When Allergy Symptoms Bloom, Find the Right Medication
Key points
- Choosing the right medications is essential to gaining control over symptoms as allergy season comes into full bloom, allergy specialists at UT Southwestern Medical Center warn.
- “It’s reasonable to try some of the over-the- counter drugs first, and if you’re not satisfied with those results, then you need to see a doctor,” said Dr.
- Antihistamines are the most common medications and can usually help relieve itching, sneezing and runny noses, but don’t generally help with stuffiness.
- Prescription antihistamines are generally less sedating than over-the-counter options and won’t affect your work or school performance.
Choosing the right medications is essential to gaining control over symptoms as allergy season comes into full bloom, allergy specialists at UT Southwestern Medical Center warn.
“It’s reasonable to try some of the over-the- counter drugs first, and if you’re not satisfied with those results, then you need to see a doctor,” said Dr. David Khan, associate professor of internal medicine at UT Southwestern Medical Center and director of the asthma clinic at Parkland Memorial Hospital.
Antihistamines are the most common medications and can usually help relieve itching, sneezing and runny noses, but don’t generally help with stuffiness. Oral decongestants like pseudoephedrine target stuffy noses.
Prescription antihistamines are generally less sedating than over-the-counter options and won’t affect your work or school performance. Physicians also can prescribe corticosteroid anti-inflammatory prescription nasal sprays that can be used regularly.
However, allergy shots are still the most effective medical treatment, he said, actually making allergy sufferers less allergic. And rush immunotherapy, which involves taking fewer shots over a shorter time period, gets allergy sufferers to an effective dose more rapidly.
Source: UT Southwestern Medical Center
Written and revised by
David Cohen, M.D.
Our doctors write and review articles for accuracy and keep them up to date.
health.am provides general information, not medical advice. Always consult a qualified health professional about your own health.
Explore health topics
More in this topic
Lungs, Asthma & Allergies →NewsAllergic disease worsens respiratory symptoms and exacerbations in COPD
Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) who also have allergic disease have higher levels of respiratory symptoms and are at higher risk for COPD exacerbations, according to a new study from…
13 May 2013
NewsStudy finds nearly 5 million asthmatics worldwide could benefit from antifungal therapy
An estimated 4,837,000 asthmatics with allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA) could benefit substantially from antifungal treatment , say researchers from the University of Toronto and Manchester University.…
10 May 2013
NewsChildren with milk allergy may be 'allergic to school'
Many of today's school teachers opt for dustless chalk to keep hands and classrooms clean. But according to a study published in the May issue of Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, the scientific journal of the…
