Allergy Drops: Treating the Root Cause of Allergies, Not Just the Symptoms

The air starts to warm, the birds return, the days grow longer. Spring is a breath of fresh air. Unless…. your allergies are running the show. Sneezing, congestion, itchy eyes, sinus pressure, postnasal drip, and fatigue are just a few symptoms of allergies that may be triggered by pollen. However, for many individuals, it does not stop with spring, as summer grasses, fall weeds and year round dust mites, molds and pets can also trigger symptoms. If you dread a particular season or rely on antihistamines, nasal sprays to get through the day you are not alone.

At Monarch Medical, our nurse practitioners are experienced in the care of allergies, asthma and the immune system. We can help you tailor your regimen of allergy pills and nasal sprays or when these are just not enough, we have allergy drops (sublingual immunotherapy – SLIT), as an option for additional control.

What Are Allergy Drops?

Allergy drops are a form of immunotherapy. Because everyone has a different allergic fingerprint, we help you identify which specific pollens, dust mites, molds and pets you are allergic to. This information is used to create a prescription serum made just for you. The serum is a liquid formulation of your diluted allergens. After you receive your drops from the specialized pharmacy, you administer them at home every day.

So how does this treat your allergies? Allergy drops help treat the root cause of your allergies by retraining your immune system. Right now, your body identifies your allergens, lets take dog dander as an example, as foreign and potentially harmful. When dog dander enters the body via the nose, eyes, respiratory tract, your body launches an inflammation response that results in the symptoms of sneezing, itchy eyes etc. With immunotherapy, we train the body to recognize these allergens. By taking the drops every day, we over time increase the amount of allergen you are exposed to. This results in your body recognizing the allergen and then when you get outside exposure, your body does not launch the aggressive inflammation response. Although symptom relief starts as early as 3-6 months, a long term commitment of 3-5 years is needed to achieve lasting immune system change and long term symptom control.

Why Treating Allergic Inflammation Matters

Many people think allergies are simply annoying symptoms, but allergies are actually an ongoing immune system reaction. When the immune system constantly reacts to allergens, it creates inflammation throughout the respiratory tract and other tissues. This chronic inflammation can affect many things including:

• Persistent nasal congestion

• Sinus infections

• Poor sleep

• Fatigue

• Brain fog

• Chronic coughing

• Asthma flare-ups

• Eczema and skin irritation

When these conditions flare frequently, you may find yourself on steroid like prednisone or frequent antibiotics. Frequent antibiotic use can lead to issues with resistance and can affect your gut health. Frequent use of steroids such as prednisone increase your risk of weight gain, diabetes, osteoporosis and can have affects on your mood and mental health. If your allergies have led to you being on antibiotics more than once a year or you have ever had to have a steroid for your allergy symptoms, you need to come see one of our nurse practitioners at Monarch Medical to talk about allergy drops.

Are Allergy Drops Right for Me or my child?

Allergy drops are a good option for most patients, especially those who:

• Prefer to avoid injections (both adults and children often prefer not to have shots!)

• Do not have the time to go into the office routinely for injections

• Want a convenient at-home option

• Need treatment for both seasonal and year-round allergies

• Want an immunotherapy option with less risk (allergy drops have no documented cases of anaphylaxis, whereas with allergy shots anaphylaxis is a risk).

The Bottom Line

Seasonal and year-round allergies are not just temporary nuisances — they are signs of ongoing immune system inflammation. Left untreated, allergic inflammation can affect breathing, sleep, energy, concentration, and overall quality of life.

If you are ready to feel better, breathe better, sleep better, or reduce your allergy medications, our nurse practitioners at Monarch Medical are ready to help you achieve all of those things. Come meet us and lets make a plan to control your allergies so you can get back to doing the things you love to do in every season.