Living with food allergies means carefully watching what you eat. A food allergy occurs when your immune system overreacts to a food protein, and this reaction can cause uncomfortable or even serious symptoms. By understanding how treatments work, you can take the first step toward managing your health. Here is more information about how allergy shots may reduce food allergy sensitivity:
Increasing Exposure
Allergy shots for food allergies, a treatment known as oral immunotherapy (OIT), work by gradually introducing your body to the allergen. This process starts with very small amounts of the food protein, and the doses are administered in a controlled medical setting where any reaction may be safely managed. As your allergist slowly increases the dose over time, it helps your body build tolerance. The goal is to raise the threshold that triggers an allergic reaction.
Training the Immune System
The primary goal of this therapy is to retrain your immune system’s response, and it can help your immune system learn not to see the food protein as a threat. Over months, this steady exposure helps modify how your immune cells react, so they stop releasing the chemicals that cause allergic symptoms. This methodical process helps your body adapt to the allergen.
Patients visit their allergist regularly for dose increases, and they must continue taking a daily maintenance dose at home. The immune system gradually learns to tolerate the food protein, reducing the risk of a severe reaction to accidental exposure. While it is not a cure, this process makes a significant difference.
Reducing Antibodies
Immunotherapy helps lower the levels of specific antibodies in your system, because an antibody drives allergic reactions. When you are exposed to an allergen, antibodies trigger the release of histamine and other chemicals. These chemicals cause the symptoms you experience.
Allergy shots help your body produce a different type of antibody, called blocking antibodies. This action prevents food allergies from starting. The therapy also helps decrease the overall number of antibodies. A few positive outcomes of this process are:
- Less severe reactions
- Higher tolerance to the allergen
- Reduced anxiety about accidental exposure
Desensitizing the Body
Ultimately, the process desensitizes your body to the food allergen. Desensitization means you can consume a certain amount of the food without a reaction. This does not mean you can eat unlimited quantities of the food. It does mean that accidental exposure may be less likely to cause a severe event. This provides a safety net for you and your family.
You might feel more comfortable at restaurants or social gatherings. While you must still be cautious, the fear of a reaction from cross-contamination is lessened. You have a protective buffer that was not there before. This new level of tolerance provides help in daily situations. For many, this makes you:
- Comfortable at restaurants or social gatherings.
- Unfearful of a reaction from cross-contamination.
- Protected by a buffer that was not there before.
Get Treated for Food Allergies
Managing a food allergy involves careful planning, but treatments may help reduce your body’s sensitivity. This process aims to help your body build tolerance and reduce the likelihood of a severe reaction. If you are struggling with a food allergy, take the next step. Contact a qualified allergist today to discuss your symptoms and explore personalized treatment options.
