Decongestants: One way to relieve allergy symptoms
|
Tweet
|
|
Some of the medications used to treat respiratory allergy symptoms include antihistamines, decongestants, nasal sprays and eyedrops. This article focuses on decongestants.
Decongestants help reduce congestion in your nasal membranes by constricting the blood vessels that supply those membranes. Generally taken as a liquid, pill or nasal spray, they may be used in conjunction with an antihistamine or alone to treat nasal swelling related to allergies.
| Allergy Relief |
Some of the medications used to treat respiratory allergy symptoms include antihistamines, decongestants, nasal sprays and eyedrops.
What do medications do? Allegra D Allegra Claritin-D Flonase Nasacort Nasacort AQ Nasonex Patanol Zyrtec |
Decongestants are available over-the-counter (OTC) and by prescription. Examples of decongestants include pseudoephedrine (Sudafed, others) and phenylephrine (Neo-Synephrine nasal spray). Short-term use of OTC decongestant nasal sprays can help briefly control swelling and congestion. However, don’t use these OTC decongestant sprays for more than 3 days, as they can cause rebound congestion (rhinitis medicamentosa). In this condition, the brief period of relief is followed by membrane swelling that causes severe nasal obstruction with repeated use. Decongestant sprays are best reserved for very-short-term use to relieve temporary congestion due to a cold or sinus infection. Other side effects of decongestants can include increased blood pressure, insomnia, anxiety, and a fast, irregular, or pounding heartbeat.
Talk to your doctor or pharmacist before taking any medications.
Revision date: July 3, 2011
Last revised: by Janet A. Staessen, MD, PhD
 |
 |
 |
 | ||
| RELATED STORIES: | ||
| Comments | [ + Post Your Own ] |
Now you're in the public comment zone. What follows is not Armenian Medical Network's stuff; it comes from other people and we don't vouch for it. A reminder: By using this Web site you agree to accept our Terms of Service. Click here to read the Rules of Engagement.
There are no comments for this entry yet. [ + Comment here + ]
We are pleased to let readers post comments about an article. Please increase the credibility of your post by including your full name and email.
All comments are reviewed by our editors before they are posted on the site. Just keep it clean, kids.
- Full Story - - »»»
Best time for a coffee break? There’s an app for that
- Full Story - - »»»
Cellphone Use Linked to Selfish Behavior in UMD Study
- Full Story - - »»»
Optimism about heart risks may be a good thing
- Full Story - - »»»
New guidelines developed for improved DVT diagnosis
- Full Story - - »»»
Teen pregnancy, abortion rates at record low, study says
- Full Story - - »»»
Think you can’t get pregnant? Try again, study says
- Full Story - - »»»
