Respiratory allergic disease is often seen as a modern condition associated with increasing pollution, greater use of pesticides, environmental toxins and global warming. Allergies are caused by an overreaction of the body’s immune system to substances that in most cases would otherwise be harmless.
Common triggers of respiratory allergic disease include pollens, house dust mites, moulds and animal dander. Exposure can lead to a range of symptoms, including allergic rhinitis (inflammation of the upper airways), conjunctivitis (itchy, watery eyes), and allergic asthma (inflammation of the lower airways).
The prevalence of respiratory allergic disease has increased over recent decades and is rising in both developed and developing countries. Globally, an estimated 400-500 million people are affected by allergic rhinitis and 40% of these are children.
For many people, respiratory allergic disease has a significant impact on their quality of life, causing sleepless nights, shortness of breath and resulting in millions of lost school and work days.
Allergy immunotherapy works by giving repeated doses of an allergen, thereby stimulating an immune response in the body which causes the patient to build up an immunological tolerance. Over time, it actually modifies your allergy, offering long-term benefits that include a reduced need for symptomatic medication and may lower the risk of developing asthma.