Allergy Shots

If you suffer from severe allergies, allergy shots may help strengthen your immune system and reduce the frequency of flare-ups. At the Asthma and Allergy Wellness Center in St. Charles, Illinois, allergy, asthma, and immunology specialists Priya Bansal, MD, and Haley Young, PA, use allergy shots and allergy sublingual tablets to help people with allergies feel their best. Call the office to schedule an allergy shot consultation, or request an appointment online today.

What are allergy shots?

Allergy shots expose your immune system to specific allergens over an extended period. The goal is to stimulate your immune system without triggering an allergic reaction.

Throughout treatment, your provider at the Asthma and Allergy Wellness Center increases the dosage of allergens you receive. That process desensitizes your body’s immune response, reducing uncomfortable symptoms.

Your provider monitors you after administering each shot, ensuring your safety. If you have an allergic reaction, they can promptly intervene and prevent anaphylaxis.

Who is a candidate for allergy shots?

The Asthma and Allergy Wellness Center uses allergy shots to help people who:

• Have symptoms that don’t respond to traditional allergy medicines
• Want to reduce the long-term use of allergy medication
• Are allergic to insect stings
• Who take allergy medicines that cause bothersome side effects
• Have indoor or seasonal allergies (like hay fever)

After a review of your health history, a physical exam, and a series of allergy tests, your provider can determine if you qualify.

How do I prepare for allergy shots?

Before administering allergy shots, your provider at the Asthma and Allergy Wellness Center orders an allergy skin test and an allergy blood test. 

Skin test

During a skin test, your provider exposes your outer layer of skin to a specific allergen. If your skin turns red or swells up afterward, it means you’re allergic to that substance.

Blood test

A blood test analyzes the number of immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibodies in your blood. High IgE levels indicate an allergic response.

Tell your provider if you feel unwell on the day your shots are administered, especially if you have asthma. Allergy shots are safe and usually well-tolerated, but they can present risks. 

What does getting allergy shots involve?

The Asthma and Allergy Wellness Center administers allergy shots and sublingual tablets in two phases for maximum efficacy. If you’re getting injections, your provider administers the shots into your upper arm; if you are getting tablets, you let the medication dissolve under your tongue:

The buildup phase

This phase takes 3-6 months. You get shots (or receive sublingual tablets) 1-3 times a week, with your provider increasing the allergen dosage for each injection (or tablet).

The maintenance phase

The maintenance phase continues for 3-5 years or longer. During this phase, you visit the Asthma and Allergy Wellness Center for maintenance shots (or sublingual tablets).

Call the Asthma and Allergy Wellness Center to learn more about allergy shots, or request an appointment online today.