Chiropractic Healing Works

Allergy Pills Vs. Allergy Shots

1 July 2015 by Charlie Berry

Although it has been commonplace to treat allergies via allergy shots for the last few decades, recently allergy treatment in the form of sub-lingual pills has started to appear in the medical world.  If you receive allergy shots, your interest might have been piqued when you heard about taking allergy pills, rather than receiving shots. You should know the difference between the two if you are thinking of asking your allergist to be treated with a pill rather than with a shot.

Ease of Use

For many people, the relatively recent debate that has begun between allergy pills vs. allergy shots boils down to ease of use. The fact of the matter is that antihistamine pills win hands down in this regard. By walking to your local pharmacy, you can pick up a bottle of OTC anti-allergy or anti-inflammatory medication for a small price and be on the road to recovery in no time flat.

Compare this to the relative ordeal of going to a physician's office, receiving a shot and potentially filling out a litany of paperwork – including insurance claims. Also, take into consideration that the very act of receiving a shot is not exactly a walk in the park either. One must undergo allergy testing, which involves several scratches against the skin, in order to determine what causes your allergies.

Shots must also receive regular "updates" in order to maintain effectiveness.  This means that you will be receiving them once a week every three to five months. Although you could potentially be taking medication on a daily basis, the procedure involved in popping a few pills is much less taxing than receiving a shot.

Cost

In most short-term cases, OTC pills are also significantly cheaper. A visit to a clinic to get a shots can cost anywhere from $25 - $100 per session, while a bottle of pills generally only costs a few dollars. You should take into consideration that you will be receiving the shots more than 25 times the first year and that your insurance plan might not cover the shots.

From a long-term perspective, however, allergy shots are actually much cheaper. The fact of the matter is, most insurance plans do cover allergy shots, while allergy medication is not covered because most forms of the medication have become OTC drugs. Allergy shots usually only require a minimal co-pay, and once the shot sessions are finished, you will have relief from allergy symptoms for up to three years.

Effectiveness

The bottom line is--how effective are either of these treatments? Ultimately, they are equally effective. Generally speaking, both fight against airborne allergens such as tree pollens, weed pollens, dust mites, mold spores, cat dander, insect stings, and grass pollens. Shots' effectiveness against allergens related to skin and food allergies are debatable; there are, however, tablets that are able to prevent symptoms from appearing, as well as pills that provide relief from such phenomena. Shots provide relief from some forms of allergies better than what can be provided with OTC pill relief; for example, those who suffer from hay fever can actually prevent their asthma-like symptoms from manifesting by undergoing allergy shot treatment.

Dangers Involved

Sometimes the allergy shot will cause mild allergic symptoms soon after you take the shot. In rare cases, allergy shots can cause a severe allergic reaction called anaphylaxis. During anaphylaxis, your blood pressure plummets, and you will have difficulty breathing. This side effect usually occurs soon after the injection and must be treated immediately or else death will occur. However, OTC pills are, for the most part, incredibly safe, and no specific precautions should be taken before ingesting them.

Of course, you should consult with your allergist to get more information on these treatments, as well as hear what he has to say about what he believes to be the best course of treatment for you. Allergy tablets rather than shots are not for everyone, and working with your doctor will determine what will work best for you and your allergies.

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