image by: HWN

HWN Suggests

Can Allergy Tablets Make Your Life Less Miserable?

Allergies are frankly The Worst. Since you settled in to read this story, you’re probably already well aware of that fact. But you might not know that for a very specific group of people, allergy tablets may help.

Now, if you're a frequent allergy sufferer you might be very familiar with the common treatment options out there—antihistamine pills, nasal sprays, allergy shots, stripping off all of your clothes and shoes the second you walk in from outside, etc. But allergy tablets are a lesser-known treatment that may provide long-term relief for people with certain allergies.

read full article

Featured

 Forget allergy shots. Try allergy toothpaste

The future of allergy treatment could be as easy as brushing your teeth. In Europe, allergy shots are already passe. Most doctors there have moved on to the newer (but not necessarily more comfortable) sublingual method of immunotherapy. For a few minutes each week, patients hold a desensitizing serum below the tongue.

Articles of Interest

A Pill For Grass Allergies May Replace Shots For Some

Immunotherapy pills have been used for years in Europe, and recently some doctors in the United States started giving patients oral doses of the injectable extracts to do the same thing. But that use was off-label. FDA approval means that many more doctors will feel comfortable using the pills and that insurers will pay for them.

Allergy Shots and Allergy Drops for Adults and Children

There is not enough research to know if allergy shots or allergy drops work better.

Allergy Shots: Are They Right For You?

Allergy shots are a form of subcutaneous immunotherapy, but there are other forms of immunotherapy too, including sublingual immunotherapy or SLIT, which are FDA-approved tablets taken under the tongue at home. Finally, sublingual allergy drops are also available.

Beat Allergies Drop by Drop

The treatment, called "sublingual immunotherapy," has been proven effective in several recent large studies. It is available in Europe in tablet form, and in the U.S., doctors repurpose the liquid extracts of allergens used in shots for delivery under the tongue with an eyedropper, syringe or hand pump.

Everything You Need to Know About Allergy Shots

For some allergy sufferers, they can be a savior. So if you've tried every nose spray, OTC allergy pill, and eye drop to tackle your allergies and you’re still a sneezing, sniffling mess, it may be worth seeing an immunologist to find out if allergy shots are a good course of action for you.

How effective is immunotherapy (allergy shots or drops)?

Dr. Sussman discusses the effectiveness of immunotherapy.

Nothing To Sneeze At

Weekly allergy shots might be history.

Seasonal Sniffles? Immunotherapy Tablets Catch On As An Alternative To Allergy Shots

Sneezing, runny nose, congestion, or irritated eyes? Yes, we hear you: The misery of seasonal allergies is real. A lot of people find temporary relief with over-the-counter medications, but these don't treat the cause.

Skip the Shot with Allergy Drops

Depending on the prescription, you’ll take the dose three to seven days a week. Grass and ragweed drops are taken during and before allergy season, while drops for dust mites are taken year-round. This is continued for three to five years or until symptoms no longer occur.

Study Finds Allergy Shots Help Years After They Are Halted

The researchers also found that patients who discontinued treatment experienced fewer cases of runny noses and other hay fever symptoms than the untreated group. Those who maintained allergy-shot treatment had even fewer of those symptoms.

Sublingual Immunotherapy for the Treatment of Allergic Rhinoconjunctivitis and Asthma

The overall evidence provides a moderate grade level of evidence to support the effectiveness of sublingual immunotherapy for the treatment of allergic rhinitis and asthma, but high-quality studies are still needed to answer questions regarding optimal dosing strategies. T

Treating Allergies With Pills or Drops Instead of Shots

But there are drawbacks. The shots can be tailored to match the patient’s allergies while the liquid drops and tablets are standardized.

​How ​my potentially fatal allergy was cured – with 70 wasp stings

Four years ago, Gavan Naden nearly died from anaphylactic shock after being stung by wasps. He became fearful of going outside, but a drastic immunotherapy regime has saved him