Beyond Symptom Relief: How SLIT Treats the Root Cause of Allergies

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Despite the fact that allergies are among the most common health conditions worldwide, most people who suffer from them struggle to find long-term solutions. While traditional allergy treatments can provide temporary symptom relief, they often fall short in addressing the root cause of the problem.  

At The Wellness Company, we’re committed to finding ways to help you improve your health in a sustainable, long-lasting way. In a recent article, we introduced sublingual immunotherapy, a treatment which has been shown to be safe and effective for a wide range of allergies. In today’s article, we’ll dive deeper into SLIT, unpacking how it's different from traditional allergy treatments. 

SLIT Treats the Root Cause, Not the Symptoms 

One of the key benefits of sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) is its ability to address the root cause of allergies, rather than merely treating the symptoms. Traditional allergy treatments, such as antihistamines and nasal sprays, act like temporary "band-aids" by blocking the body's immune response when it overreacts. This is like mopping up a spill on the floor rather than fixing the leaky faucet that’s causing the problem in the first place.  While effective in the short-term, traditional treatments do not address the underlying cause of the issue, which in the case of allergies is the immune system’s propensity to overreact to harmless substances.  

While band-aid solutions might help you get through the day, symptoms inevitably return once the medication wears off. To commit to SLIT is to get upstream of the problem, fixing the underlying cause of allergies by gradually introducing tiny amounts of allergens to the immune system, so your body can gradually develop a tolerance. Over time, you won’t need to reach for those short-term band-aid solutions at all.  

Long-Lasting Relief 

Numerous studies have shown that SLIT can provide long-lasting relief from allergies. A three-year prospective study published in The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology found that patients who received SLIT experienced significant reductions in their allergy symptoms for several years after discontinuing treatment [1]. 

SLIT has been found to be safe and well-tolerated in children and adults alike. In contrast to traditional allergy treatments that can cause drowsiness and other side effects, SLIT has a low incidence of adverse reactions, with only six reported cases of anaphylaxis in over 25 years of use, and no fatalities [2]. 

Bottomline 

Sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) is a long-lasting and effective treatment for allergies. Rather than providing a symptom band-aid, SLIT addresses the root cause of allergies. This means long-term relief for years even after treatment has stopped. If you're tired of temporary relief from allergy medications and want a long-term solution, check out The Wellness Company’s AllergyFree Immunotherapy Treatment Program to see whether the program is right for you. 

References 

[1] Marogna, M., Spadolini, I., Massolo, A., Canonica, G. W., & Passalacqua, G. (2009). Long-lasting effects of sublingual immunotherapy according to its duration: a 15-year prospective study. The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, 126(5), 969-975. 

[2] Mauro, M., Russello, M., Incorvaia, C., Gazzola, G. B., Di Cara, G., & Frati, F. (2007). Comparison of efficacy, safety and immunologic effects of subcutaneous and sublingual immunotherapy in birch pollinosis: a randomized study. European annals of allergy and clinical immunology, 39(4), 119-122.