The patient was put on sublingual inhalant immunotherapy and at the followup visit two months later, Jill was markedly improved. Her persisting fatigue, headaches, and multiple nasal complaints had virtually disappeared and her dependence on three different inhalers was unnecessary due to the sublingual immunotherapy. In general, more antigens can be treated sublingually compared to injection desensitization. The risk of serious allergic reactions is much more common with shots. Once a child's allergies are identified, asthma and related allergies can often be treated with sublingual immunotherapy.
Sublingual immunotherapy is essentially a homeopathic-like treatment.
It involves the detection of each allergen and the subsequent development of a treatment comprised of specific allergen dilutions which block adverse reactions. Sublingual immunotherapy is an effective treatment for foods, molds, chemicals and pollen allergies that are causing multiple medical complaints, including asthma-related problems. In addition, this method of treatment is particularly effective for small children because each treatment is administered under the tongue and no injections are necessary. Jill's case illustrates the significant role underlying allergies play in asthma conditions and the dramatic results sublingual immunotherapy can have in treating these problems. In evaluating a patient for asthma, it is important to look at the total picture and the various factors that can provoke asthma symptoms.