Most people who suffer from hay fever find relief from over-the-counter treatments such as antihistamines and prescription steroids. These come in the form of tablets, nasal sprays and eye drops. If none of these have helped you, then you may suffer from severe hay fever – in which case you may be a candidate for specific immunotherapy (Hay Fever injections).

Specific Immunotherapy

This well established treatment, also known as ‘desensitisation therapy’, addresses the underlying cause of your allergy and not just the symptoms. As a result it provides long term relief and improves your quality of life.

Subcutaneous immunotherapy is the most common form of this treatment and involves a course of injections that build up your tolerance to particular allergens through small, controlled doses. Over time this desensitises your overactive immune system, so your body won’t release the histamines that cause the symptoms.

In the past this required many courses of injections. However, vaccines containing chemically modified allergens, or allergoids, (that are captured in a slow-release solution) allow a controlled release of the allergen into your system in just six injections or fewer.

Pollen immunotherapy cannot be started during a pollen season. Ask about Allergy referral just after a pollen season as treatment will to be completed prior to the start of the next pollen season.

Sublingual immunotherapy is an alternative to injection therapy. In this form of treatment, daily drops or tablets containing the specific allergen are placed under the tongue.

A three year treatment schedule is recommended for specific immunotherapy. The aim is to reduce allergy symptoms and the need for symptomatic medication.