Why All the Confusion with Allergy Shots?

It never ceases to amaze me how much confusion there is regarding allergy shots. Many people think that an "allergy shot" is a single injection that they receive a few times per year. Other people think that allergy shots are an experimental therapy that alternative medicine practitioners use. Still others think that allergy shots are medications that work instantly, and therefore they expect relief within a day or so after starting allergy shots.

The truth is that allergy shots are none of the above. Allergy shots, or immunotherapy, are a series of multiple injections using purified allergen extracts, that have long been FDA-approved, proven therapies. Immunotherapy works like a vaccine, contains no active medication, and are the only therapies that actually fix the underlying problem of allergies. Allergy shots are not to be confused with steroid injections, which are often referred to as "an allergy shot", which are given a few times per year, and can cause serious side effects in the long-term.

Want to keep learning? Clear up any confusion you may have about allergy shots.