How Can Your Allergies be Treated?

• There are many causes, symptoms, diagnosis and treatment plans for allergy and asthma diseases. The best treatment for allergies lies in identifying the offending substances, then carefully avoiding exposure to them. This can be very effective with allergens like pets and foods, but is not possible for some allergens such as pollens, mold spores and house dust.
• Medications such as antihistamines, oral decongestants, nasal sprays and bronchodilators may be effective in controlling your allergic symptoms. Medications may be used along with immunotherapy.
• Immunotherapy, commonly referred to as "allergy shots," is a program designed to desensitize you to substances you are allergic to. Repeated injections of a sterile mixture of the substances causing your allergies, allows your immune system to build up protection against them. After several months of injections of increasingly stronger doses, a maintenance dose is reached. The dosage size and length of intervals between doses depends on your response to the injections. An ongoing program of avoidance, medication and, when indicated, immunotherapy -- or a combination of these methods -- is the best approach to controlling your allergies and allowing you to live comfortably in your environment.