Sublingual Immunotherapy
What is Sublingual Immunotherapy?
Sublingual Immunotherapy is a treatment that reduces allergen syndromes by giving patients small doses of the substance that is causing their allergy under the tongue over an extended period of time.
Allergen immunotherapy is a treatment that has been performed since over 100 years ago. The most common treatment was injecting the skin with a treatment drug containing an allergen (subcutaneous immunotherapy). With the emergence of the sublingual immunotherapy, patients can now treat themselves at home. In Japan, treatment for cedar pollen allergy and mite-allergic rhinitis are offered.
Treatment effectiveness
Sublingual immunotherapy is effective for symptoms of rhinitis, and allergy symptoms such as itchy eyes and itchy skin.
Who can receive sublingual immunotherapy?
・Patients with cedar pollen allergic rhinitis or mite allergic rhinitis
・Children over the age of 5
・Patients on whom other treatments did not have sufficient effect
・Patients who wish to avoid taking allergy medication that causes sleepiness (those who need to drive or students preparing for entrance exams)
・Patients who want to reduce the amount of medication for rhinitis
Treatment method
Sublingual immunotherapy involves putting a tablet containing an allergen under the tongue once a day, and gradually making the body immune to that allergen. Once the concentration of the extract to be administered is determined, patients will only have to come to the clinic once a month although the tablet must be taken every day. Treatment must be administered continuously for 3 to 5 years for the body to develop a lasting immunity.
Treatment steps
1．Pre-examination and explanation of treatment
Before starting the treatment, patients will need to get a blood test that shows that they are allergic to cedar pollen or mites. If you have not had a blood test done yet, we will perform the test at our clinic.
If you have blood test results from another clinic, please bring them with you.
It will take about a week for the blood test results to come out, so the actual treatment will be administered at a later date.
2．Day of first administration
In order to check that a sudden side effect such as an allergic reaction does not occur, the first administration will be done at the clinic. Please come when you have sufficient time because the test may take some time. (The last available time slot is one hour before the end of our consultation hours.)
3．Regular prescription
Please come for an examination 1 week after your first treatment. If there are no problems, we will prescribe 4 weeks of medication. Patients will be asked to come in once a month for a follow-up and renewal of prescription.
