Allergy Shots in Katy, Texas

Allergy shots are an effective method of treating environmental and seasonal allergies. Also known as allergen immunotherapy, allergy shots help your immune system build up a natural resistance to substances you’re allergic to. Using injections of small amounts of a natural allergen, allergy shots in Katy can help you achieve lasting relief from your symptoms.

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What Kind of Allergies Can Allergy Shots Treat?

Allergy shots are typically used to treat environmental allergies such as dust, molds, pollen, pet dander, and insect venom. They aren’t used to treat food allergies or allergies towards latex or medications. If you’re allergic to things in your environment that you can’t easily avoid, allergy shots could be helpful to you. After your body has built up a natural immunity, you no longer need to avoid the allergen. This means you can go for walks outside without worrying about pollen, or go into your attic or basement without worrying about dust.

Decrease Your Reliance on Oral Medications

With allergy shots, you are targeting the cause of your allergic reactions, rather than just treating the symptoms. Once your allergy shot treatment is completed, you should be able to drastically decrease your use of allergy medications (if you still need them at all). Other benefits of allergy shots include:

Results are long-term.
You can treat multiple allergies at once.
More cost-effective in the long run.
Freedom to perform the activities you love without having to avoid allergy triggers.

How Do Allergy Shots Work?

An allergic reaction is your immune system’s response to a foreign substance. Your immune system detects a substance that it considers dangerous, and produces antibodies against it. These antibodies are what produce the symptoms of an allergic reaction: watery or itchy eyes, a runny nose, coughing, wheezing, or sneezing. Allergy shots contain a very small amount of a known allergen. This small amount stimulates an immune response, training your immune system to tolerate it without triggering an allergic reaction. As the dose of the allergen is increased, your tolerance to the substance increases as well.

How Often Will I Need Shots?

When you first begin your treatment, you will be coming to your Katy ENT Specialists office once or twice a week. You will continue getting shots about once a week until you have reached the maximum dose of the allergen. Once this has been reached (typically after a few months), the frequency of your shots will decrease until you’re receiving about one shot monthly. These maintenance shots usually continue for 3-5 years, depending on your individual circumstances.

Do the Shots Hurt?

Allergy shots are administered subcutaneously (underneath the skin), usually in the upper arm. The needles used are very small and short, and you should not feel any pain. Any discomfort you experience should be minimal. You may experience some redness or swelling around the injection site. This is a normal reaction to the allergen and should subside on its own within a few hours.

Achieve Lasting Relief at TENTS

At Texas ENT Specialists, we are dedicated to delivering superior ear, nose, and throat care to patients across Texas. We prioritize the collaborative process between you and your doctor, and our treatment plans are always fully personalized to suit your unique needs and goals. With 15 locations staffed with board-certified professionals, we are here to help you achieve the best possible outcome, no matter your age, condition, or diagnosis.