Oral Immunotherapy Treatment in McKinney and Southlake
Oral immunotherapy (OIT) is a treatment used to desensitize the immune system. With OIT, a patient consumes gradually increasing doses of an allergen. At TexasAllergyMD, this innovative therapy is one of our most effective allergy treatments, consistently helping adults and children reduce the impact of food allergies.
Foods such as peanuts and tree nuts are a common cause of uncomfortable symptoms, and in rare cases may even be life-threatening. If you or your child are at risk from severe reactions, visit us in McKinney/Prosper or Southlake and see how oral immunotherapy treatment can transform your daily life.
Understanding Oral Immunotherapy Treatment
Also known as food allergy desensitization, oral immunotherapy treatment helps patients build tolerance to foods like milk, eggs, peanuts and tree nuts. As a long-term food allergy treatment and management plan, OIT will methodically expose a patient to their specific allergen through daily consumption. Over months of consistent treatment, the immune system is essentially retrained to see the allergen as harmless, rather than being a threat. With careful monitoring, the oral immunotherapy treatment helps patients eat with fewer restrictions, significantly improving their quality of life.
Is Oral Immunotherapy or SLIT Right for You?
Some patients considering OIT may also want to ask Dr. Mireku about SLIT. Also called food allergy drops, SLIT desensitizes the immune system like OIT, but is administered as a liquid extract under the tongue. In contrast, OIT involves eating measured amounts of the allergenic food, often as a powder or flour mixed into another food. Both treatments can help build tolerance by increasing the amount of an allergen needed to trigger a reaction.
Before recommending a treatment Dr. Mireku considers a patient’s allergy history (including the types of reactions they’ve had), along with skin or blood testing results. The patient’s treatment goals also play an important role. For some patients, allergy drops may be the right choice as they require fewer in-office visits. Others may prefer OIT because it may help them build a higher level of protection against accidental exposure. Note that OIT dose increases are conducted under supervision at our allergy treatment centers.
The Oral Immunotherapy Treatment Process
As a leading food allergy specialist in North Texas, Dr. Mireku is committed to reducing the impact of allergy symptoms on people’s lives through personalized, patient-focused allergy care. At TexasAllergyMD, the following is a general overview of the OIT treatment process.
- Initial Consultation – Patients undergo a comprehensive evaluation to determine whether they are well-suited for OIT (including allergy testing services).
- Initial Dose and Escalation – Dr. Mireku administers the initial doses while closely monitoring patient response and watching for adverse reactions.
- Build-Up Phase – The patient continues to receive progressively larger doses of the allergen to build up tolerance.
- Maintenance Phase – At this stage the patient can safely consume a significant dose, and will continue taking the allergen to maintain immunity.
Though successful, OIT is not considered to be a “food allergy cure.” However, oral immunotherapy is highly effective in building tolerance to foods, increasing dietary options – and in reducing food-related stress and anxiety.
Common Questions About Oral Immunotherapy
Is oral immunotherapy treatment appropriate for adults and children?
Oral immunotherapy treatment is appropriate for both adults and children. The allergen doses and treatment process are tailored to a person’s age, severity of allergies and so on.
How long does oral immunotherapy treatment last?
The duration of an OIT program varies, typically ranging from several months to a few years. The time required depends on the patient’s response to the food allergy desensitization process.
What are the risks of oral immunotherapy treatment?
The risks of oral immunotherapy treatment include allergy symptoms like itching and hives. A severe reaction such as anaphylaxis is possible, though rare. Patients are closely monitored to manage any side effects. In a food allergy emergency, an epinephrine injector may be used as a first step to interrupt the symptoms.
Visit Us in McKinney/Prosper and Southlake for Oral Immunotherapy Treatment
TexasAllergyMD is a top provider of innovative food allergy treatments in North Texas. To learn more about oral immunotherapy treatment for adults and children, visit us in McKinney/Prosper or Southlake. Call (469) 375-1525 or request an appointment today.
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