How does it work?

It works like this. An extract of the substance the patient is allergic to is placed under the patient’s tongue three times a day, every day. Patients can do this for a recommended maxium of five years, also the maximum amount of time they can receive allergy shots. “People think it is very effective. Many people get relief within a few months,” according to Dr. Benoit Tano, UT Health Science Center Allergist. “The more you apply the drops, the more your immune system tolerates the allergen and does not initiate an allergic response.”

This technique is common in Europe, where specific studies have shown it to be safe and effective. Although the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has not yet approved its use as a drug therapy, sublingual immunotherapy can be used as an alternative medicine. It appears to have fewer side effects than allergy shots. Some patients initially experience stomach upset, but that symptom usually goes away over time.

“This is a viable alternative for people who don’t like shots or can’t tolerate them,” Dr. Tano explaines. “People administer the drops wherever they are. They don’t have to go to a clinic each week to get an allergy shot, then wait 30 minutes to ensure they don’t have an allergic reaction.