If one is troubled with allergic rhinitis for only one or two relatively short pollen seasons and has symptoms that are relatively mild, medications such as nasal steroids and antihistamines may be sufficient. If these medications are not sufficient, or if the allergic season is very long and severe, one might want to consider shots. One drawback of allergy shots is that they must be taken regularly, at first weekly. After approximately nine months, they can be given monthly. Usually, shots require a three to five year course and one does not see an effect before the first six to twelve months.
Some patients prefer immunotherapy to long-term use of other medications.
It is important to remember that shots have never been completely satisfactory for people who are allergic to animals but keep pets in the home. Under no circumstance should it replace the expert care and advice of a qualified physician. Rapid advances in medicine may cause information contained here to become outdated, invalid or subject to debate. Accuracy cannot be guaranteed.