Sublingual allergen-specific immunotherapy

The EMC Dermatology and Allergology Clinic presents a new range of medical services for the treatment of seasonal and year–round allergies - sublingual allergen-specific immunotherapy.

Allergy is an increased sensitivity of the body to the effects of various environmental factors, such as plant pollen, microscopic mites, animal epithelium, and many others.

These elements, or allergens, are perceived by the body as dangerous to health. It reacts to them by producing antibodies that cause an inflammatory reaction. Typical consequences of such hypersensitivity are skin reactions, respiratory disorders (allergic asthma), and:

• runny nose,
• nasal congestion,
• sneezing,
• itchy mouth,
• conjunctivitis or lacrimation, redness and itching of the eyes,
• shortness of breath,
• heaviness in the chest,
• cough.

Concomitant symptoms are also observed:

• sleep disturbance,
• constant fatigue,
• decreased working capacity and academic performance.

There are 2 types of allergies. Seasonal, which is caused by pollen from grasses, cereals, trees, and year-round, present throughout the year, it is caused by microscopic mites in bedding and carpets, pets, fungi.

Allergy significantly reduces the quality of life of patients. Without treatment, allergic symptoms can cause complications of the disease.

Conventional allergy medications do not eliminate the cause of the disease. Upon new contact with the allergen, the symptoms return again. Moreover, there is a fact of addiction, patients are often forced to change these drugs and increase the doses of medications taken.

The peculiarity of sublingual allergen-specific immunotherapy is to reduce the sensitivity of the body, gradually adapt the immune system and develop minimal or complete insensitivity to the allergen.

Allergen-specific immunotherapy can be administered in two ways. By subcutaneous injection or sublingual (sublingual) method in the form of drops or tablets. 

Sublingual immunotherapy minimizes all unpleasant sensations from the procedure, which plays a very important role not only for children, but also for adults.

Regardless of the method of application, therapy reduces the appearance of allergic symptoms a few months after the start of treatment. The duration and scope of therapy is determined and developed individually for each patient by the attending allergist. After the end of the course of therapy, immunity to the allergen and persistent remission of allergic symptoms are developed for several years, the so-called long-term effect of immunotherapy.

This is the main advantage of sublingual allergen-specific immunotherapy.