What Are Allergy Drops?

Sublingual Immunotherapy (Allergy Drops) is a method of treating allergies by placing drops of a custom mixed vaccine (extract) underneath the tongue. These help build your body’s tolerance to certain antigens over time.

Who Can Take Them?

Allergy drops are wonderful for children and anyone who does not want to endure the pain and inconvenience of weekly allergy injections. The drops are self-administered on a daily basis in the comfort of your own home.

Are They Safe?

Allergy drops have been used around the world for more than 60 years and are much safer than allergy injections. In fact, the World Health Organization (WHO) has endorsed allergy drops as “a viable alternative to injection therapy.” We have used a form of Allergy Drops in our practice for 25 years.

Are Allergy Drops Covered by Insurance?

The allergy testing needed to mix the drops is covered by most insurances, but the drops themselves are not.  However, most of our patients have found the drops very cost-effective, considering the high cost of gas, allergy medicines, and the cost and inconvenience of weekly time off of work or school for allergy injections.

Food sensitivities includes both food intolerance and true food allergy.

Food Intolerance

Food intolerance affects a large percent of the population, but often goes unrecognized.  The symptoms may occur several hours after eating an offending food and the reactions are not always easily recognized.  Symptoms can include: fatigue, gas, cramps, bloating, stomach pain, nausea, diarrhea, heartburn, GERD, headaches, food cravings, mood swings, muscle/joint pain, daytime sleepiness, and obesity.  Repetitious eating is the largest contributing factor in developing food sensitivities.

Food intolerance treatment may consist of a combination of elimination and rotation diets.  You and Dr. Bishop will determine which treatment is best for you.  Your custom program will help control your symptoms and stimulate your immune system to improve your health.

Elimination Diet

Elimination of the offending food from your diet is the best form of treatment.  Complete elimination can alleviate most, if not all of your symptoms and can lead to tolerance.  Careless, halfhearted, or partial avoidance can, in some people, lead to increased sensitivity.  It is also best to avoid artificial flavors, colors and preservatives.

Rotation Diet

In a rotation diet, alternate foods are eaten on a rotating basis to prevent the development of new food intolerances.

Food Allergy

A true food allergy has a rapid onset of symptoms that range from tingling in the extremities, coughing, wheezing, nausea and vomiting to hives, a swollen tongue and/or throat.  This can ultimately result in a constricted airway and you may stop breathing.  The reaction occurs immediately or within one or two hours after consuming the offending food. 

Food allergies are treated by total avoidance of the food that caused symptoms and that food can never be eaten again.  The most common food allergies are to peanuts, nuts and shellfish.