Around 6 million Americans apparently think so. Each year they take repeated allergy-shot treatments. But a large number of allergists now think shots should be taken only by some of them and only as a last resort. Conservative forms of therapy the avoidance of substances that cause an allergic reaction, oral medications such as antihistamines, or nasal sprays should be tried first, they say, because some injections can cause serious side effects.
An allergy is an overreaction by the bodys protective immune system to an otherwise harmless substance, called an allergen. When allergens are injected in small but increasing amounts, the immune system is desensitized or made more tolerant to the allergens by producing specific antibodies to them. They block the release of histamine, the active agent causing many of the misery symptoms.
Before any treatment starts, allergists recommend a medical consultation that includes taking a careful history of a patients living conditions and environment at home and work. Some make the patient keep a diary about substances he or she encounters and what reactions may occur. If the allergensstill isnt identified the doctor can give skin tests. This involves injecting tiny amounts of various suspected allergens through the skin. A person sensitive to a particular allergen reacts with a rash, redness, or hive at the site of the injection. The testing process, however, can be long and expensive before the allergen is isolated.
The best defense against allergic woes, of course, is to avoid the cause, ifyou know it. People allergic to dogs or cats should avoid them. If youre allergic to down, sleep with a foam pillow and quilt filled with a different material. If you suspect some particular food, such as lobster, as the cause of a skin rash, drop it from your diet and see what happens. And if you suffer an allergic attack, try a medication before you resort to shots.There are, of course, some cases when shots can relieve much suffering, putting up a shield against the offending substance. Thousands of people allergic to bee and wasp stings which sometimes cause quick and fatal reactions are prime candidates for such shots, doctors agree.WHATS AN EPI PEN?An Epi Pen, or epinephrine auto-injector, is a treatment for severe allergic reactions (also known as anaphylaxis) resulting in respiratory distress and/or shock. An Epi Pen administers an exact dosage of epinephrine to the patient. Adult Epi Pens deliver a single dose of .3 mg and should be used on any patient weighing more than 66 lbs. The Epi Pen Jr. delivers .15 mg of epinephrine and should be used on children weighing less than 66 lbs.Most people who are aware that they may experience a life-threatening allergic reaction will have an Epi Pen prescribed to them. An Epi Pen will automatically inject its dose of liquid epinephrine into a patient when the safety cap is removed and the auto-injector is placed firmly against the patient's thigh. If you are ever in a situation where someone is experiencing an anaphylactic reaction, you should not hesitate to administer the patient's prescribed Epi Pen.Robin Westen is ThirdAges medical reporter. Check for her daily updates. She is the author of Ten Days to Detox: How to Look and Feel a Decade Younger.See what others have to say about this story or leave a comment of your own.
