Asthma can be a chronic inflammation of the airways, making it difficult to breathe. Asthma is a chronic disease, but it can be triggered by an acute event, such as exposure to allergens.
Asthma affects more than 20 million Americans and causes millions of medical visits each year. It is important to better control this condition in order to reduce medical visits and improve quality of life. Over the past two decades, immunotherapy has experienced rapid growth. This article explores the use of immunotherapy injections to treat and manage allergic asthma.
What are allergy (asthma) shots?
Asthma (allergy shots) is a term that describes asthma treatments that fall into the category of immunotherapy. Immunotherapy is a treatment that involves gradually exposing the patient to small amounts of the substance (allergen) that causes a reaction within their immune system.
Asthmatics can be triggered by exposure to allergens. Using immunotherapy in order to reduce the severity of attacks and flare-ups will help prevent the need for emergency treatment.
You are given a small amount of the allergen to which you're sensitive when you receive a shot for allergic asthma, also known as subcutaneous immunotherapy (SCIT).
Your immune system will then start to produce non-allergic antibodies against the allergen. This will prevent your body from mounting a future immune response that can cause allergic symptoms. Immunotherapy is not the same for everyone. It takes time to develop a tolerance for these allergens. Your immune system will determine the type of response you get.
How long do allergy (asthma) injections take to work?
The development of a therapeutic reaction to allergen immunotherapy can take up to a year. The body's response to immunotherapy injections is divided into two phases.
- This is the buildup phase. You are injected with allergens in increasing amounts once or twice a week. This phase lasts 3–6 months as your body develops antibodies against specific allergens.
- Maintenance phase. Once you have reached a therapeutic immunity level to an allergen, it is important to continue the treatment to maintain this protection. This phase is based on the individual immune response. During this phase, injections are usually less frequent, every 4 to 6 weeks. However, the exact interval is determined by your doctor.
How often do you need asthma shots?
Your doctor will determine how often you should receive treatment for asthma. Typically, shots are given once or twice per week during the building-up phase and once every four to six weeks during the maintenance phase.
It may take a few months to reach the maintenance level. The maintenance treatment is usually continued for three to five years. You may no longer require treatment if you have developed immunity to your allergens.
Side effects of allergy and asthma shots
The most common is a reaction localized to the immunotherapy injections. This can manifest as:
- redness
- Itching
You may experience systemic reactions similar to the standard allergy reaction following a shot. This contains symptoms similar to those from Trusted Source:
- Sneezing
- nasal congestion
- Hives
The chances of serious reactions occurring are very low. The most serious immunotherapy reaction is a severe allergy reaction called anaphylaxis. This can cause:
- Throat swelling
- Chest tightness or pain
- Wheezing
- nausea or vomiting
- dizziness
What is the emergency injection for an asthma attack?
Rescue medications are used to treat asthma attacks. They are usually bronchodilators that help open up your inflamed lungs to make breathing easier. Some of the rescue medications used for asthma include:
- albuterol
- Levalbuterol
- metaproterenol
- terbutaline
In severe cases, your physician may prescribe epinephrine delivered by an injectable pen. This pen is used to deliver emergency medication through the skin or muscles to relieve severe allergic asthma attacks.
How much does it cost to get allergy and asthma shots?
SCIT costs about 1,722 dollars per year. Sublingual formulations (SLIT), which are estimated to cost $670 annually, offer some savings.
Recent studies show that immunotherapy, when used by asthmatics, is more cost-effective and efficient than the attacks or flare-ups that would occur without treatment.
Do they normally fall under insurance or Medicare coverage?
The cost of allergy shots is covered by most private health insurance plans. They are also covered as part of your Medicare coverage if they are deemed necessary by your doctor.
Who is a good candidate to receive allergy and asthma shots?
Allergy injections are not just for asthmatics; they can also be given to people who have other types of allergic reactions.
Children and adults can use immunotherapy shots to treat allergies.
- Allergic rhinitis
- Allergic asthma
- allergic conjunctivitis (eye allergy)
- Stinging insect allergies
Allergy injections are not used for treating food allergies because they function differently.
Alternatives to injection-based asthma treatment
There are alternatives to regular shots if the thought of them is too stressful or off-putting for you. Ask your doctor about sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) in addition to traditional asthma treatment. The treatment is administered orally under the tongue and is also known as "allergy drops." This was helpful.
Takeaway
Allergy injections are a type of immunotherapy that can help you become less sensitive to asthma triggers. The shots are slow to accumulate in your system, but they can be very effective for reducing the severity of your asthma. You can ask your doctor if allergy injections are right for you.
Credit: The Web Health Drugs Discussion
