Histamines, Allergy Testing & SLIT Therapy: A Smarter Way to Tackle Allergies
Understanding your immune response—and how to stop it from overreacting
Ah, spring. The flowers are blooming, the birds are singing… and your nose won’t stop running. Welcome to allergy season, where your immune system gets a little too excited about harmless things like pollen or pet dander.
Let’s break down what’s actually going on—and how you can get smarter about your symptoms.
Histamines: Tiny Molecules with Big Impact
When your body encounters an allergen, your immune system releases histamine from cells called mast cells and basophils (Bachert, 2002). These little troublemakers trigger inflammation by binding to H1 receptors, leading to classic allergy symptoms: sneezing, itchy eyes, nasal congestion, and even hives.
Histamine causes:
Vasodilation (blood vessels widen)
Increased capillary permeability (hello, runny nose)
Nerve stimulation (cue the itching)
The stronger your immune sensitivity, the more dramatic your symptoms. This is why some people seem to breeze through spring while others are a walking tissue box. Moreover, many cities (Vancouver included) intentionally plant more male trees to avoid the mess of fruit-bearing ones—but this "tidier" choice leads to higher pollen levels and, unfortunately, more allergies.
Decoding Your Allergies: Skin Prick vs. FST
At Oak, we believe in working smarter—not just harder—when it comes to allergy management. That means personalized testing to uncover your unique triggers.
Skin Prick Testing (SPT)
The gold standard for IgE-mediated allergies (think pollen, mold, dust mites).
Quick and effective: a small amount of allergen is introduced to the skin, and if you react, we’ve got a clue.
Highly sensitive—SPT has shown up to 85% sensitivity in identifying allergic rhinitis (Pooled data).
Food Sensitivity Testing (FST)
A blood test that identifies IgG-mediated responses to certain foods.
Best used to uncover subtle, delayed reactions linked to bloating, brain fog, fatigue, or skin flare-ups.
Not a diagnostic for food allergies—but great for guiding dietary changes.
👉 Testing is not one-size-fits-all, and we’ll help you choose the right tool based on your symptoms.
SLIT: The Allergy Treatment That Trains Your Immune System
If you’ve ever heard of allergy shots (subcutaneous immunotherapy or SCIT), here’s their cooler, gentler cousin: SLIT (Sublingual Immunotherapy).
How it works:
A small dose of allergen (in tablet or liquid form) is placed under your tongue.
Over time, your immune system learns to chill out instead of freak out.
SLIT is safe, effective, and can be done at home—no needles or clinic visits required.
📊 The Science:
Reduces symptoms and medication use (Radulovic et al., 2010)
Especially effective for allergic rhinitis and food allergies
Fewer side effects and drop-outs compared to injections (Wise & Schlosser, 2011)
If you’re looking for long-term relief and a less reactive immune system, SLIT may be your new best friend.
🌿 Your Personalized Allergy Plan
At Oak, we offer a comprehensive allergy care pathway:
Choose the right testing (SPT or FST)
Identify and avoid triggers
Use natural supports for symptom relief
Explore long-term solutions like SLIT
We believe in root-cause resolution, not just masking symptoms.
✨ Ready to take the guesswork out of allergy season? Book a naturopathic visit with one of our practitioners and let’s clear the air—literally.
📚 References:
Bachert, C. (2002). Histamine in allergic rhinitis.
Pipkorn, U. et al. (1988). Allergen-induced histamine release in humans.
Radulovic, S. et al. (2010). SLIT meta-analysis.
Wise, S. K., & Schlosser, R. J. (2011). Sublingual immunotherapy safety.