Allergy shots are a great way for regular allergy-suffers to feel better, and may even provide relief that medication can’t. Yet many people do not take advantage of them. At the Center for Allergy and Asthma of Georgia, we want you to be aware of every treatment option available. Read on for more information on the benefits of allergy shots, and click here for hours and locations where our Georgia allergists can administer shots for you.
Why Shots?
The fact is, no one likes getting a shot. Many people will even avoid flu shots, their fear of needles is so great. Yet experienced allergists know, shots can be the best way to bring long-term relief beyond managing allergy symptoms.
Allergan immunotherapy, as allergy shots are called in the medical field, treat seasonal or year-round allergies by injecting patients with increasingly high doses of allergy triggers, until their body eventually becomes resistant to them, thereby preventing allergic reactions. While antihistamines, inhaled steroids, and other daily medications may be helpful in treating the symptoms of an allergy, many professionals agree that shots may be the most effective way to treat the allergy itself.
According to the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, only 1 in 3 allergy-sufferers are ever likely to get an allergy shot. Studies show that according to most people, the costs outweigh the benefits. However, it is important to consider how much money you are already spending on allergy medication per year. In the long run, shots may actually be the cheaper allergy-treatment alternative, as the changes to your immune system which they can trigger over a few years might eliminate the need to take allergy medication for the rest of your life.
A Wide Range of Benefits
While allergy shots are not for everyone, they offer a wide variety of benefits to the right patients. Those with food allergies should seek other treatments, and individuals with serious conditions such as heart disease should also be wary of relying on allergy shots. For many other allergy-suffers, however, shots may be just the thing to finally improve their condition.
Benefits of Allergy Shots Include:
- Relief for people with indoor allergies: Allergy shots have been shown to be particularly effective for people with indoor allergies, such as those who suffer from severe reactions to dust mites, cockroaches, pet dander, and mold.
- Relief for people with seasonal allergies: Seasonal allergy-sufferers should also consider shots, as they have been known to decrease reactions to grass, tree, and weed pollens, and may make leaving your house during the summer and springtime much easier.
- Less severe reactions to insect stings: Individuals who are particularly sensitive to bee stings or insect bites know, the lingering discomfort from allergic reactions can be awful. Allergy shots have been known to reduce these reactions overtime, so you can worry less about itchy, puffed up skin when you go outside,
- Help with breathing problems: If your allergies make it difficult to breath during certain seasons or year-round, you may want to consider allergy shots. Shots have been found to reduce symptoms, infections, and asthmatic breathing issues by 80% to 90%.
- Treatment for chronic sinus infections: Similarly to improving breathing problems, allergy shots have been known to help treat chronic sinus infections. Unlike other colds, sinusitis can last for 4-8 weeks at a time, and is difficult to treat with over-the-counter medication. Allergen immunotherapy may lessen the length of your sinus infections, and prevent you from having to seek more drastic measures, such as surgery.
- Preventative measures for other conditions: If your allergies are making your breathing problems worse, or getting so severe you are worried they may lead to other medical conditions, it’s probably a good idea to consider allergy shots. While a condition like asthma, for instance, cannot be treated directly with allergy shots, the immunotherapy shots provide can help prevent your body from developing conditions like asthma in the future.
- Less time and money spent on your allergies: If your life has gotten to the point where you are missing work and school and regularly spending hundreds of dollars on allergy medications, you may want to consider making the switch. Allergy shots could be the thing to provide you the relief needed to live your fullest life.
Contact Us Today for Shots & More
At the Center for Allergy and Asthma of Georgia, we believe that long-term allergy management and relief is possible. Offering a variety of services and accepting a large selection of insurance plans, our board-certified allergists and physicians provide comprehensive care for residents of the greater Atlanta area who suffer from a range of sinonasal and upper respiratory conditions.
Call (404) 994-3574 to schedule treatment today, or click here to request an appointment online.