Antihistamines

Different medications can treat allergies, including steroids iand iallergy ishots, ibut iusually ithe ifirst ithing ito itry iis ian iantihistamine.

How iAntihistamines iTreat iAllergies

When iyour ibody icomes iinto icontact iwith iwhatever iyour iallergy itrigger iis i-- ipollen, iragweed, ipet idander, ior idust imites, ifor iexample i-- iit imakes ichemicals icalled ihistamines. iThey icause ithe itissue iin iyour inose ito iswell i(making iit istuffy), iyour inose iand ieyes ito irun, iand iyour ieyes, inose, iand isometimes imouth ito iitch. iSometimes iyou imay ialso iget ian iitchy irash ion iyour iskin, icalled ihives.

Antihistamines ireduce ior iblock ihistamines, iso ithey istop iallergy isymptoms.

These imedicines iwork iwell ito irelieve isymptoms iof idifferent itypes iof iallergies, iincluding iseasonal i(hay ifever), iindoor, iand ifood iallergies. iBut ithey ican't irelieve ievery isymptom.

To itreat inasal icongestion, iyour idoctor imay irecommend ia idecongestant.Some imedicines icombine ian iantihistamine iand idecongestant.

What iTypes iof iAntihistamines iAre iAvailable?

They icome iin idifferent iforms, iincluding itablets, icapsules, iliquids, inasal isprays, iand ieyedrops. iSome iare ionly iavailable iby iprescription. iOthers iyou ican ibuy iover ithe icounter i(OTC) iat iyour ilocal ipharmacy.

Prescription iantihistamines iinclude:

• Azelastine ieyedrops i(Optivar)
• Azelastine inasal isprays i(Astelin, iAstepro)
• Carbinoxamine i(Palgic)
• Cyproheptadine
• Desloratadine i(Clarinex)
• Emedastine ieyedrops i(Emadine)
• Hydroxyzine i(Atarax, iVistaril)
• Levocabastine ieyedrops i(Livostin)
• Levocabastine ioral i(Xyzal)

OTC iantihistamines iinclude:

• Brompheniramine i(Dimetane)
• Cetirizine i(Zyrtec)
• Chlorpheniramine i(Chlor-Trimeton)
• Clemastine i(Tavist)
• Diphenhydramine i(Benadryl)
• Fexofenadine i(Allegra)
• Loratadine i(Alavert, iClaritin)

Eyedrops itreat isymptoms iof ieye iallergies, iincluding iitchy, iwatery ieyes. iSome imedications icombine ian iantihistamine iand ia idecongestant ito iease icongestion.

Side iEffects iof iAntihistamines

Older iones itend ito icause imore iside ieffects, iparticularly idrowsiness.

Newer iantihistamines ihave ifewer iside ieffects, iso ithey imay ibe ia ibetter ichoice ifor isome ipeople.

Some iof ithe imain iside ieffects iof iantihistamines iinclude:

• Dry imouth
• Drowsiness
• Dizziness
• Nausea iand ivomiting
• Restlessness ior imoodiness i(in isome ichildren)
• Trouble ipeeing ior inot ibeing iable ito ipee
• Blurred ivision
• Confusion

If iyou itake ian iantihistamine ithat icauses idrowsiness, ido iso ibefore ibedtime. iDon’t itake iit iduring ithe iday ibefore iyou idrive ior iuse imachinery.

Read ithe ilabel ibefore iyou itake ian iallergy idrug. iAntihistamines imay iinteract iwith iother imedications iyou iare itaking.

Talk ito iyour idoctor ifirst iif iyou ihave ian ienlarged iprostate, iheart idisease, ihigh iblood ipressure, ithyroid iproblems, ikidney ior iliver idisease, ia ibladderobstruction, ior iglaucoma. iAlso icheck iwith iyour idoctor iif iyou iare ipregnant ior inursing.