An allergy shot, or immunotherapy, is a vaccine that causes a state of tolerance and reduces allergy symptoms until they dissipate and go away. Watch allergist Clifford Bassett, MD, discuss the long-term health benefits of immunotherapy.
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Allergy shots, or immunotherapy, or allergy injections, it's a vaccine, It's the closest thing we have to a cure. Basically, they cause a state of tolerance, and reduce symptoms until they dissipate and go away. Even after treatment they have a long lasting benefits. The great news is allergy shots are covered by your insurance.
Within several months of build up, you develop an immunity or a tolerance to the allergens, less symptoms, and you go on a maintainence schedule which is once a month for several years. Bottomline, when you stop the treatment we expect long lasting improvement to stay. So it's a long term solution, and that's what I love about it, and my patients get great results.
Clifford Bassett, MD is an adult and pediatric allergy specialist, and diplomate of the American Board of Allergy and Immunology and medical director, Allergy and Asthma Care of NY.
