Allergy shots are an important treatment in the fight against allergies and asthma. If you are on the fence about going through the lengthy treatment of allergy shots, there are several reasons the effort may be worth it.
Better Asthma Control
Perhaps the most important reason to try allergy shots is better control over asthma symptoms. Although allergy shots will not cure asthma, they can reduce the immune response to environmental allergens that may trigger asthma symptoms. After allergy shots are completed, some people find they do not need to use their inhaler as often and daily asthma medications work well for controlling their symptoms. If you have asthma and have never considered allergy shots, you might want to consider them if you plan on moving to a different area or traveling. Since you may be going to an area with new species of indigenous trees and plants, you may notice a spike in asthma symptoms.
Fewer Allergy Medications
If you experience seasonal and/or indoor allergies, you may experience allergy symptoms all year. Trying allergy shots may reduce or eliminate the amount of allergy medicine you need to take to make symptoms tolerable. Some concerns with taking allergy medications regularly depends on the specific allergy medicine. Short-acting medications, such as diphenhydramine or chlorpheniramine maleate, are not designed to be taken daily and often cause rebound problems such as sneezing, nasal congestion, and insomnia.
Even when taken for short periods, the drowsiness associated with short-acting antihistamines can be problematic. Although daily antihistamines are meant to be taken indefinitely, they often lose their effectiveness due to tolerance. Many people with chronic allergies often find a medication that works well for their symptoms only to need a different medication within a year or two. This often results in rotating through various long-term allergy medications indefinitely.
More Freedom
With allergies and/or asthma, you may find that avoiding your triggers makes it difficult to live life freely. For example, if pet dander contributes to symptoms, you cannot have a pet or may avoid people who have them. If you like the types of animals that cause symptoms, avoidance can be even more frustrating. Starting allergy shots now might mean a couple of years later, you can bring home a beloved pet or be less cautious about avoiding allergens. For people with allergies, not having to worry about forgetting to bring allergy medication at all times is also liberating.
Although allergy shots can require several years of treatment before you notice benefits, they are worth the time. For people with allergies and asthma, allergy shots can reduce symptoms and make environmental allergens less of a threat.
For more information and options, talk with an allergy specialist, such as those at The Regional Allergy Asthma & Immunology Center, PC.
Share30 November 2016
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