Let Core Medical Help Retrain Your Immune System to Minimize Allergic Reactions
It’s spring and that means daffodils, crocuses and a whole host of other blossoms exploding across the landscape. It also means pollens and other substances that typically lead to allergic responses. You can try to combat it with over-the-counter or prescription drugs, which may or may not help. You can try to stay inside as much as possible, but that’s not always that effective, either. You could just grit your teeth and bear, but you could seek long-term relief through a medical procedure known as immunotherapy.
What Is Immunotherapy?
At its most basic level, immunotherapy is a form of treatment that seeks to enlist your body’s immune system to improve your health. It’s often used in the treatment of cancer, but it has also proven to be highly effective for warding off different types of allergic reactions.
How Does Immunotherapy Work?
With immunotherapy, your treating physician starts by giving you extremely small doses of the substances that typically cause an allergic reaction. Over a period of time, the dosages are incrementally increased, allowing your immune system to adjust and become less sensitive to the substance. Scientists believe that such a regimen causes your body to produce a “blocking antibody,” which reduces your body’s response to the allergen in the future.
How Is Immunotherapy Administered?
There are generally three ways to receive immunotherapy:
- The most common method is through injection—it’s also typically the most effective way to manage allergic reactions
- The FDA has approved tablets that can be placed under the tongue (known as “sublingual immunotherapy, or SLIT”)
- Some over-the-counter and prescription medications work by releasing chemicals that lead to allergic responses
How Do You Know If You’re a Good Candidate for Immunotherapy?
If you can answer affirmatively to any of the following questions, immunotherapy may provide you with a significant benefit:
- You frequently get headaches, sinus infections or ear infections
- You often get stuffy or congested while sleeping, which can lead to insomnia
- Your symptoms are worse at certain times of the year (seasonal allergies)
- Your symptoms bother you year-round (environmental allergies)
- You’ve tried anti-histamines, but they are generally ineffective
- You’re tired of taking medication every day that leaves you drowsy
Contact Core Medical Center Today
Take action today to get immediate and effective treatment for environmental allergies. We can also administer any necessary allergy testing. At Core Medical Center, with offices in Blue Springs, Missouri, we can help you minimize the impact of seasonal allergies, so that you can get out and get some fresh air this year. To learn more, Contact us online or call our offices at (816) 336-9970.
