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What Are Allergy Shots (Immunotherapy)?

What Are Allergy Shots (Immunotherapy)? (0:40)

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.