WASHINGTON, D.C. (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Regular allergy shots help a lot of people, but finding the time to get them can be taxing. And they actually don’t work for about 25 percent of patients. Now there’s a new form of allergy relief that could help.

Lots of leaves. Tons of trees. It’s a dream environment for some. But for Mike Kuligowski, the great outdoors is a great big nightmare.

"There were just periods of time when it was just absolutely miserable," Kuligowski says.

Until recently, his allergies forced him to avoid the outdoors and get weekly shots.

"Over the course of time, I tried to keep up with it, but I just couldn’t do it," Kuligowski says.

But then, doctors at Georgetown University told him he could trade in weekly shots for just three drops daily under his tongue he administers himself. It’s called sublingual immunotherapy, or SLIT. Patients get a bottle of solution that’s tailor-made. It’s the same serum found in regular allergy shots.

"The difference is the route of administration and the concentrations of the drops is higher than the shots," says Suzette Mikula, M.D., an otolaryngologist at Georgetown University Medical Center in Washington, D.C.

The drops are not as common in the United States, but they’ve been used in Europe for about 40 years. The World Health Organization has approved them as an alternative to allergy injections.

"It is not unsafe. There have been no mortalities reported with it. There have been mortalities reported with allergy shots," Dr. Mikula says.

Doctors say it’s great for patients afraid of needles, those who have reactions to shots, or those who are too busy for weekly doctor's appointments.

"It gave me total control over my life," Kuligowski says.

Insurance doesn’t typically cover the cost. But patients like Kuligowski say they’ll gladly pay between $30 and $150 a month for relief.

"It's a nice thing to get out of the office, to come somewhere and be able to sit and relax away from the office in a quiet park," Kuligowski says.

The drops start working for most patients in six to 12 months. And patients are usually fully immunized in three to five years. Some patients do have minor reactions, such as itching or burning. The drops are not yet FDA approved in the United States.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:

Georgetown Health Care Referral

(202) 342-2400