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Allergen Immunotherapy

Purpose

Your individualized course of allergy shots (immunotherapy) is designed to decrease your allergic sensitivities. The vast majority of allergic patients (80-90%) will experience substantial reductions in their symptoms over time (months to years). Many also reduce or eliminate the need for other medications. Together with avoidance of offending allergens and medication allergy shots represent one of the recommended treatments for allergic rhinitis, allergic conjunctivitis, atopic dermatitis and asthma. Allergy shots are not useful for food/drug allergies or non-allergic conditions like infections.

Treatment Duration

The length of a treatment course varies on a case by case basis but in general a course requires 3 to 5 years of maintenance treatment for completion. Initially there is a build-up phase where the injections are given more frequently but as the High Dose, or maintenance dose, is reached the frequency of injections may be adjusted. The total duration of therapy can vary considerably from patient to patient. During your treatment you will be re-evaluated frequently by your physician. These visits will occur at least annually.

Schedule of Administration

Your series of injections begins at a low dose selected by your physician based on your skin test results and history. Over time the shots build gradually until you reach your High Dose. This High Dose is called the maintenance dose and you will stay on it for the duration of your treatment course unless it is changed by your physician. Maintenance therapy can be continued if you are pregnant BUT notify your OAAC physician when you become pregnant.

The build-up phase of the allergy shots can occur in different formats. Your physician will help you decide which is right for you. Most common is the weekly building schedule. Various accelerated schedules include: 2 or 3 time a week shots, clusters of several shots given on the same day and finally RUSH therapy where many injections are given on one day and then weekly shots follow until you are at your High Dose. RUSH therapy is associated with significantly more side effects (see below) and is not for every patient. However, it does bring you to the High Dose level in a month rather than slowly over many months. This is an advantage for some patients.

Safety

All allergy shots carry some risks for severe anaphylactic reactions. Therefore the injections need to be administered in a medical facility under medical supervision on a regular basis. Weekly or twice weekly shots from our clinic carry a risk of anaphylaxis of 0.015 to 0.02% of injections compared to nationally published risks of 0.1 to 0.3% of injections. RUSH therapy carries a nationally published risk of almost 40% of shots whereas our RUSH risk is closer to 10% of injections. This marked increase in risk however makes RUSH therapy unacceptable for many patients.

Recent News

Very High Tree Pollen Alert Continues for Fifth Straight Day
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Very High Tree Pollen Alert Continues for Fifth Straight Day

VERY HIGH LEVELS of Tree Pollen Detected for 4/3/2026

VERY HIGH RANGE: ALLERGY ALERT. COMBINED TREE POLLEN COUNTS ARE AT VERY HIGH LEVELS on Friday, April 3rd, 2026

TOTAL TREE POLLEN remains in the VERY HIGH RANGE today. This is an extreme exposure situation. Severe symptoms may be expected in tree pollen sensitive individuals. More seriously allergic persons should be advised to stay indoors as much as possible. This is especially true if a person has tree pollen sensitivity or allergic bronchial asthma.

Multiple tree pollens detected today: Oak (VERY HIGH), Mulberry and Sycamore (HIGH); Hackberry, Ash, and Cottonwood (MODERATE); Willow, Cedar, Pine, Privet, Maple, and Sweetgum (LOW).

Spring tree pollen affects thousands of people across the Oklahoma region, triggering allergic rhinitis, commonly known as “hay fever”, as multiple tree species begin pollinating as the weather warms.  These pollen grains can be carried hundreds of miles due to windy conditions.

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The best way to combat these allergens is to stay in filtered air. OAAC’s board-certified allergists recommend avoiding allergy triggers as the best way to reduce symptoms. These triggers include:

  • Limit outdoor activities during days with high pollen counts.
  • Keep windows closed (at home or in the car) to keep pollen out.
  • Don’t wear your outdoor work clothes in the house; they may have pollen on them.
  • Take a shower after coming indoors. Otherwise, pollen in your hair may bother you all night.
  • Leave shoes outside or just inside the door so that you don’t track pollen inside your home.
  • Wash your hands often. Pollen can stick to your hands when you touch something outside or a pet if it has been outside.
  • Wear a dust mask that people like carpenters use (found in hardware stores) when you need to do outdoor tasks such as raking leaves.
  • Clean and replace furnace and air conditioner filters often. Using HEPA (high efficiency particulate air) filters is recommended, which remove at least 99 percent of pollen, as well as animal dander, dust, and other particles.

Some other options include medications like nasal sprays and antihistamines, but it needs to be the correct medicine and should be used continuously throughout the season.

Seasonal allergies (allergic rhinitis, commonly known as “hay fever”) cannot be diagnosed by history alone. A board-certified allergist can diagnose allergies and determine the specific triggers that cause them through simple tests. The allergists at OAAC evaluate and manage patients of all ages from the southwest region.  The main clinic is on the Oklahoma University Health Sciences Center campus.  For patient convenience, satellite offices are located in Edmond, Norman, and northwest Oklahoma City.

For more information about allergic rhinitis (“hay fever”), visit: https://oklahomaallergy.com/services/allergic-rhinitis/

Daily Pollen Counts for Weed, Grass and Tree pollen, as well as Mold levels can be found at: https://oklahomaallergy.com/allergy-report/

Visit the OAAC website at www.oklahomaallergy.com to view the addresses for all Oklahoma Allergy and Asthma Clinic locations.  To make an initial appointment for an allergy, asthma, or immunology problem or to request more information, please call (405) 235-0040 or visit the website.

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