Allergy Drops & Tablets in Charlotte
If you’re looking for an effective and convenient way to manage your allergies, allergy drops and tablets might be the solution for you. At Carolina Asthma and Allergy Center, we offer comprehensive evaluation and treatment for allergies, including the use of sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) in the form of drops or tablets.
If you’re serious about exploring SLIT therapy or considering alternative options to manage your allergy symptoms, we encourage you to speak with one of our experienced allergists. Our team will evaluate your allergies, symptoms, and provide a comprehensive assessment of the available treatment options.
Take control of your allergies with allergy drops or tablets and experience long-term relief and an improved quality of life. Contact us today to schedule a consultation and find out if this innovative treatment is right for you.
How to Request an Appointment
If you suspect you have an allergy or have experienced symptoms after being exposed to certain substances, the Carolina Asthma & Allergy Center offers comprehensive evaluation and treatment for allergies. Our team of board-certified allergists and experienced healthcare professionals is here to assist you.
To schedule an appointment, simply give our office a call or fill out the online appointment request form on our website. Our friendly staff will collaborate with you to find a convenient date and time for your visit.
During your appointment, our allergists will conduct a thorough assessment of your medical history and perform a comprehensive physical examination. To determine the presence of an allergy, we may conduct various tests tailored to your specific needs.
Following the evaluation and test results, our experienced team will develop a personalized treatment plan to see if allergy drops and tablets are right for you, to effectively manage your allergy symptoms and prevent future allergic reactions. Contact us today to request an appointment and take the first step towards understanding and managing your allergies effectively.
What are Allergy Drops and Allergy Tablets?
Allergy drops and tablets are oral allergy treatments that consist of liquid drops or tablets that users place under their tongue. Instead of just treating symptoms, allergy drops and tablets treat the underlying cause of allergies, making you less sensitive to allergens from dust mites, timothy grass, and other northern pasture grass pollens, such as ragweed, over time. You may also hear these referred to as:- Sublingual immunotherapy
- Oral immunotherapy
- Sublingual allergy drop treatment
How Do Allergy Drops and Tablets Work?
Allergy drops and tablets are a form of sublingual immunotherapy that aims to desensitize your body to specific allergens. The treatment involves regular exposure to small amounts of the allergen over time, gradually training your immune system to react less severely or not at all. This process is known as sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT).
Initially, SLIT is administered under the supervision of an allergist to monitor for any potential adverse reactions. However, if you tolerate the treatment well, you can continue taking the allergy drops or tablets at home.
Throughout the course of treatment, you can expect a reduction in allergy symptoms, although it may take several years for the full effect of immunotherapy to be realized. Typically, allergy drops follow a three-phase treatment approach:
- Phase 1 (Months 1 to 3): During the initial phase, your body adjusts to the treatment, and you may notice small changes in your tolerance to the allergen and improvement in symptoms.
- Phase 2 (3 Months to 2 Years): In this phase, most of your uncomfortable symptoms should subside, becoming less significant or disappearing entirely.
- Phase 3 (Years 3–5): By this stage, your body has developed a tolerance to the allergen, resulting in decreased symptoms or their intensity. The relief experienced during this phase can last several years, and for some patients, the benefits may continue indefinitely.
What Kinds of Allergies Can Be Treated with SLIT?
Allergy tablets treat only a small selection of allergies. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved four types of sublingual tablets for the treatment of allergies:
- Odactra (from ALK Inc.) for dust mite allergy
- Ragwitek (from ALK Inc.) for ragweed allergy
- Grastek (from ALK Inc.) for timothy grass pollen allergy
- Oralair (from Stallergenes-Greer) for up to five types of northern grass pollen allergy
Allergy drops, on the other hand, can contain one or more types of allergens. At present, allergy drops are not FDA approved and their use is considered off label. By taking allergy tablets or drops consistently over time, it’s possible to lessen symptom severity as well as increase your tolerance to an allergen.
If you suspect you have allergies to any of these substances or other allergens, it is best to consult with a qualified allergist who can evaluate your symptoms, conduct appropriate testing, and determine if SLIT is an appropriate treatment option for you.
Allergy Drops vs. Allergy Shots
The biggest differences between allergy shots and allergy drops/tablets are the delivery of the allergen and the number of allergens that can be targeted with each dose. Like allergy drops, allergy shots deliver small doses of an allergen to the body to help improve tolerance. However, shots are subcutaneous and typically include more than one allergen. Allergy shots start with very low doses of allergen and build up over time to a higher maintenance dose as tolerance increases. Once the maintenance dose is reached, shot frequency is gradually decreased.
Unexpected and serious reactions to allergy shots are rare, but some patients experience itching and swelling at the injection site, making treatment uncomfortable.
In the past, allergy shots were the only option to reduce sensitivity to allergens long term. Today, allergy drops/tablets are seen as an effective alternative to injections for allergy symptoms that do not respond to corticosteroids and antihistamines. Allergy drops may be an appropriate option for patients with multiple allergies who cannot undergo allergy shots.
Summary
If you’re interested in getting more information about allergy drops or other immunotherapy treatments, such as allergy shots, contact us. We’re available to answer any questions you have or help you schedule an appointment to get started.
Allergy Drop FAQs
How Effective Are Allergy Drops and Tablets?
Sublingual allergy tablet treatment is comparable to allergy shots in effectiveness. Both treatments offer long-term desensitization to allergens, relieving or eliminating symptoms during and after treatment.
Research into allergy drops and their efficacy is ongoing. To date, they do not appear to offer the same degree of efficacy as allergy shots or tablets, but they may be an appropriate alternative for individuals with multiple allergen sensitizations who cannot commit to the schedule for allergy shots. At present they are not FDA approved and use is considered off label.
What Are the Side Effects of SLIT?
Patients react differently to SLIT, but most side effects are limited. If you have side effects, you are most likely to experience pain or discomfort in the stomach or mouth. This could include irritation such as itchiness, sores, or swelling in your mouth or throat. Rare, but serious side effects could include nausea and vomiting, breathing problems, or shock, among others. For a full list of side effects, talk to your allergist.
Most side effects will present within your first few doses and are usually considered mild or local. They generally tend to lessen with time.
Is Sublingual Immunotherapy Covered by My Insurance?
While some insurance plans will partly or fully cover allergy shots or tablets, most of the time, insurance providers don’t offer allergy drops under the services they cover. Check your health insurance coverage before you schedule an appointment with your allergist for sublingual immunotherapy treatment.
Whether or not a medication gets insurance coverage often comes down to FDA approval and need for the medication. As the need for SLIT therapy increases, we’ll likely see more insurance providers include it in their plans.
Are Allergy Drops Safe for Children?
Yes. Allergy drops are safe for children and carry no more or less risk for children than they do for adults. Side effects typically don’t differ from adults to children, with minor irritation being most common at the start of treatment.
Parents often choose SLIT therapy for their child if their son or daughter doesn’t like needles and isn’t responding to over-the-counter antihistamines or other prescription medications. As with any new treatment, get in touch with your allergist and determine if SLIT therapy would benefit your child.
