Food Desensitization/Oral Immunotherapy (OIT)
With more than 200,000 people in America per year visiting the ER due to food allergies, appropriate care is needed more than ever. Performed over a long term period, food desensitization can provide freedom from allergic reactions to egg, milk, soy, peanut, tree nuts, seeds, and wheat. Portland Allergy and Asthma is one of three allergy clinics in Oregon able to provide food desensitization. Dr. Fritz has conducted research studies in OIT and was published in “The New England Journal of Medicine” for his research in peanut OIT. Dr. Fritz has also written a book chapter on food allergy used to teach physicians about food allergies worldwide. Over the past ten years, he has successfully desensitized over ninety percent of his food-allergic patients.
Is Oral Immunotherapy right for you?
Oral Immunotherapy involves patients gradually consuming increasingly larger quantities of the food they are allergic to over a period of about 2-12 months. This is then followed by a daily maintenance dose period. The process involves daily doses of the allergen. Patients also attend regular (usually weekly or every 2 weeks) visits with the clinician providing OIT to assess how they’re tolerating each dose level.
Request an appointment to schedule your Oral Immunotherapy appointment!
Drug Desensitization
Portland Allergy and Asthma is capable of desensitizing patients to aspirin, penicillin, and other antibiotics in only 1 to 5 day periods of treatment depending on the medication.
Venom Desensitization
Venom allergy is a condition where an individual experiences a potentially dangerous allergic reaction from the sting of an insect, including the honey bees, wasps, yellow jackets, and hornets. In addition to carrying epinephrine, it is recommended that individuals who experience a dangerous allergic reaction after being stung should undergo allergy evaluation to determine which types of stinging insects they are allergic to. When allergy testing is positive, patients can often be "desensitized" to stinging insect venom, so that future stings are far less likely to cause a problem. This is a simple and potentially life-saving treatment that is covered by almost all insurances.
