If you have an allergy affecting your everyday life, we should talk about this precedure. Immunotherapy – commonly referred to as allergy shots – is the only causally effective therapy in the treatment of allergies. Our body is exposed to a variety of allergy-causing substances, so-called allergens on a daily basis to which it reacts with the formation of immunoglobulins (IgG). The detection of immunoglobulin G in the blood alone does not confirm an allergy, but only states that we have at least once been exposed to a substance and the immune system replied by forming IgG molecules. With allergies the situation is similar, only that an IgE antibody in addition to the IgG immunoglobulins formed. These bring about cellular mechanisms releasing mediators, which cause the unpleasant symptoms of allergies. The best example is allergic rhinitis, better known as hay fever.
During immunotherapy the body is repeatedly exposed in certain intervals to initially low doses of allergens to which you have responded positively in the prick test. These allergens are administered mostly by injection into the shoulder muscle. Then you have to stay for about half an hour in the practice to monitor you for an allergic reaction. On these days, you should be healthy and not exercising. Immunotherapy takes place over a period of three years, each session scheduled in the allergy-free time of the year.