Relief could be on the way for allergy sufferers - but the price is not to be sneezed at

If you're one of 3.5 million Australians who sneeze at the thought of dust mites and pollen, the prospect of spring may have you put you on allergy alert.

However, there is a now a daily pill to target the cause of allergies.

For Ben Daniel, any activity involving dust, fur and pollen can be a headache.

After trying nasal sprays, antihistamines and even surgery, Ben is finally in control of his dust mite allergy.

"I've tried everything, and this is an amazing treatment that can actually cure me of it," he says.

It's called allergy immunotherapy – the first treatment to target the allergy at its source.

"Allergy immunotherapy is really the one way in which you can teach your immune system to become less allergic, and it offers a disease cure for these patients," says Professor Richard Harvey of The University of New South Wales and Macquarie University.

Through daily exposure to small doses of the allergen, the body's own immune system slowly learns to tolerate what it once saw as an intruder.

It can reduce symptoms in a matter of months and eliminate them within three years.

"We're treating not just someone's nose, not just someone's lung, not just someone's skin, but actually the entire inappropriate immune response," Prof Harvey says.

Right now, millions of Australians are gearing up for a season of sneezing, wheezing and countless trips to the chemist.

Specifically targeting dust mite allergies, this treatment can also help control hay fever and allergic asthma.

"There's good evidence to show if you actually treat a common allergen, such as dust mite, that their overall predisposition improves," Prof Harvey says.

But at around $140 dollar a month, the price is nothing to sneeze at.