Over 100 million people in the U.S. experience different types of allergies each year. Enjoying a walk down Webb Bridge Park only to be met with itchy eyes, congestion and a slew of sneezes is an excellent incentive to seek allergy treatment.
Sublingual therapy is a highly effective allergy treatment option. Let’s take a look at what sublingual therapy is and who is a good candidate for it.
What Is Sublingual Therapy?
Sublingual therapy is a type of allergy immunotherapy. Allergy immunotherapy exposes the patient to small doses of an allergen (a substance they are allergic to), increasing the dose over time to reduce sensitivity. Allergy immunotherapy is most often administered via shots injected under the skin. Sublingual therapy works a little differently. Rather than injecting the medication under the skin, it is administered as drops or tablets under the tongue.
Allergy shots are considered better than drops at treating allergic rhinitis and asthma. However, for many, drops or tablets may offer more comfort and convenience as they do not require needles or recurring clinic visits. An allergy specialist must administer allergy shots because they are more likely to trigger an allergic reaction.
How To Know If Sublingual Therapy Is Right for You
Your allergy specialist will first perform an allergy skin prick or blood test to confirm the specific allergens you’re sensitive to. Once your allergens are identified, they will evaluate your medications and overall health to determine if sublingual therapy is right for you.
In most cases, sublingual therapy is an excellent part of an allergy treatment plan for children and adults. Because reactions can vary, it is not recommended that pregnant women begin sublingual therapy during pregnancy. If you have started sublingual therapy prior to becoming pregnant, it is generally considered safe to continue allergy drops so long as you do not demonstrate adverse reactions.
How Long Does It Take Sublingual Therapy To Work?
When taken as directed, most people see an improvement in their allergy symptoms within three to four months after beginning sublingual therapy. Your allergy specialist will likely schedule follow-ups after you begin treatments to help ensure your drops are working as they should.
If you’re interested in discussing sublingual therapy to help control your allergy symptoms, contact ENT of Georgia North today to make an appointment with one of our specialists.
