9 Things EVERYONE Should Know About Allergy Shots

4. Antihistamines can make them easier

Dr. Dziadzio highly recommends patients to take an oral antihistamine before every allergy shot. This chemical can reduce the chances of developing bad reactions tremendously especially when you get closer to the maintenance phase. Apparently, this is the point where your body is most likely to show a local reaction to the shot.

5. It may take years until they start working

By now we know that allergy immunotherapy is a time-consuming process that can take up to a few years. However, some patients may start experiencing beneficial effects right from the first phase; for others, though, it can take 18 months or more to notice a positive impact.

A 2017 British study found that it takes three years until allergy shots for hay fever are more effective than placebo shots. There’s never a rule, though: each case is heavily influenced by the patient’s health, allergens and immune system.

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6. Not everyone can get them

Generally, any person after the age of 5 can get allergy shots. According to Dr. Dziadzio, though, there are a few exceptions:

• Children who are sick need to wait until they are 100% healthy again to get a shot;
• People taking medicine such as beta blockers regularly;
• Pregnant women*

*If a woman becomes pregnant while being in the maintenance stage, she can safely continue to get allergy shots with her doctor’s approval. However, specialists advise against starting allergy immunotherapy if you are pregnant.

7. They makes eczema and asthma better

Taking allergy shots can help to ease and even eliminate all the unpleasant symptoms that come along, including itchy eyes, runny nose or anaphylactic shock (in rare cases). However, there are some extra benefits you may get.

Patients diagnosed with asthma can improve their breathing, reduce flare-ups and may even require less medicine to manage their disease. Meanwhile eczema, an inflammatory skin condition, is often associated with environmental allergies, so depending on your allergen you may also be able to ease this illness as well.