Allergy immunotherapy means treating allergy by either enhancing or suppressing the response of the immune system to it. The technique has been found to be effective in causing remission of systems of allergy, is cost-effective and improves the quality of life of the patients. This article tries to gains further insight on this topic.
How Symptoms of Allergy are Produced?
In an allergic person, an usually harmless substance is identified by the body to be a threat for some unknown reason. It becomes the source of allergy or the allergen. The body as a response to this threat takes needful action. It releases an antibody called as Immunoglubolin E (IgE).
When the body again gets exposed to the allergen, IgE gets attached with two immune system cells, namely the basophils and mast cells. This leads to release of chemical substances which produce the symptoms of allergy.
How Allergy Immunotherapy Works?
Immunotherapy to treat allergy involves injecting the very allergen responsible for the disorder into the body. The amounts of the allergen are increased gradually. This process continues until the body immune system (technical name to the natural protection system of the body) gets retained.
This exposure develops a tolerance for the allergen in the body which ceases to respond anymore. This process is called specific immunotherapy.
When the process is repeated several times, it is observed that the body completely stops being sensitive to the particular allergen in question. This reduces the symptoms and also the treatment which essentially curbs the symptoms without able to address the root cause of the allergy.
It is not fully understood yet as how repeated exposure to a particular allergen in turn treats the body from an allergy. It is believed that the immune system itself undergoes a change by this process. The body changes the production of IgE and instead develops antibodies which inhibit IgE for initiating allergic responses.
Allergy immunotherapy can benefit 4 out of 5 allergic patients if it is carried out for 2 years continuously. It is particularly effective against dust, pollen and animal dander allergies. Asthma patients also find this treatment technique useful.
