Can We Teach the Immune System to Chill?
The immune system is designed to protect us, but sometimes it is a little too enthusiastic. It mistakes harmless substances for dangerous invaders and launches a full-scale attack. The result is a familiar lineup of symptoms for allergy sufferers, including sneezing, coughing, congestion, itchy eyes, hives, and fatigue.
For decades, allergy treatment focused on managing symptoms after they appear or avoiding allergens in the first place. But modern science seeks to retrain the immune system instead. This treatment approach is known as immunotherapy.
Why the Immune System Overreacts
Allergies occur because of a miscommunication in the body. When someone with allergies encounters an allergen, their immune system reacts by creating antibodies and releasing chemicals such as histamine. This is what causes allergy symptoms.
These chemicals are meant to protect the body from real threats. From a scientific perspective, the immune system is doing what it has evolved to do, albeit in response to the wrong target. In this case, the immune response isn’t necessary.
The Science Behind Immunotherapy
Immunotherapy works based on the idea that repeated, controlled exposures can change immune system behavior. By introducing a very small dose of an allergen and increasing that dose over time, the immune system may adapt to it.
This process allows the immune system to recognize the allergen as non-threatening. As exposure increases, the response should decrease and tolerance can build. This approach is similar to how many vaccines work.
Gradual Exposure Over Time Builds Tolerance
The question, then, is how to introduce allergens to those suffering from allergies. There are two common ways:
Allergy Shots
One way people receive treatment is through subcutaneous immunotherapy, commonly known as allergy shots. Patients receive injections of allergens, beginning with very low doses. This process is known as the build-up phase. The doses increase gradually.
This is followed by a maintenance phase, where they receive less frequent shots to ensure their immune system remembers the exposure. Over time, many people experience fewer allergy symptoms and lifelong benefits.
Sublingual Immunotherapy
A more recent development in immunotherapy allows patients to skip the needles and focuses on oral use instead. This is known as sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT). Instead of shots, they self-administer drops or tablets under their tongue each day.
This works in much the same way as allergy shots, with consistent use building tolerance to allergens. However, many people find that being able to self-administer medications—or give them to their children—is much more convenient.
Why Immunotherapy Takes Time
Immunotherapy is not a one-and-done type of treatment. It takes time to build tolerance. Allergy shots may be given one to three times a week initially and then every several weeks or once a month during maintenance. This often requires regular office visits for three to five years. Allergy drops are generally used once to three times daily, but still require long-term treatment to achieve the desired results.
When an immune system believes it is acting in the body’s best interests, it will fight hard. Changing this response will not happen overnight. Using immunotherapy to reduce allergy symptoms requires patience, repetition, and consistency. However, when it is effective, it also provides long-lasting results.
Immunotherapy: Going Beyond Allergies
Using immunotherapy to manage allergies is one part of a larger scientific movement called immunomodulation. Some researchers believe it may be possible to treat various conditions by altering the immune response instead of simply suppressing it. This could include autoimmune diseases, cancers, and inflammatory conditions.
The success of immunotherapy for allergies is a hopeful example of how better understanding the immune system can lead to advanced, precise, effective interventions with fewer side effects. Instead of constantly fighting the immune system, care providers can help patients guide it toward a preferred response.
Teaching the Immune System a New Response
So, can we teach the immune system to chill? When it comes to allergies, science suggests we can. The success of immunotherapy shows that immune responses are flexible and we can help shape them over time.
For people interested in how biology and research translate to a better quality of life, immunotherapy for allergies provides a tangible example. Not only do medical advances allow care providers to reduce a patient’s allergy symptoms, but the same concept could be used to manage life-altering and fatal conditions in the future.
