Allergies are symptoms that result from your body's immune system response to a particular substance. Common items that cause a person to experience allergy symptoms are pollen, dust, mold, insect stings, certain foods and medications. There are several types of allergy medicines that are used to treat symptoms.
Symptoms
Mild to moderate symptoms of an allergic reaction include nasal congestion, rash, red and itchy eyes, labored breathing and itching. In cases of severe reactions, anaphylaxis may occur. This condition happens when the entire body suffers an immune response to the allergen. Swelling in the mouth can make it difficult to breathe and the person may feel dizzy. Additional symptoms include vomiting, diarrhea and stomach pain.
Antihistamine Medications
Antihistamines block receptors of the immune system in order to prevent a response when a person is exposed to an allergen. Antihistamine medications come in different forms, such as tablets, nose sprays and liquids. A doctor may prescribe a regular dosing schedule of an antihistamine if a patient suffers from seasonal allergies. Benadryl is a commonly used over-the-counter antihistamine and contains diphenhydramine. Loratidine is the generic name for the over-the-counter drug Claritin. Desloratidine and fexofenadine are available through prescription and have the corresponding brand names of Claritin and Allegra.
Decongestant and Combination Drugs
A decongestant is often recommended either alone or with an antihistamine as a way to treat allergy symptoms. Decongestants reduce swelling in the nasal passages and the blood vessels of the eyes. Pseudophedrine is the most common decongestant recommended and is found in Sudafed and Afrin. When an antihistamine contains a decongestant, the letter "d" is often added to the name. For example, Allegra-D, Claritin-D and Zyrtec-D are antihistamine and decongestant combination drugs.
Medications for Severe Allergies
Steroids are typically prescribed only to sufferers of severe allergies and can be obtained only with a prescription. Steroids can come in the form of pills, nose sprays, inhalers and eye drops. The generic names for commonly prescribed steroid medications for allergies are prednisone, fluticosane, mometasone spray and triamcinolone inhalation drug.
Considerations
Allergy symptoms can also be treated through the use of allergy shots. In this therapy, your doctor will inject you with a small amount of the allergen over a set period of time. As you are exposed more and more to the allergen, your immune system will start to tolerate the substance.
