Steroid Shot for Allergies: Where to Get One and Why Doctors Hesitate

What Is a Steroid Shot for Allergies?

A steroid shot is an injection of a synthetic corticosteroid, a man-made version of the anti-inflammatory hormones your body makes. For allergies, the usual choice is a long-acting (“depot”) form. The Kenalog-40 label describes triamcinolone acetonide as a synthetic glucocorticoid with anti-inflammatory action and says the injection has an extended duration of effect that may be sustained over a period of several weeks (Kenalog label). Our corticosteroids overview explains how this family of medicines works in general.

Do not confuse a steroid shot with allergy shots. Allergy shots, or immunotherapy, are a series of injections containing small, increasing doses of the things you are allergic to, given over years to build tolerance (AAAAI) (ACAAI). A steroid shot simply suppresses inflammation throughout the body for a while. It does nothing to change the allergy itself.

Do Steroid Shots Work for Hay Fever?

Yes, for many people they bring relief, which is why they stay popular. The Kenalog label says patients with hay fever or pollen asthma who are not responding to other conventional therapy may obtain a remission of symptoms lasting throughout the pollen season after a single injection (Kenalog label). The AAAAI/ACAAI guideline acknowledges the appeal: a single depot injection acts for three weeks or longer, which is often enough to cover an entire allergy season (AAAAI/ACAAI guideline).

That convenience is the whole sales pitch. One visit replaces a daily spray or pill. The problem is what comes along with it, and the fact that safer options give similar relief for most people.

Where Can You Get a Steroid Shot for Allergies?

A steroid shot is a prescription medicine that a clinician injects deep into a large muscle; the Kenalog label calls for a deep injection into the buttock (gluteal) muscle and says the shoulder (deltoid) should be avoided because of a much higher rate of local tissue atrophy there (Kenalog label). That means you need an in-person visit with a licensed prescriber. People typically ask a primary care doctor, an urgent care or walk-in clinic, an ear, nose and throat (ENT) specialist, or an allergist.

Whether you actually get one is up to the clinician. The label limits allergic rhinitis use to severe or incapacitating allergies that have not responded to adequate trials of conventional treatment (Kenalog label), and the specialist guideline goes further and suggests not prescribing depot steroids for allergic rhinitis at all, even in very severe cases (AAAAI/ACAAI guideline). So expect questions about what you have already tried. Many clinicians will want to see that you have used a daily nasal steroid spray correctly before considering anything stronger.

Why Many Doctors Avoid Steroid Shots for Allergies

In its 2020 rhinitis practice parameter, the joint task force of the AAAAI and ACAAI states plainly that depot parenteral corticosteroids are not recommended for treatment of allergic rhinitis due to potential risks. For very severe or intractable allergic rhinitis, it suggests clinicians may consider a short (5 to 7 day) course of oral steroids instead, and that they not prescribe a depot injection because of the potential for systemic and local steroid side effects (AAAAI/ACAAI guideline). The AAAAI’s patient guidance on grass allergy adds that steroid pills and shots are much stronger than topical steroids, can cause more side effects such as weight gain, high blood pressure and bone problems, and should only be used cautiously under an allergist’s guidance (AAAAI).

You cannot take it back

A pill course can be stopped. A depot shot keeps releasing medicine for weeks. The Kenalog label notes that after a single intramuscular dose of 60 to 100 mg, the body’s own adrenal hormone production is suppressed within 24 to 48 hours and usually takes 30 to 40 days to return to normal (Kenalog label). The guideline cites studies showing adrenal suppression after a single injection of another depot steroid used for hay fever, and reviews finding no delivery method, dose or duration for which the risk of adrenal suppression can be safely ruled out (AAAAI/ACAAI guideline).

Side effects add up with repeat shots

The Kenalog label lists effects that apply to corticosteroids generally, including a higher risk of infection, higher blood sugar, bone loss that can lead to osteoporosis, mood changes and insomnia, and eye problems such as cataracts and glaucoma (Kenalog label). Most worry centers on repeated seasonal use. A Danish registry study of 47,382 people with allergic rhinitis compared those who received at least one steroid injection during pollen season for three or more consecutive years with those treated with immunotherapy. The steroid group had a 50% higher rate of diabetes diagnosis (rate ratio 1.5) and a 20% higher rate of osteoporosis diagnosis (rate ratio 1.2), with the diabetes risk peaking in the first two years (PubMed). The study shows an association, not proof of cause, but the authors concluded that yearly depot steroid injections for hay fever should be replaced with immunotherapy (PubMed).

Local problems at the injection site

The guideline notes that local muscle atrophy and fat necrosis, though rare, have been described (AAAAI/ACAAI guideline), and the Kenalog label warns that atrophy of the fat under the skin may occur if the injection is not given properly (Kenalog label). That can leave a visible dent.

What Works Instead

For most people, the same or better relief is available without a body-wide dose of steroid:

• A daily nasal steroid spray. ACAAI calls intranasal corticosteroids the single most effective drug class for hay fever. They reduce congestion, sneezing, itching and a runny nose, and are designed to avoid the side effects of steroids taken by mouth or injection (ACAAI). The guideline also calls them the preferred single therapy for persistent allergic rhinitis (AAAAI/ACAAI guideline). Compare brands in Flonase vs. Nasacort vs. Rhinocort.
• Antihistamines and combination sprays. Newer antihistamines help sneezing, itching and watery eyes with minor side effects (ACAAI), and the guideline supports adding a nasal antihistamine spray to a nasal steroid (AAAAI/ACAAI guideline). See Zyrtec vs. Claritin vs. Allegra and antihistamine pills vs. nasal sprays.
• Starting early. Many hay fever medicines work best when started before pollen season. Our guide on how to start allergy meds before pollen season lays out a simple plan.
• Immunotherapy for the long haul. Allergy shots or under-the-tongue tablets help the body build tolerance and reduce the intensity of symptoms over time (ACAAI). They start with allergy testing to confirm exactly what you react to.

If a few nights of misery are the issue, our best sneeze treatments guide covers fast symptom relief, and the tree, grass and ragweed treatment guides cover each pollen season. In Florida, where tree pollen can start in winter, see when allergy season starts in Florida.

When to See an Allergist

If you have been asking for a steroid shot every year, that is a sign your allergies are not well controlled, and an allergist is the right next step. An allergist can test for your triggers, fine-tune your medicines and talk with you about immunotherapy. AAAAI stresses that allergy shots are not the same as steroid shots and should be given in the office under an allergist’s supervision (AAAAI). Browse the Find an Allergist directory or the Florida allergist directory, including Tampa, Sarasota, Orlando and Miami.

Written by: SeasonalAllergies.org Editorial Team (November 11, 2026)

This article is for general education and is not medical advice. Talk with your doctor or an allergist about your symptoms before starting, stopping or changing any treatment.

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