Living With Food Allergies? How Oral Immunotherapy May Help Build Tolerance

Living with a food allergy often means navigating daily life with constant anxiety. Every restaurant meal, birthday party, or school lunch carries the risk of accidental exposure. At Advanced Allergy, Asthma, & Immunology Center PA, we know how exhausting this vigilance can be for families.

Led by board-certified allergist Dr. Patricia Gomez-Dinger, our team provides advanced care for food allergies at our offices in San Antonio and Schertz, Texas. One of the most promising treatments we offer is immunotherapy, specifically oral immunotherapy, which helps patients build tolerance to problem foods.

What is oral immunotherapy and how does it work?

Oral immunotherapy is a medical treatment where you consume very small, gradually increasing amounts of your specific food allergen over time. According to the Cleveland Clinic, patients consume a strictly measured microdose of their food allergen daily to gradually desensitize their immune system and prevent severe reactions.

This process doesn't permanently cure the allergy, but it raises the threshold of what your body can safely tolerate. By slowly training your immune system, this therapy significantly reduces the risk of a life-threatening reaction if you accidentally eat the allergen.

The safety and benefits of building tolerance

Safety is always our top priority during this process, and clinical research supports the effectiveness of this approach. According to data from the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, most infants undergoing oral immunotherapy at home either have no reaction or experience only mild symptoms, such as skin rashes. In addition, no infants in the study required epinephrine.  

For patients dealing with multiple food allergies, additional medical advancements can help. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved an injectable medication to help reduce the severity of allergic reactions in patients ages 1 and older who are exposed to multiple food allergens.

What to expect during your treatment journey

Your journey begins with a comprehensive evaluation and a personalized plan tailored to your specific allergy profile. We help you get started with your initial doses in our clinic, then transition you to taking your daily doses at home.

Over several months, we carefully increase the dose during scheduled office visits. This gradual build-up helps your body safely adapt, giving you and your family greater peace of mind during daily activities. 

You don't have to let food allergies control your life or limit your choices. If you're ready to explore how oral immunotherapy can help you or your child build tolerance, we're here to help. 

Contact our team today to schedule a consultation at our San Antonio or Schertz office.