ALLERGY TREATMENTS
Integrated ENT of Lone Tree offers the following Allergy Treatments to reduce or eliminate your allergy symptoms. Immediate help is available. Contact us today at (303) 706-1616 to see how we may help you.
- Lifestyle Adjustments
- Medications
- Immunotherapy
- Allergy Shots (Immunotherapy)
- Allergy Drops (Sublingual Immunotherapy)
Lifestyle Adjustments
Environmental control measures are critical to reducing your symptoms and exposure to indoor and outdoor allergens. Based on your allergic profile, we can offer guidance to help you address those items that affect you the most.
This may include avoidance of the substance that causes the reaction.
Medications
Various medications can improve or alleviate allergy symptoms. This includes over-the-counter or prescription pills and nasal sprays. Side effects are possible and can be discussed with your doctor.
Though medicines help, they will often be needed long term and only treat the symptoms.
- Antihistamines, both over-the-counter and prescription, help relieve sneezing, drippy noses.
- Decongestants can help with nasal congestion.
- Nasal steroid sprays can decrease many allergy nasal symptoms.
- Eye drops can help relieve itchy, red, or watery eyes.
Medications may be needed for a lifetime, or as long as symptoms persist, but many patients report decreased medical use after immunotherapy begins.
Immunotherapy
The only way to change underlying allergic diseases is immunotherapy, or desensitization, which builds your immune system’s tolerance to allergens over time. This treatment can be administered as Allergy Shots or Allergy Drops.
Allergy Shots
Allergy shots are given as a long-term, cost-effective treatment for decreasing sensitivity to allergens, providing lasting relief of allergy symptoms even after treatment is stopped. These shots are most effective in treating patients who suffer from symptoms associated with allergic rhinitis, allergic asthma, conjunctivitis (eye allergy), or stinging insect allergy. Allergy shots are not used to treat food allergies.
This form of treatment is usually recommended for both children (age 5 and older) and adults. For older adults or patients with multiple medical conditions, the risks of allergy shots may outweigh the benefits.
The decision to initiate allergy shots is a personal one and will be made in conjunction with your allergist. The choice for shots is usually based on the severity of symptoms, the number of allergies, medication effectiveness or avoidance measures to control symptoms, desire to avoid long-term medications, time available to commit to allergy shot treatment, and cost.
Allergy shots work like a vaccine. When the allergen is injected, the body responds and develops immunity or tolerance to the allergen. The first phase of the treatment is the build-up phase, where patients receive injections with increasing amounts 1-2 times per week. The length of this phase generally ranges from 3-6 months, depending on how often injections are received and any delays between injections. The second phase of treatment is the maintenance phase, where the injections are spaced out 2-4 weeks between injections for a total of 3-5 years and then they are stopped. Patients usually start to see a decrease in symptoms during the build-up phase. The effectiveness of the treatment appears to be related to the length of treatment as well as to the dose. Treatment doses and lengths are individualized based on the patient’s symptoms and needs.
Allergy shots are not without risk. Injections are given subcutaneously, generally in the back of the upper arm, and patients may experience redness, swelling, and itching at the site of the injection. In some cases, allergy symptoms may increase with sneezing, nasal congestion, runny nose, or itchy eyes. For some patients, hives can occur, and more rarely symptoms of anaphylaxis occur with swelling of the throat, wheezing or shortness of breath, nausea, and dizziness. Most serious reactions develop within 30 minutes of the injection. Delay in the treatment of anaphylaxis can worsen the outcome. Although death is extremely uncommon (1 in 2 million injections), it is a potential outcome particularly when life-saving treatment is delayed. All allergy shots are given in the clinic under the direct supervision of properly trained staff, with ready access to life-saving equipment.
Patients typically come into the office weekly for the first 18 months and then every 2 weeks for the remainder of the program. Consistency is critical. Patients are required to wait 20 minutes after each shot during the “building up” phase. Once on maintenance, patients no longer have to wait the 20 minutes. A physician is always available in the office during allergy shot hours.
Our Allery Shot Hours are Monday through Thursday from 7:30 am to 5:00 pm, and Friday from 7:30 am to 12:00 pm. No appointment is necessary, making it convenient for patients to just stop in.
Most insurance companies cover injections, though copays or deductibles may apply. We encourage patients considering allergy shots to call their insurance company to check coverage. Procedure codes for allergy shot treatments are 95115 or 95117 for weekly shots, and 95165 for injections of 6 or 12 units. There are no office visits billed for allergy shot visits.
Allergy Drops (Sublingual Immunotherapy [SLIT])
Allergy drops are a good option particularly when medications are not relieving symptoms. They are also ideal for patients who have needle phobias and/or have time restraints, where they cannot make weekly appointments for allergy shots.
Allergy drops work much like allergy shots, slowly desensitizing you to what causes your allergic reaction, but they’re delivered under your tongue 2-3 times each day in a liquid form that you can safely take at home. Because of their safety profile, allergy drops can be an option for all patients, including young children. Studies show that immunotherapy started in young children can help prevent the development of asthma.
Currently, the only FDA-approved form of allergy drops is tablets for ragweed, northern grasses, and dust mites. Since the safety and efficacy of allergy drops are still being determined and since they are considered an off-label treatment in the United States, insurance companies are not paying for this form of treatment. Regardless, the efficacy of allergy drops (85 percent) has been established in numerous studies both in Europe and the US.
So while office visits and testing are covered by insurance, allergy drops are not. However, when traditional treatments go towards a high deductible or copay, the drops many times actually cost less. HSA/Flex plans can be used for payments.
Very rarely have severe allergic reactions (anaphylaxis) been reported using SLIT. The risks for such reactions are actually lower than with shots. The first drops from each new vial are administered in the clinic for safety, but patients can take daily tablets or drops under the tongue at home after that. After this initial vial, additional vials will be mailed to your home.
Most patients taking allergy drops find their treatments take 3-5 years to complete. While some patients feel relief in just a few months, it is important to continue taking your drops until otherwise instructed to ensure long-term benefit. Drops are custom formulated based on the results of your allergy test (just like the shots).
Note: Allergy drops are not recommended for food allergies at this time. Avoidance is still the best treatment recommendation for food allergies.
Contact Us
Take control of your allergies today. Call Integrated ENT at (303) 706-1616 to schedule an appointment or you may also request an appointment online.