EXPOSED: Minimise your allergy symptoms with the help of SLIT
Posted: 8th January 2018 | Posted by Costa
EXPOSED: Minimise your allergy symptoms with the help of SLIT
There are no two ways about it: allergies are not fun. Between a constant runny nose and crippling sneezing fits, with the addition of blotchy and itchy skin, these pesky reactions can be a nuisance. Fear not! There are a variety of solutions available to help you. Sublingual immunotherapy is a popular non-invasive solution.
Sublingual immunotherapy or desensitisation – otherwise known as SLIT – is a treatment that teaches the body not to react to allergens, allergic rhinitis (hay fever), or allergic asthma.
SLIT is a process that works by administration of the allergen under the tongue over a period of time. Doing so allows your immune system to change and “reconsider” the way it reacts to the allergen. Over time, when exposed to the same allergens, you experience reduced symptoms (if any at all).
An allergy consultant will make the initial diagnosis. This is usually done with an IgE test (blood test) or skin prick allergy test. This can ultimately determine what the patient is allergic to. Once established, sublingual immunotherapy can be considered if there are no contraindications. The process requires holding either a drop underneath your tongue that can be spat out. Alternatively, it can come in the form of a spray. Either form is a small extract of the allergen in question.
Further information
Studies suggest that the time it takes to be effective can depend entirely on the type of allergy. Saying that, it typically ranges between four and six months. The effect of treatment will last for more than five years if three years of treatment are completed. One trial’s results showed that if the treatment is stopped after only two years the effect varnishes the following year.
For perennial allergens (pet or dust mite allergy) the treatment needs to be continued for three years. While for hayfever desensitisation, it can either be non-stop or for 6 months per year. The latter is cheaper and starts four months before the pollen season.
Clinical trials show that SLIT is a safe solution and extremely effective for treating allergic rhinitis and allergic asthma. However, very infrequently it causes local side effects that almost always completely stop when the treatment starts to work (about two weeks), in the form tingling or slight swelling under the tongue that usually goes away. There were only a few cases in the world of severe allergic reactions (anaphylaxis) that mostly occurred when contraindications criteria were not met. While this is known to be extremely rare, it’s crucial the first dose of treatment is administered by the doctor in the centre before it can be administered by yourself.
Our consultants will be more than happy to discuss the treatment options available to help you improve the quality of life. Click here to book an appointment today to see if sublingual immunotherapy will benefit you.