Treatment of Allergy
 Diagnosis of Allergy |  Treatment for Allergy |  Joint Collaborative Severe Asthma Service |  Pre-vaccination Screening Service |
In the future, allergy maybe curable, or even preventable
The HKSH Lee Tak Hong Allergy Centre provides treatments for both allergy sufferers and patients with intolerances. After diagnosis, our allergist will provide an individualized management plan for each patient and this may include medical treatment with drugs, advice on environmental control including food avoidance, immunotherapy and anti-IgE treatment.
Avoidance
It means minimizing or refraining from contact with allergens or allergen-containing substances in one's daily life. In cases of food allergy or intolerance, the Centre's dietitian will assess one's nutritional needs and prescribe a diet to meet one's daily requirements while avoiding the allergens. Asthma can be mitigated if the triggering allergens are identified and avoided, reducing reliance on medication.
Immunotherapy / Desensitization
Avoidance, while essential, is not the only approach. Immunotherapy / desensitization may be adopted to effect substantial improvement in allergic symptoms. It involves the administration of increasing doses of the provoking allergen either by the sublingual (oral vaccines) or subcutaneous route (subcutaneous injections) to desensitise the patient in the course of consecutive 3 years. It is a long-established treatment which is used widely all over the world with proven benefits. HKSH Lee Tak Hong Allergy Centre has pioneered in offering sublingual/ oral desensitization, suitable for children who prefer not to receive injections.
Desensitization is also applicable for patients suffering from food allergies for symptom relief. It involves the intake of a measured dose of food allergens under close monitoring to desensitize the patient. The dose of intake will increase gradually subject to the tolerance level during the treatment course of about 3.5 years. HKSH Lee Tak Hong Allergy Centre offers one-stop desensitization service for patients suffering from food allergies such as milk, egg, peanut, etc.
HKSH Lee Tak Hong Allergy Centre Research