Allergy medications

In addition to avoiding the offending allergen, people may use several medications to prevent and treat the symptoms of allergic rhinitis. The mainstay of treatment is a group of medications known as the antihistamines. Antihistamines work against the histamine chemicals that are released during an allergic reaction. Other groups of medications used to prevent or treat allergy symptoms include mast cell stabilizers, decongestants, and anticholinergics. Corticosteroids may be another option. There may be several forms of each medication in the different groups (e.g., pills, nasal sprays, eye drops). Your pharmacist or doctor may recommend other specific medications based on your individual symptoms and medical conditions.

The table below shows the effectiveness of different types of allergy medication. The more + signs there are, the more effective it is; "0" means not effective.

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When choosing an allergy medication, people tend to go with what has worked for them in the past. There may be a certain brand that you trust will do the trick for your allergy symptoms. However, if you haven't found an allergy medication that works for your symptoms, ask your pharmacist or doctor. They may be able to help you find the best allergy medication for you. Remember that allergy medications should be taken early to prevent symptoms from getting out of control, and that they can be taken regularly to keep symptoms in check.

It is important to read labels carefully and talk to your health professionals, as some brands of allergy medication have a variety of different products. For example, some medications of the Claritin® brand contain an antihistamine called loratadine, which is taken orally in several tablet and liquid forms, while some other Claritin® products do not contain loratadine (e.g., eye drops, nasal spray, and skin itch cream), and some contain a combination of loratadine and a decongestant. Similarly, there are also combination products in the Allegra® and Reactine® brands.

Side effects are another important consideration when choosing an allergy medication. Different side effects are associated with different allergy medications. Many people are concerned about the drowsiness potential of the antihistamine group of medications. Older antihistamines are often associated with drowsiness, while newer "non-sedating" antihistamines usually do not affect the level of mental alertness, though there are differences in drowsiness potential even among the newer antihistamines. While research studies have not directly compared all of the newer antihistamines to each other, there are more reports of drowsiness and warnings about potential occupational hazards with cetirizine (Reactine®) than with loratadine (Claritin®), desloratadine (Aerius®), or fexofenadine (Allegra®).

Allergy medications are safe for the majority of people. If you have heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, eye problems, prostate problems, kidney or liver dysfunction, or a seizure disorder, ask your doctor or pharmacist to recommend the safest allergy medication for you. Women who are pregnant and/or lactating should also consult their health professional.

With the right prevention and treatment plan, you can minimize the impact that allergies have on your life. Read on for more information about controlling environmental allergies - a key part of every allergy prevention plan. The sky's the limit!