Allergy Shots (Immunotherapy)

Dr. Hariri uses safe and effective approaches to immunotherapy, offering an array of allergy shots to help patients in and around the Greater Los Angeles area build up natural resistance to allergens for long-term relief of symptoms.

What is immunotherapy?

Immunotherapy uses a series of injections of diluted allergens to help your body develop an immunity to those substances over a period of time. You might have heard this treatment referred to as “allergy shots.” Immunotherapy injections contain just enough allergens to cause the immune system to kick in without triggering a severe allergic reaction. During the course of your treatment, the amount of allergen contained in each injection will be increased slightly to enable your body to develop an immunity to the substances. As a result, the allergen will no longer trigger an allergic reaction, or the reaction will be significantly decreased.

What's involved in immunotherapy treatment?

The injections used in immunotherapy are usually given in the upper arm one or more times a week over a period of weeks. Initially, treatment will be focused on building up a tolerance to the allergens, a phase that takes about three to six months to complete. Then, in most cases, monthly maintenance shots will be given over a period of several years to ensure your body remains resistant. In some cases, the first phase of treatment may be able to be completed more quickly by “ramping up” the dose in each injection, but because that can also increase the likelihood of a more severe reaction, it can only be done in certain patients. Once each injection is complete, you'll need to stay in the office for about a half hour to ensure a serious allergic reaction doesn't occur.

How long will it take to work?

Most people experience an improvement in symptoms during their first year of treatment and a significant improvement during the second year. Some people require several years of maintenance shots while others may not require ongoing treatment.