Why Treat the Cause of Food Allergy?

Being diagnosed with a food allergy can be very scary – reactions can be life-threatening, and even with strict avoidance, accidental exposures can happen. Treating the cause of food allergy is one way to keep you or your loved ones safe and healthy.

Treatment at Allergy Associates of La Crosse (AAOL) starts after thorough exam, history, and allergy testing. These elements come together to determine the specific level of sensitivity a patient has to a food, and then allergy drops are made custom to each patient with tiny doses of their problem allergens.

Allergy drops deliver a slowly increasing dose of identified antigens via a liquid drop taken under the tongue daily. Over time, the body gets used to the antigen and learns to not react when exposed to it – which can lead to two outcomes. For some, it’s an added level of safety if accidentally exposed to their allergen, and for others, they may be able to reintroduce the food into their diet.

Reintroduction

After successful treatment, many patients reach a level of tolerance where their problem food can be reintroduced to their diet. Providers will help determine if this is possible through continued testing, and they may also suggest a Graded Oral Food Challenge to safely test the reintroduction in a safe and provider-monitored environment.

Safety Measure

People with severe food allergies may reach a level of tolerance that gives them added safety in case they are accidentally exposed to their food allergen. While this doesn’t mean they can start eating peanuts daily, for example, it means that if a peanut is accidentally ingested, the reaction may be minor – not life-threatening.

Graded Oral Food Challenge

Throughout treatment, AAOL providers may suggest a Graded Oral Food Challenge to check on a patient progress and adjust treatment if needed. It's used alongside allergy blood testing and exams to safely determine if tolerance has been built, or if a food could be safely reintroduced.

In the clinic, providers follow a detailed protocol that gives the specified food in timed intervals at pre-calculated amounts. You can read more about Graded Oral Food Challenges here.

Getting Started

If you or your loved one struggle with food allergies, it may be worth learning more about what you can do to lessen their impact. To get started treating your food allergy, request an appointment at AAOL.