Hyposensitization | Therapy for food allergy

Hyposensitization

Classical hyposensitization is based on the principle of exposing the body to the allergen in slowly increasing doses. The aim of this is that the body undergoes a tolerance development due to the repeated confrontation with the food in low doses, so that the allergy no longer occurs in everyday life after successful therapy, even if normal high doses of the allergen are taken. The principle of hyposensitization has so far been used especially for patients with pollen allergies (hay fever), insect venom allergies and also allergies to animal hair and house dust mites.

In the field of food allergies there are no established procedures for hyposensitization. However, there are studies that deal with the topic of hyposensitization in allergies to nuts, milk and chicken protein and show first successes. Hyposensitization in this case does not take place in the form of an injection under the skin but orally, i.e. in tablet form. In the next few years, further studies will bring more and more new results, so that in the future hyposensitization will be a conceivable therapy option for food allergies.

You should have this emergency set with you

People with a food allergy should carry an emergency kit with them. Especially if a severe allergic reaction, also known as anaphylactic shock, has already occurred. This situation is potentially life-threatening if the appropriate medication is not administered promptly.

Therefore, an allergy pass should always be carried along with the emergency kit. This way, in case the person concerned is unconscious, the emergency situation can be recognized and acted upon on the basis of the allergy passport. The most important medication of the emergency set is adrenaline.

It is carried as an emergency pen (emergency pen with application aid). The adrenaline should be injected into the outside of the thigh.Usually, it is not necessary to free the skin, so the pen can also be administered through clothing. In addition to adrenaline, emergency sets for allergy treatment often contain antihistamines such as Fenistil or Cetirizine and glucocorticoids such as Prednisolone.

These drugs are taken as tablets or in drop form. Only in the area of emergency medical services is an intravenous application of antihistamines and glucocorticoids carried out in case of a severe allergic reaction. However, adrenaline is the only emergency medication that has an immediate effect and is acutely life-saving. The effect of the other drugs only sets in over hours and has no significant significance in the acute situation. Nevertheless, their use in acute situations, in addition to the use of adrenaline, is usually recommended.