Using an allergy medicine improves symptoms such as itching, sneezing, swelling, eye irritation or coughing, which are associated with allergic reactions to certain substances such as dust mites, pollen or food, for example.
These drugs can be found in tablets, drops, spray, syrups or eye drops, and should only be used if recommended by the doctor, since allergy can be triggered by numerous factors that must be diagnosed and prevented. In addition, there is a wide variety of medicines adapted to each case and some of them require a prescription to be purchased at the pharmacy.
If more severe symptoms such as swelling of the mouth and tongue, which make breathing difficult, call an ambulance or take the person to the hospital immediately. Here's how to differentiate less severe symptoms from anaphylactic shock.
The main types of remedies that can be used in allergy conditions are:
1. Antihistamines
Antihistamines are the most commonly used drugs to treat allergic symptoms, such as nasal, skin or eye allergy, allergic rhinitis or hives, and can be used in various formulations, such as pills and syrups, such as loratadine, desloratadine, cetirizine, hydroxyzine or fexofenadine, for example, which act at the systemic level. These drugs prevent the action of histamine, a substance involved in the body's allergic response.
In addition, this class of drugs is also available in eye drops, to treat eye allergies, such as azelastine or ketotifen, for example, or in spray or nasal drops that act directly on the nose and which may contain dimethindene maleate or azelastine, for example, and that can be used alone or combined with an oral antihistamine.
There are also creams and ointments with antihistamines in the composition, which may contain promethazine or dimethindene in the composition, for example, which can be used in skin conditions and associated with other oral antihistamines.
2. Decongestants
Decongestants are widely used as an adjunct to antihistamines for symptoms of congestion and nasal discharge, because they deflate inflamed tissues and relieve nasal congestion, redness and mucus. The most used remedies are pseudoephedrine, phenylephrine or oxymetazoline, for example.
3. Corticosteroids
Corticosteroids work by reducing inflammation associated with allergies, but are generally used in more severe cases. These drugs are also available in tablets, syrups, oral drops, creams, ointments, eye drops, nasal solutions or inhalation devices and should be used with great care because they have many side effects.
Examples of systemic corticosteroids used in allergic conditions are prednisolone, betamethasone or deflazacorte, for example. Beclomethasone, mometasone, budesonide and fluticasone are generally used in the form of nasal spray or by means of oral inhalation devices and dexamethasone or fluocinolone are present in many eye drops, used in inflammation, irritation and redness in the eye.
The most used ointments and creams generally have hydrocortisone or betamethasone in their composition and are widely used in skin allergies, and should be applied in a thin layer, for the shortest possible period of time.
4. Bronchodilators
In some cases it may be necessary to resort to the use of bronchodilators, such as salbutamol, budesonide or ipratropium bromide, for example, which facilitate the entry of air into the lungs, being indicated for the treatment of respiratory allergy such as asthma.
These remedies are found in the form of a spray or powder for inhalation but can only be purchased with a prescription.
Other remedies for allergies are mast cell stabilizing drugs, such as sodium chromoline, which prevent these cells from releasing histamine, leading to allergic reactions.
Leukotriene antagonists, such as Zafirlukast, are also indicated to treat allergies.
Medicine for food allergy
The food allergy medicine aims to improve symptoms such as nausea, diarrhea, irritation and swelling of the mouth, eyes or tongue. The choice of remedy depends on whether the allergic reaction is mild, moderate or severe, as there is a risk of anaphylactic shock, a serious situation that can, in some cases, lead to death. Understand how the treatment of food allergy is done.
