If you suffer from allergy problems, such as a runny nose and itchy, watery eyes, your doctor might recommend taking an antihistamine each day to help control the symptoms. There are many different brands of antihistamines available, and they can help many people with allergy problems. Here are several things you should understand about antihistamines and how to use them for allergy problems.
What Is An Antihistamine?
An antihistamine is a medication that is designed to block histamine, which is a chemical produced by your immune system. Your body triggers your immune system to produce this chemical when it feels threatened. Unfortunately, people with allergies have bodies that sense danger from pollen, pet dander, and many other things that really are not threatening.
When your body produces histamine, you may begin sneezing. Your eyes might get itchy and watery too, and histamine can also cause congestion, a runny nose, and other types of allergy symptoms. Antihistamine medications are designed to block the histamine your body produces. If the pills cause your body to block the histamine, you should not feel the cold symptoms that you normally feel.
Which Type Should You Take?
There are two main types of antihistamines you can take for treating allergies. The first is called diphenhydramine, better known as Benadryl. Benadryl is a first-generation antihistamine and tends to work quite well; however, its main side-effect is that it leaves you feeling sleepy. A lot of people do not have time to feel sleepy, which is why second-generation antihistamines were created.
Second-generation antihistamines are available in several common brands, and they do not make you feel sleepy, yet they can be effective for treating allergy symptoms. Most of these types work the same way, yet they all contain different ingredients.
Your doctor might recommend taking one brand for a few months and then switching to a different brand for the next few months. This is because it is possible for your body to build an immunity against the ingredients in one antihistamine product. When this happens, the product will not be as effective. If you switch to a different brand, you might find that the pills work more effectively.
Are Antihistamines Enough For Treating Allergies?
In some cases, taking a daily antihistamine is sufficient and effective for treating allergy symptoms. If you try this and find relief, this might be the answer for you. There are other people, though, that have major allergy symptoms and they find that they do not get enough relief from these pills alone. In cases like this, doctors may recommend trying a nasal steroid. There are several different brands of nasal steroids you can get, but most of these will require a prescription. A nasal steroid can offer tremendous relief, simply because it works in a different way than antihistamine products.
While antihistamines work to stop your immune system from creating histamines, nasal steroids work to stop the inflammation the histamines cause. To use a nasal steroid, you must simply spray it inside your nostrils, as it is a nasal spray, and it should offer fastrelief. Nasal steroids can be used alone or with most allergy medications.
If you have tried these methods and are still struggling with allergy symptoms, you could always talk to your doctor about immunotherapy. Immunotherapy involves getting shots to treat allergies. The shots contain actual allergens, and the goal of this is to help your body build a proper immunity against these allergens.
If you would like to learn more about treatment options for allergies, you may want to schedule a visit with an allergist in your city.
