Done

Allergy shots can reduce your reaction to allergens, which can result in fewer or less severe symptoms. They may also prevent children who have allergic rhinitis from getting asthma.² Recommendations on when to get allergy shots vary, but in general you and your doctor may consider them when:

• Allergy symptoms are severe enough that the benefit from the shots outweighs the expense and the time spent getting the shots.
• You are allergic to only a few substances, and they are hard to avoid.
• Avoiding allergens and using medicine do not control symptoms, or you have to take medicine all the time to control symptoms.
• Side effects of medicines are a problem.
• You want a treatment for the cause of your allergy, rather than treatment for just the symptoms.
• You have another condition that is being affected by allergic rhinitis, such as asthma.
• You want to lower the chance that you will develop asthma.