Over the Counter Allergy Medicine

Most people generally suffer mild discomfort when they come in contact with certain specific substances to which they are allergic, for instance, certain foods, grass, flowers, certain materials, etc. Very few people have chronic allergies, for which they need a proper treatment. If the allergy symptoms are mild, you may opt for over the counter allergy medicine. It comes in many forms such as pills, eye drops, topical lotions, creams and nose sprays. Actually, there are innumerable types of allergies in the world and most of the time, people aren't even aware of the fact that they have an allergy for certain substances.

Common Allergy Symptoms

If you want to know what an allergy is, then in simple words allergy can be explained as an abnormal reaction by a person's immune system against a normally harmless substance. The substance to which your body reacts abnormally is referred to as allergen. Here is a list of common allergy symptoms. Remember, symptoms may vary from person to person and from allergen to allergen.

Certain symptoms like breathing difficulty, rectal bleeding, pulmonary hemorrhage, etc. are serious for which you need to consult your doctor. Some symptoms like indigestion, headaches, diarrhea, flatulence, skin rash, sore throat, sneezing, reddened eyes, etc. can be cured with OTC allergy medication. Here is a list of allergy symptoms:

Runny noses Breathing Difficulty Coughing (even blood, in chronic allergies) Sneezing Chronic headaches that lead to aggravated sinusitis Watery, red and swollen eyes and itching Hives on body, skin rash and redness Dizziness. Chest blockage Memory loss Nausea and diarrhea Pulmonary hemorrhage Anemia Wheezing Nasal congestion Headaches Ringing in the ear Inability to concentrate Allergic rashes, itchy skin Abdominal pain Diarrhea Flatulence

Eczema Constipation Depression Sore throat Heartburn Chronic bouts of coughing Fatigue Thrush on tongue Bloating Indigestion Stomach Cramps Irregular and bad stools Swollen mouth Irritability Rectal bleeding Asthma Joint pain Dry skin Peeling of skin Pain in eyes Burning and itching eyes

OTC Allergy Medicines

Type of Medicine	Brand Name	Symptoms Treated	Possible Side Effects
Decongestant (tablets or caplets)	Sudafed	Congestion and pressure in head, nose, and ears	Lightheadedness, nervousness, restlessness, increased blood pressure and heart rate, irregular heartbeat
Antihistamine (tablets, caplets, or liquid)	Benadryl, Chlor-Trimeton, Dimetane, Tavist	Itchy, runny nose and eyes, sneezing, sore or itchy throat	Drowsiness, upset stomach, dry mouth, impaired coordination and judgment, urinary retention, loss of appetite, excitability (in children)
Antihistamine/decongestant/ pain reliever (tablets, caplets, or liquid)	Advil Cold and Sinus, Comtrex Day/Night, Tylenol Allergy Sinus	Itchy, runny nose and eyes, sneezing, congestion, headache	General antihistamine and/or decongestant side effects
Decongestant nose spray	Afrin, Neo-Synephrine, Dristan Nasal Spray	Nasal congestion	Might result in recurrence of nasal congestion, due to dependence on the medicine, when used for more than 3 to 5 days
Antihistamine eye drops	Visine-A (Formerly OcuHist)	Itchy, watery eyes, reddened eyes	Temporary stinging in the eyes or blurred vision, "rebound" redness of the eyes if overused
Topical corticosteroids	Cortaid, Cortisone 10 t	Red, itchy skin, rash, hives	Burning, dryness, irritation of the skin, increased redness or scaling

For Kids and Toddlers
As there are hundreds of allergies, there are numerous allergy medicines available. You should choose the best allergy medicine for toddlers and kids as they cannot express what exactly they are experiencing. Generally watery, itchy eyes, dark circles under eyes, an itchy nose, skin rashes, sneezing, nasal congestion are the allergy symptoms observed in kids. Claritin, Zyrtec, Allegra, Clarinex, Singulair are some of the OTC allergy medication for kids and toddlers. But you should read the instructions properly. For instance, Singulair can be used to treat seasonal allergies in children over age 6 months; whereas Zyrtec syrup can be used to treat allergies in children over age 2 years. Regular and chewable tablets of Zyrtec are available for older kids.

For Pregnant Women
OTC allergy medicine for pregnant women should be carefully administered. I would suggest that pregnant women should not take over the counter medicine without consulting the doctor. It is recommended that pregnant women should avoid cold remedies that contain alcohol. They should also avoid the decongestants pseudoephedrine and phenylephrine, which can affect blood flow to the placenta. Nothing is 100 percent safe for pregnant women, so they should check with their doctor before taking any kind of allergy medicine during pregnancy.

It is safe to conclude that you should always check OTC allergy medicine reviews to know about their possible side effects and to know, for which symptoms and for whom you can use the particular medicine. Otherwise, instead of getting allergy relief, you may have to consult your doctor for more severe complications. Similarly it is also necessary for every individual to know about anaphylactic shock symptoms occurring due to strong allergy, which need a prompt medical aid.