Library · Method
Allergen desensitization
Make it clearer
Someone with an allergy overreacts to something that is harmless for most people: pollen, dust mites, cat dander. Desensitization is a way to reach a temporary state of tolerance to that agent, that is, to get the body to stop treating it as a threat.
The trick is in the dose. An extract of the allergen itself is given, starting with an amount below the maintenance dose and working up little by little. Several things change inside at once: regulatory T cells come into play, cells that put the brakes on the response and secrete interleukin 10, and the antibodies switch class, from the IgE that sets off the allergy to an IgG4 that works as a blocker.
It is given as an injection under the skin or under the tongue. It is a treatment that modifies the underlying disease. It can also cause severe reactions, which is why it is given under medical supervision.
In brief
Desensitization aims for temporary tolerance to the agent that triggers the allergic reaction.
An allergen extract is given in rising doses, starting below the maintenance dose.
The same allergen in doses that climb slowly, until the body stops treating it as a threat.
Regulatory T cells and interleukin 10 take part, and antibodies shift from IgE to blocking IgG4.
It is given as an injection under the skin or sublingually.
It is disease-modifying and can cause severe reactions, so a physician supervises it.
Sources (1)
- National Center for Biotechnology Information, StatPearls PublishingAllergy Immunotherapy, StatPearlsPublished
This page explains the topic in general terms; it does not tell anyone what treatment to follow.
Updated