Mayo Clinic: Are over-the-counter allergy medications safe to
take year-round? Iíve been taking them for a couple of
years, and they seem to help. Are there any other allergy
treatments I should think about using instead?
Allergy medications that you can buy without a prescription
are considered relatively safe and can be taken on a long-term
basis. These medications may not be the best treatment option,
however, if your allergy symptoms are severe or if symptoms
persist despite medication. In those situations, consult a
physician who is a board-certified allergist. He or she can
assess your condition and may be able to recommend a more
effective allergy treatment.
are three main ways to manage allergies: Take medications,
receive immunotherapy and make changes to your environment to
lessen your exposure to substances that trigger an allergic
people try over-the-counter allergy medications first. While a
number of these medications exist, the most common contain an
antihistamine agent. This blocks histamine ó a key molecule
in allergic inflammation ó from binding to its receptor on
choose a nonprescription antihistamine, make sure you know
what ingredients are included in the medication. Those that
contain diphenhydramine or chlorpheniramine are
older-generation, short-acting drugs that often cause
drowsiness. Other side effects of these medications may
include dry mouth, blurring of vision, nausea or headaches.
antihistamines that contain cetirizine, loratidine or
fexofenadine tend to trigger less drowsiness, and the effects
last longer. They may cause some side effects, such as dry
mouth or abdominal pain.
type of allergy medication that recently was approved for
purchase without prescription is intranasal corticosteroid
spray, such as fluticasone or triamcinolone nasal spray. These
medicines are sprayed or inhaled into the nose to help relieve
stuffy nose, nasal irritation and other symptoms of allergies.
allergic symptoms that are mild, last only a short time or
happen only a few months a year, over-the-counter medications
generally are a good choice. If your symptoms are severe,
persist continuously or do not respond well to nonprescription
medication, consultation with an allergist is recommended.
allergist can clarify whether your symptoms truly are being
caused by allergies versus some other conditions that can
mimic allergies, such as nonallergic rhinitis.
symptoms are due to an allergy, an allergist often can
identify the cause and pinpoint what is triggering your
reaction. Once an allergy is diagnosed, treatment could be a
combination of prescription and nonprescription medications.
Or, other strategies, such as allergen avoidance and allergen
immunotherapy, may be appropriate.
symptoms are the result of an immune response to a substance
that usually shouldnít cause an immune reaction. Changing
your habits to avoid exposure to those allergy-causing
substances, called allergens, potentially can reduce your
symptoms. For example, if you have a ragweed pollen allergy,
wearing a tight-fitting face mask can reduce inhalation of
pollen when you are outdoors in the fall. Your allergist can
suggest allergen avoidance techniques that fit your situation.
other treatment option, allergen immunotherapy, is available
as an injection and in an oral tablet form. The injection form
ó sometimes referred to as an allergy shot ó has been
around for almost 100 years. It has been studied in great
scientific detail and often can be very effective in relieving
allergy symptoms. Oral immunotherapy to grass and ragweed
recently was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug
Administration, and others are in the works. These therapies
often are effective, but they may have some treatment-specific
concerns that your allergist can review with you.
bottom line is that nonprescription allergy medications can be
considered safe. But, if you have to take them all of the
time, or if they arenít doing enough to relieve your
symptoms, itís time to talk with an allergist to investigate
your condition and find a better treatment approach.