Allergen Specific Immunotherapy has excellent evidence for treating Hayfever, but can it also treat Asthma?
Many clinical trials have shown excellent effects for patients with hay fever/allergic rhinitis. They show much reduced medication use, markedly reduced symptoms, and for some people, a practical cure.
Similar trials have also shown an improvement in symptom scores for patients with allergic asthma. This can be especially significant for patients struggling with large daily doses of medications to maintain control. The disease modifying effects of immunotherapy, make it the only treatment that potentially addresses the underlying allergic mechanisms. This means patients can continue to experience the benefits for years after stopping therapy.
Only certain Asthma patients will benefit from immunotherapy - so is important to be carefully assessed by an allergy specialist. They will work to identify if there is an allergic trigger that can be targeted by immunotherapy. For safety reasons, asthma must be fully assessed, and stable before starting therapy. Respiratory function testing and careful consideration of asthma symptoms are part of all treatment plans. Your Allergy Specialist can provide these assessments, as well as any required skin allergy testing to design a treatment plan for each individual patient.