The Three Phases of Allergy Drop Treatment Explained

Learning how to drive a car – first in the classroom, then practicing behind the wheel until you’re comfortable – takes time. The body goes through the same type of process during allergy drop treatment following The La Crosse Method™ Protocol, while it learns to not react to the allergens that make you sick. There are three phases to treatment, and it’s important to stick with all of them to feel your best.

Initial Oral Tolerance

The first phase of allergy drop treatment lasts about three months, and in this phase the body learns to tolerate the treatment itself. Since treatment is a drop taken under the tongue, there may be some minor initial mouth itching as it gets used to this direct exposure to identified allergens.

When you’re learning to drive a car, you start in the classroom to learn all the rules and regulations. You’re just getting used to the idea of driving, and it’s the shortest part of the process.

Symptom Relief

The symptom relief phase is maybe the most exciting because you may start to feel better. The body starts to learn that the identified allergens aren’t harmful, so there is no need to react, and therefore symptoms are reduced. While a lot of people start to feel better during this phase, it’s important to keep taking treatment as directed.

Getting behind the wheel for the first time is so exciting, but it takes a lot of practice before you take the test and get your license. Even when you start feeling confident enough to take on the open roads by yourself, it’s important to keep practicing with a trusted driver.

Long-Term Tolerance

The last phase of treatment is important to create tolerance long after you stop taking allergy drops. In this phase, from years two to five, your allergen tolerance continues to go up and prepares the body for in-the-real-world exposures. With repeat testing and monitoring, your provider will tell you when it’s the right time to stop taking your allergy drops.

Even after you get your license, you spend the first few years learning through experience. You’re exposed to new situations, make mistakes, and eventually feel the confidence. You stop thinking about what to do at every intersection, stop stressing about merging, and just drive.

Getting Started

Taking your allergy drops as directed – three times daily for the length of treatment – is key to better, faster, and long-lasting results. After successful treatment, many patients have reduced or eliminated environmental allergy symptoms. Those with food allergies may be safe in case of accidental exposure, and some are able to safely re-introduce a once problematic food.

The first step to treatment is to schedule an appointment with a provider at AAOL. They’ll start by conducting allergy testing, an exam, and collecting your history. They use this information to create allergy drops custom to each patient, specific to their allergens and level of sensitivity.

Get started here.