What is hyposensitisation?

The treatment that addresses the cause: the allergen is given in slowly increasing doses (as an injection or as drops) in order to reduce the sensitivity. It runs as a rule over about three years.

How long does hyposensitisation take?

As a rule about three years with regular appointments. It is started where possible before the allergy season; after each injection there is a short observation period at the practice.

What can I do myself?

Where it is possible, avoiding the trigger helps most. For pollen, house dust mite and mould allergies you will find concrete everyday recommendations on the Everyday recommendations page.

Allergy treatment

Allergies can be treated along three routes: avoiding the trigger (allergen avoidance), hyposensitisation as a causal therapy and medicines that relieve the symptoms.

Overview

Once the trigger of an allergy is established, the treatment follows from it. Three approaches complement one another: avoiding the allergen (allergen avoidance), hyposensitisation as a causally oriented therapy, and medicines that relieve the symptoms.

After the allergy diagnostics we decide together which route, or which combination, makes sense for you. Hyposensitisation belongs in the hands of a doctor experienced in allergology.

Areas of application

Confirmed allergy with distressing symptoms
Hay fever and allergic rhinitis
Allergic asthma (in coordination with the further treatment)
Insect venom allergy
When avoiding the trigger alone is not enough

Procedure

Allergen avoidance (avoiding the trigger)
If the triggering allergen is known, consistently avoiding it is the fundamental measure. With aeroallergens such as pollen or moulds that is not always possible. Stays in the high mountains or in coastal and island regions can have a favourable effect here (climate therapy).
Hyposensitisation (specific immunotherapy)
It is currently the only treatment that addresses the cause of the allergy, and it aims to reduce the sensitivity to the trigger. The allergen is given at regular intervals in slowly increasing doses, as an injection under the skin or as drops. The treatment begins where possible before the allergy season and as a rule extends over about three years. After each injection an observation period of about 30 minutes is required.
Treatment with medicines
Medicines act on the symptoms and ease the complaints. Anti-inflammatory and anti-allergic medicines are used, either locally or as a tablet. We set the choice and the dosage individually.

Everyday recommendations for pollen, house dust mite and mould allergy

What to expect

Hyposensitisation runs over about three years with regular appointments and should be started before the allergy season.
After each injection you stay at the practice for about 30 minutes for observation.
Medicines relieve the symptoms but do not remove the cause.
Where it is possible, avoiding the trigger remains the most important measure.
On the day of the injection, avoid strenuous physical exertion, sauna, hot baths and alcohol. All of these can encourage reactions.

Risks & notes

With subcutaneous hyposensitisation (injection), stronger and also systemic allergic reactions up to anaphylactic shock can occur in rare cases, most likely within the first 30 minutes. It is therefore given by experienced doctors, with an observation period of at least 30 minutes afterwards and emergency readiness; with the sublingual form (drops or tablets), milder local reactions in the mouth are usually to be expected.
Hyposensitisation is not suitable in every situation, for example with insufficiently controlled asthma, during pregnancy (starting anew) or with certain concomitant medication (e.g. beta blockers). We check suitability and contraindications before starting.
Medicines for symptom relief can have side effects depending on the active ingredient; we discuss with you which ones come into question.
Avoiding some allergens completely (pollen, for example) is often not possible in everyday life.

Everyday recommendations

Concrete everyday recommendations for pollen, house dust mite and mould allergy (airing, garden, holidays, bedroom, home) are collected on a page of their own: Everyday recommendations for allergies.

Frequently asked questions

What treatment options are there for allergies?: Three routes that complement one another: avoiding the trigger (allergen avoidance), hyposensitisation as a causal therapy and medicines to relieve the symptoms. After the diagnostics we decide together what makes sense.
What is hyposensitisation?: The treatment that addresses the cause: the allergen is given in slowly increasing doses (as an injection or as drops) in order to reduce the sensitivity. It runs as a rule over about three years.
How long does hyposensitisation take?: As a rule about three years with regular appointments. It is started where possible before the allergy season; after each injection there is a short observation period at the practice.
What can I do myself?: Where it is possible, avoiding the trigger helps most. For pollen, house dust mite and mould allergies you will find concrete everyday recommendations on the Everyday recommendations page.