Who needs to be on Allergy Shots (Immunotherapy or Allergy Vaccine Treatment)?
The two most common groups of people who may need to start allergy shots are those with respiratory allergy such as asthma, allergic rhinitis (hay fever), or a combination of both, and those with stinging insect allergy. After evaluating people with hay fever and/or asthma by history, physical exam, and skin testing, we can determine what in their environment the patient can conceivably avoid and what cannot be avoided. Animals and feathers, for example, can be avoided. Pollens, however, cannot be avoided unless the patient is confined to an indoor, air-conditioned existence all summer. This is not good quality of life. Treatment of respiratory allergy begins with avoidance of what can be avoided by changing the home environment. The second step is medication to aggressively treat the nasal and/or chest symptoms. If the patient cannot avoid the allergy triggers, and medications are not helpful in controlling symptoms, the patient becomes a candidate for allergy shots (“immunotherapy” o
