Should I see an allergist?

If you've tried medications and nondrug approaches and haven't found relief from your chronic allergies, consider talking with an allergist about immunotherapy. Expect to have a skin or blood test to identify what triggers your allergies. Then you'll receive shots of gradually increasing doses of those allergens. Research shows immunotherapy can effectively and safely reduce symptoms and the need for medication.

But the process takes time: After about four months of weekly or biweekly injections, you'll need monthly booster shots for up to five years. Patients receiving treatment for two different allergens can expect to pay, on average, $921 for the first year of shots and $345 for the subsequent two to five years, estimates Linda Cox, M.D., the chair of the Practice and Policy Division of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, a professional medical organization. Patients who only require treatment for one allergen may pay, on average, $608 for the first year and $208 for subsequent years.