CornerStone Ear, Nose & Throat is proud to be one of the first in the area to offer allergy drops (sublingual immunotherapy). This convenient alternative to allergy shots allows patients to treat allergies by placing drops under their tongue at home instead of getting weekly injections at a doctor’s office.

How Immunotherapy Works

Immunotherapy involves frequently exposing the patient’s immune system to small yet slowly increasing doses of the specific proteins (allergens) that are triggering the allergy symptoms. This process causes gradual desensitization of the immune system to those allergens. Once the body is desensitized, allergy symptoms are typically reduced or resolved. 

For many patients, the fear of getting weekly immunotherapy shots overshadows the benefit they would receive. Immunotherapy when medically appropriate is most often declined by patients because of two main factors: fear of needles and/or the inconvenience of actually getting the shots. 

For other patients, transportation and time constraints make it impossible to travel to a doctor’s office for weekly allergy shots and then wait for 30 minutes after the injection for safety. The consistent dosing of the allergens is very important, so the inability to go to the doctor’s office consistently is a common reason patients choose not to undergo immunotherapy.