How does desensitizing immunotherapy work, when overexposure to an allergen can cause an allergy in the first place?

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It’s pretty much all in the title.

I’ve been told that tons of exposure to an allergen can cause a person to develop an allergy. An example would be previously non-allergic healthcare workers developing a latex allergy after constant latex exposure at work.

But then, immunotherapy shots I’m told are often just a bunch of the allergen in question.

I’m confused!

In: 3

2 Answers

Anonymous 0 Comments

I have allergies. I have had them all my life. To environmental thing to food. And I went to an allergist where I got sometimes 10 different desensitization shots. And for years I mean years. Outcome? They did nothing to help me with my allergies.

Anonymous 0 Comments

The latex allergy you’re describing I’m not aware of. But immunotherapy is typically small doses *consistently*, not large doses. Over time the body stops recognizing the allergen as invasive and becomes benign.