Allergy treatment with
immunotherapy

It is the only treatment for allergies that treats the cause rather than the symptoms. After a course of specific allergen immunotherapy, you will be able to enjoy the things you love – cuddling your pet or enjoying a walk in the woods in the spring without any unpleasant sensations.

Allergen-specific immunotherapy is 60-80% effective in treating allergies to inhaled allergens. However, even if it does not cure the allergy symptoms completely, it promotes long-lasting tolerance and prevents progression of the allergic disease. Personalised allergen immunotherapy not only reduces symptoms during treatment, but also has a long-lasting effect that extends beyond the end of treatment. This treatment approach can significantly reduce or even eliminate the need for allergy suppressants. Timely immunotherapy treatment also helps to avoid the risk of developing bronchial asthma, a common companion to allergic rhinitis.

Each allergen has its own proteins. A particular protein or group of proteins causes allergic disease. To identify the allergy trigger, the first step is to carry out tests. In many cases, molecular allergen diagnostics are used to identify not only the allergen itself (e.g., a dog), but also to find out exactly which protein – whether in the dog’s saliva or in skin cells – is aggressive to a particular person.

Once the protein to which the patient’s immune system reacts the most is identified, an allergen extract is produced specifically for the patient, containing the protein that causes the most severe allergic symptoms and the one that impairs his or her quality of life the most. This is a natural extract in very low concentrations, extracted from identified allergens such as pollen, animal skin cells etc. There are several ways of administering this extract, such as sublingual immunotherapy (spraying under the tongue), lozenges or subcutaneous immunotherapy (injection under the skin). All of these methods are equally effective, so the patient can choose which one is most convenient for him/her.

Depending on the patient’s preference, the frequency of administration of the extract is determined. During treatment, the doses of the extract are gradually increased until the body becomes used to the allergen and the immune system no longer reacts to it, i.e., tolerance develops. During treatment, additional visits or remote interviews are scheduled to monitor the treatment and discuss results. The allergist monitors the changes during treatment and, if necessary, adjusts the treatment plan until the desired result is achieved.