Sublingual Allergy Therapy

Allergy Shots Without Needles

       Sublingual immunotherapy (Allergy Drops or SLIT) are allergy vaccines that are administered under the tongue.
    Allergen immunotherapy is a preventative treatment to relieve allergy symptoms caused by allergens such as pollens, molds, dust mites, and animal dander.
    We perform perform allergy testing or use recent testing. We then customize your sublingual immunotherapy serum to these problematic allergens. Sublingual immunotherapy works similarly to subcutaneous immunotherapy (Allergy Shots), but with out the needle.

       Sublingual immunotherapy is not considered more effective that allergy injection therapy, but there are several clinical situations when SLIT maybe a reasonable alternative.

What are the advantages of SLIT versus allergy injection therapy?

1. Because SLIT is much less likely to cause adverse reactions, it can be self-administered at home. The patient no longer has to drive to the doctor's office every week to get a shot and wait 20-30 minutes.

2. For patients who suffer from hay fever only in the Spring or late Summer, starting SLIT therapy 6-8 weeks before the pollen season may allow for rapid desensitization to tree, grass, ragweed or weed pollen, without having to take allergy shots for the entire year. In Michigan, we recommend starting allergy drops for tree pollen sensitive patients around Feburary 1st; for grass pollen allergic individuals around March 1st; and for ragweed pollen sensitive patients around July 1st.

3. For patients already on allergy injection therapy, SLIT can be used as an add-on treatment, especially during high pollen seasons, when allergy shots alone are not providing satisfactory symptom relief.

4. SLIT therapy can be given to highly allergic infants and young children not old enough for allergy shots.

5. Patients with a real fear of needles can alternatively choose SLIT for allergic desensitization.

6. Patients who travel frequently for work or on vacation, SLIT allows the patient to continue allergic desensitization,without having to find a new doctor's office.

Cost of sublingual immunotherapy

      While the safety and effectiveness of allergy drops for immunotherapy has been proven in Europe, the FDA has yet to approve it in the United States. It is for this reason that SLIT treatment in the United States is considered "off-label" and why SLIT is not currently covered or reimbursed by health insurance plans. The total cost of treatment will depend upon the number of vials ordered.

Patients are expected to pay for the allergy vaccine at the time of their office visit. Any extract mailed to the patient will have to be paid before shipping.

We will continue to participate with your insurance company, as we currently do, for office visits, allergy testing, breathing tests and allergy injections administered in our office or at your primary care doctor's office.