Which Allergy Medicine Is Best For You?

A Guide To Medicines So You Can Judge Which Best Matches Your Allergic Symptoms

(WebMD)  If you're tired of suffering with nasal allergies and need ongoing allergy relief, maybe it's time to review the different allergy medicines available and find the best ones for your allergy symptoms.

Allergic rhinitis (allergies) affects up to 40% of children and 10% to 30% of adults in the United States today.

While some allergy sufferers experience an occasional sniffle, sneeze or runny nose, allergies can cause miserable and sometimes serious symptoms such as fatigue, headache, itchy eyes, and even asthma symptoms.

When these symptoms continue for weeks without any allergy relief, they can result in missed time from work or school, lower productivity, and even health problems like sinus infections and sinus pain.

Is it any wonder that nasal allergies, particularly at night, can keep you from feeling your best and being productive?

Why Do You Get Allergies?

If you want to place any blame, go ahead and put it on your parents. It's true. Allergies are a genetic disease, says William E. Berger, MD, MBA, professor of medicine at the University of California, and the sneezing, itching, and nasal congestion run in families. When one parent has allergies about 25% of the time a child will develop allergies, also. When both parents have allergies, there's at least a 50% chance that their children will have allergies.

You can also blame your miserable allergy symptoms on histamines, the chemicals in the body that cause swelling of the mucosal membranes and increased mucus production.

Histamines are released quickly in response to contact with an allergen (the substance you're allergic to). Once the histamines get released, they do their damage big time and result in a host of allergy symptoms (ongoing sneezing, weepy eyes, itchy nose, and nasal stuffiness).

What's The Best Way To Get Allergy Relief?

According to Berger, author of "Allergies and Asthma for Dummies," the best way to treat nasal allergies is with prevention.

First, get a skin test to find out which allergens - such as dust, pollen, mold, and pet dander - are triggering your allergic reaction. Try to clear those allergens out of your indoor environment, and away from your yard as much as possible.

If you still have symptoms, it's time to turn to allergy medicines.

Berger explains that the first line of allergy treatment is inhaled nasal corticosteroids. Inhaled nasal steroids decrease inflammation and reduce mucus formation, so you have fewer allergy symptoms.

"You need to start about two weeks before pollen season with the inhaled nasal corticosteroids," Berger explains, "and possibly stay on the inhaled allergy medicine for months, if you have ongoing nasal allergies."

Are There Other Allergy Medicines That Can Prevent Allergy Symptoms?

Consider intranasal (inhaled) antihistamines. These medicines can give allergy relief of the sneezing and itchy nose without the drowsy feeling you might get by taking oral antihistamines, Murray Grossan, MD, tells WebMD.

This Los-Angeles based ENT, inventor of the Grossan Hydro Pulse Nasal Irrigator, and author of "The Sinus Cure," says you can also try to prevent allergy symptoms with over-the-counter nasal sprays that contain mast cell inhibitors (such as NasalCrom). "These allergy medicines need several days to give good allergy relief and must be started a few weeks before contact with allergens."

What About Antihistamines Or Decongestants?

Antihistamines cannot reverse the histamine-charged nasal allergy symptoms, Berger says. Antihistamines block the receptors - the tissues that cause swelling - to help prevent future symptoms. But they can undo the miserable allergy symptoms you may be experiencing the moment you take them.

Decongestants, another common allergy medicine, can relieve nasal congestion and nasal stuffiness. But, again, decongestants relieve existing problems, and don't prevent congestion.

"It takes several days to reverse any nasal allergy symptoms," Berger says, "So preventing allergies is the most effective way to get allergy relief."

What Allergy Medicines Are Available For Ongoing Allergy Relief?

There are many targeted allergy medicines such as antihistamines, decongestants, steroids, and other anti-inflammatory medicines that can give you allergy relief. These allergy medicines are delivered in a variety of ways from oral pills, tablets, capsules, and liquids, to inhaled nasal sprays. Some allergy medicines are available by prescription only, while others are available over-the-counter - including the newer second-generation, non-drowsy antihistamines.

Working with your doctor, you can find the type of allergy medicine that's most effective for allergy relief without causing you uncomfortable side effects.

But what do all these allergy medicines mean to you and your allergy symptoms? Here's a brief overview of the various types of allergy medicines and how they work:

• Steroid nasal sprays - Control all allergy symptoms
  
• Decongestants - Control nasal stuffiness and congestion
  
• Antihistamines - Control sneezing and drippiness; may relieve congestion from allergy
  
• Anticholinergics - Control runny, drippy nose
  
• Mast cell stabilizers - Prevent nasal congestion before exposure to allergens
  
• Combination allergy medicines - Prevent nasal allergy and reduce swelling in stuffy nasal passages
  
• Expectorants - May thin mucus in the airways so it can be expelled or drain out
  
• Allergy eyedrops - Contain various ingredients to help with red, itchy eyes

If Allergy Medicines Don't Work, Where Can You Turn For Allergy Relief?

If allergy medicines fail to prevent and treat your allergy symptoms, Berger suggests you see an allergist and consider getting allergy shots.

Allergy shots or immunotherapy is successful in up to 90% of patients with seasonal allergic rhinitis and in 70% to 80% with perennial allergic rhinitis. "And allergy shots (immunotherapy) can prevent allergy symptoms," Berger tells WebMD.

Another reason for checking in with an allergist is you may not have allergies at all. Berger says many people have "nonallergic rhinitis," which are nasal allergy symptoms triggered by weather changes or by variations in temperatures. Nonallergic rhinitis can have different treatment than allergic rhinitis (allergies).

For now, don't give up the family pet until you find answers for your allergy symptoms. You may find out that your furry pet isn't the cause of your congested nose after all. Talk to your doctor and seek good answers so you can live allergy symptom free.

[UninsuredMom]

Prescription costs have become increasingly difficult to manage. You can start saving by switching to generic drugs. www.medtipster.com recently launched an early version of its drug price comparison Web site. Consumers type in their drug name, dosage and ZIP code, and can find prescription drugs available on discount generic programs and where they can find them in their neighborhoods. The site will eventually offer users information on scheduled immunizations, health screenings and mini-clinics in their area; recalls and warnings; an "Ask the Pharmacist" feature; and an online community in which individuals can share information.

[nosneeze]

3 Allergy Treatment Options ONLY 1 Solution !

#1) Avoid your Triggers / What you are Allergic To.

%u201C Live their Life in a Bubble %u201C %u2026 .. Impossible !

Most Offending Allergens are Omni-Present in Today%u2019s Society.

#2) %u201C TRY%u201D to %u201CControl%u201D Symptoms with a LifeTime of taking Allergy Medications.

ALLERGY Med%u2019s ONLY Mask Symptoms .. while your Allergy Disease Continues Unabated..
Leading to a Lifetime, Slippery Slope of further Allergy Related Diseases, Health Complications and Compromised Quality of Life OUCH !

#3) SOLUTION !

Neutralize the SOURCE of Your Allergy Disease%u2026.

Visit your Primary Care Dr. for a Simple Allergy Blood Test.

Your Blood will be Tested to YOUR most common Geo-Regional Seasonal & Year-round Allergens.

Once YOUR Offending Allergens are Identified .. %u2026
Your Dr. will Prescribe%u2026.
DRUG Free, Under-the-Tongue ImmunoTherapy Allergy DROPs.

Same as Old Fashion SHOTs, Your DROPs are Custom Formulated, contain Traces of FDA Approved Extracts of What YOU Are Allergic TO Based on YOUR Allergy Test.

Slowly over Time%u2026.
Extract Concentrations are Increased ..
Your Immune System is ReCaliberated ,
Your Allergy Disease is Neutralized at it%u2019s SOURCE Vs Symptoms %u2026

Producing Lasting%u2026
If Not LifeTime ALLERGY Cessation

$ 1.00 / Day YOUR Allergy DROPs are CUSTOM Formulated to What YOU Are Allergic TO !

[pb433]

Suffered from chronic rhinitis over 20 years. Allergy and nasal injections for over 16 years. No more allergy injections or problems over the past 4 years. What changed? I rinse my sinus cavities every morning with Neil-Med Sinus Rinse. I still get stuffy at times, but Afrin Nasal Spray takes care of that. No more ENT visits, injections and suffering. Clean your nose out!!!!

[brainteaser2]

Why not ditch all these chemicals and try nasal irrigation. Often called a Neti pot. I don''t know anyone who has tried one who still uses pharmacologic agents. It is simple, efficient and costs almost nothing. At the very least it might greatly reduce the need for medications that are not without side effects and are very expensive.