Oral Food Immunotherapy
Midwest Allergy Sinus Asthma, SC
If you had an opportunity to reduce the impact of food allergies on your life, would you take it? Today, that path exists through oral food immunotherapy at Midwest Allergy Sinus Asthma, SC, located in Normal and Springfield, Illinois. Oral food immunotherapy is a treatment that desensitizes you to an allergen so that if you’re less likely to react if you encounter it. Oral food immunotherapy has the potential to save your life. To learn more, schedule a consultation online or over the phone today.
Oral Food Immunotherapy Q & A
What is oral food immunotherapy?
Oral food immunotherapy is a food allergy therapy designed to desensitize you to the food protein that triggers an allergic reaction in your body. The top eight allergens are:
- Tree nuts
- Peanuts
- Eggs
- Shellfish
- Milk
- Wheat
- Soy
- Sesame
- Fish
To perform the therapy, your allergist at Midwest Allergy Sinus Asthma introduces a small amount of the allergen into your system in a controlled setting. You receive this allergen as a powder mixed into other food, which you then eat.
Over a period of months, your allergist slowly increases the dose, until you become desensitized to smaller amounts of the allergen. The goal is to increase the amount of an allergen you can come in contact with before your body has a reaction.
Is oral food immunotherapy a cure?
Oral food immunotherapy isn’t a cure. If you receive this treatment, you should still carry around your EpiPen® and avoid trigger foods. However, it does offer you protection against your food allergy, lower the likelihood of anaphylaxis, and make eating with allergies safer in general.
If you’re desensitized to an allergen, you can consume a large amount without triggering a reaction.
Studies have shown that between 60% and 80% of patients who undergo therapy for peanut, milk, or egg allergies successfully experience desensitization.
Does oral food immunotherapy have any side effects?
When you’re undergoing oral food immunotherapy, you may experience side effects. Common side effects include:
- Cramping
- Abdominal pain
- Vomiting
People can also experience common symptoms of allergic reactions, such as:
- Oral itching
- Swelling
- Hives
- Rash
- Anaphylaxis
Therapy takes place Midwest Allergy Sinus Asthma, so if you have a severe reaction, you have access to immediate intervention.
Food allergies can sometimes make normal life seem impossible. They create anxiety, make you feel alone, and make buying food and eating out a more stressful, labor-intensive process. Oral food immunotherapy offers you a way to take back a measure of control.
If you think oral food immunotherapy might be right for you or your loved one, call the office or schedule an appointment online for a consultation at Midwest Allergy Sinus Asthma, SC.