After observing 200 European patients receiving this treatment for allergic rhinitis (a fancy way of saying that your nose is runny and your sinuses are irritated) and asthma for a year, researchers found that the allergen immunotherapy led to fewer symptoms, sick days and it significantly improved the quality of life. However, there’s one caveat: it’s an observational study and has no comparative group, says David Lang, MD, chairman of the Department of Allergy And Clinical Immunology and the Respiratory Institute at The Cleveland Clinic. But because it considers factors that most research doesn’t—annual sick days and better overall life—there is something here, especially since missing school and work could cause hospitalization or a near fatal exacerbation of symptoms, says Dr. Lang. Of course, as with any treatment, immunotherapy has some side effects. “The potential downside is that treatment can increase your risk for general allergic reactions,” he says. “Research from the Cleveland Clinic finds this is the case for every three per 1,000 injections. Three doesn’t sound like a lot, but when you consider the eight to 10 million shots that are given a year, it adds up. That’s why we require patients to wait a half hour after they’ve received a shot to see if there is any reaction.” And this isn’t a one shot and you’re done type deal. “Patients start with a low dose, marching up over a course of months from weekly/bi-weekly treatments to every 3-6 years,” says Dr. Lang. The more time between your shots, the higher the dose you receive. This is definitely something to consider when weighing your allergy-relief options. More from Prevention: 10 Solutions For Seasonal Allergies
