Menu
About Allergies
Allergy Treatments
Living With Allergies
Online Pharmacy
There is no cure for allergies, but there are several over-the-counter and prescription medications that can make living with allergies easier. These include:
Allergy shots that gradually increase your ability to tolerate allergens are another long-term treatment option.
About Allergies
Allergy Treatments
Living With Allergies
Online Pharmacy
Antihistamines are one of the most important medicines for treating allergies. Antihistamines help relieve congestion, sneezing, itchy eyes, and an itchy, runny nose. Many over-the-counter antihistamines cause drowsiness and carry warnings about driving or operating machinery while taking them. Your doctor can prescribe a non-sedating antihistamine to help manage your symptoms without drowsiness. There are also over-the-counter and prescription eye drops available to ease eye symptoms.
Antihistamines help relieve symptoms by blocking the action of histamine, a naturally occurring substance that is released by the immune system after you are exposed to an allergen. Histamine is released by specific cells called "mast cells" located in the nose and sinus membranes and in other parts of the body such as the gastrointestinal tract (stomach and intestines). Histamine attaches to receptors on nearby blood vessels and other receptors located in nasal tissues, causing redness, swelling, itching and changes in secretions. By blocking histamine receptors, antihistamines prevent these symptoms.
| Prescription | Over-the-Counter |
| Allegra | Benadryl |
| Claritin | Benadryl Allergy |
| Claritin Reditabs | Dimetapp Allergy Liqui-Gels |
| Zyrtec | Tavist |
Decongestants are available in nasal spray, eye drop, or pill form. Pills are recommended for longer use, since decongestant nasal sprays or eye drops used more than three days may actually make your symptoms worse. However, oral decongestants generally take longer to work, whereas nasal sprays tend to provide more immediate relief of symptoms.
If you are taking medicine to lower your blood pressure, ask your doctor about taking decongestants, since they may raise blood pressure. Decongestants may also cause insomnia or irritability, or restrict urinary flow. Decongestants are not recommended for people with glaucoma.
During an allergic reaction, tissues in your nose swell in response to contact with the allergen, causing more fluid and mucus to be produced. Enlarged blood vessels cause increased redness of the eyes. Decongestants shrink swollen nasal tissues and blood vessels to relieve the symptoms of nasal swelling, congestion, mucus secretion, and redness.
| Actifed Sinus Daytime | Ornex Maximum Strength Caplets |
| Advil Cold and Sinus | Sine-Aid Maximum Strength |
| Contac Allergy/Sinus Day Caplets | Sinutab Sinus Maximum Strength Without Drowsiness |
| Dristan Cold Caplets | Sudafed Sinus Maximum Strength Without Drowsiness |
| Motrin IB Sinus | Tylenol Sinus Maximum Strength |
Some allergy medicines contain both an antihistamine and a decongestant to relieve multiple symptoms, including itching, sneezing, and a runny nose. Combination medicines also help clear the nasal passages. Combination medicines are available over-the-counter and by prescription. The prescription combination medicines do not cause drowsiness.
| Prescription | Over-the-Counter |
| Claritin-D 12 Hour | Benadryl Allergy Decongestant Liquid Medication |
| Claritin-D 24 Hour | Chlor-Trimeton 12 Hour Relief |
| Kronofed-A Kronocaps | Drixoral Cold and Allergy |
| Bromfed | PediaCare Cold Formula |
Nasal sprays help prevent nasal allergy symptoms. Nasal sprays are available in these forms:
Corticosteroids, cromolyn sodium, and artificial tears (which contain no medicine) are all available in eye drop form for treating itchy, watery and red eyes. Artificial tears and a form of cromolyn are available over the counter; steroid drops are available only by prescription.
Allergy shots, or immunotherapy, may be the most effective form of treatment if you suffer from allergies more than three months of the year. These shots expose you to gradually increasing levels of allergen to help your immune system build tolerance.
Allergy shots are given regularly, with gradually increasing doses in your upper arm. When starting immunotherapy, you should get a shot once a week for about 40 weeks. The dose is increased each time until the maintenance dose is reached.
If the shots are effective, you will continue to go to your healthcare provider every two to four weeks for two to four years for more shots. You may become less sensitive to allergens during this time and your allergy symptoms will become milder and may even go away completely.
Usually, you will be monitored for about 30 minutes after receiving the shot to make sure that you don't develop side effects such as itchy eyes, shortness of breath, runny nose, or tight throat.
Do not exercise or engage in vigorous activity for two hours before and after your appointment. Exercise causes the body to produce adrenaline, which may make the shot enter your system faster and trigger a reaction.
Tell your doctor if you are taking a beta blocker or monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI) medication. These drugs can interfere with the treatment needed if you have an allergic reaction after receiving the allergy shot.
If you are or are planning to become pregnant, talk to your doctor about the safety of continuing the allergy shots.