Sublingual Immunotherapy

Sublingual immunotherapy is a treatment option for people with allergies who can’t tolerate injections (allergy shots). At Raymond L. Yung, MD, PC, in Lower Manhattan in New York City, the Sunset Park neighborhood in Brooklyn, and the Flushing neighborhood in Queens, New York, Raymond Yung, MD, and the other board-certified otolaryngologists offer allergy testing and sublingual immunotherapy treatment. To find out more about sublingual immunotherapy, call the office nearest you or book an appointment online today. Walk-ins are also welcome.

What is sublingual immunotherapy?

Sublingual immunotherapy is a treatment option for people with allergies. Allergies occur when your immune system reacts to a substance it considers harmful to you, even though it’s not harmful to most people. This reaction triggers the release of chemicals that cause symptoms like itchy eyes, runny nose, sore throat, or hives.

Allergies are common and affect many people. 

Sublingual immunotherapy is a treatment option for people with environmental allergies like ragweed, grass, and dust. The medication contains a small amount of the allergen that triggers the reaction. As you go through treatment, the dose of the allergen slowly increases.

Sublingual immunotherapy aims to desensitize your immune system to the allergen, decreasing the reaction. The treatment is an alternative to allergy shots, which works in the same way but requires regular injections.

Am I a candidate for sublingual immunotherapy?

Your otolaryngologist at Raymond L. Yung, MD, PC, determines if you’re a candidate for sublingual immunotherapy after a consultation. Before making any treatment recommendations, they perform allergy testing. 

They offer skin prick and subdermal allergy testing at the office. During these tests, they expose your skin to small amounts of the suspected allergen and wait for a reaction. These tests identify the allergens causing your symptoms to get you the right treatment.

If you have an environmental allergy treatable with sublingual immunotherapy and allergy medication fails to relieve your symptoms or you’re looking for a long-term solution, then your provider may consider you a candidate for sublingual immunotherapy.

What happens during sublingual immunotherapy?

The specialist at Raymond L. Yung, MD, PC, customizes your sublingual immunotherapy to match your allergy needs. They create a vial of drops that contain your allergen. You take these drops daily, placing them under your tongue, as prescribed by your otolaryngologist.

During the first four months, your provider slowly increases the dose of the allergen until you reach your maintenance dose. You continue to take the maintenance dose daily as prescribed.

How long do I need sublingual immunotherapy?

You may notice improvements in your allergy symptoms within several weeks to months after starting sublingual immunotherapy. However, the specialists at Raymond L. Yung, MD, PC, recommend you continue sublingual immunotherapy for three to five years to get the best results.

Sublingual immunotherapy not only reduces your allergy symptoms but may also prevent allergy-related complications like chronic sinusitis and asthma.

To find out how sublingual immunotherapy can help you get relief from your allergies, call Raymond L. Yung, MD, PC, or schedule an appointment online today.