It can also affect sleep, productivity, and quality of life. Antihistamines may help prevent allergy symptoms. But sometimes you may need to take additional medications.
This is especially the case if you need to relieve sinus pressure and a congested nose. Decongestants are over-the-counter medications that help break this cycle of congestion and pressure. Decongestants work by causing blood vessels to constrict. This helps relieve congestion caused by the dilation of blood vessels in the nasal passages.
Phenylephrine and phenylpropanolamine are two common forms of these drugs. These over-the-counter drugs can bring temporary relief from congestion. They merely offer relief from one of the more problematic symptoms of common inhalant allergies. Decongestants are relatively inexpensive and readily available. Pseudoephedrine e. It may be available through the pharmacist, but other states might require a prescription.
This ensures proper and legal use, and prevents drug interactions. Pseudoephedrine is a raw material used in the illegal manufacture of the dangerous street drug crystal methamphetamine. Congress passed the Combat Methamphetamine Epidemic Act of to limit the damage to communities caused by abuse of this drug.
President George W. Bush signed it into law in The law strictly regulates the sale of pseudoephedrine, pseudoephedrine-containing products, and phenylpropanolamine. Some common over-the-counter and prescription antihistamines include [ 3 ] :. These are newer medicines and many treat allergy symptoms without causing as much drowsiness. Commonly used over-the-counter products include:. Antihistamine nasal sprays can help relieve sneezing, itchy or runny nose, sinus congestion, and postnasal drip.
Side effects of antihistamine nasal sprays might include bitter taste, drowsiness, or feeling tired. Prescription antihistamine nasal sprays include:. Antihistamine eye drops, available over-the-counter or by prescription, can help ease itchy, red, swollen eyes. Side effects might include headaches and dry eyes. If antihistamine eye drops sting or burn, try keeping them in the refrigerator for soothing effects. Instilling refrigerated artificial tear drops prior to antihistamine eye drops may alleviate some of the burning sensation [ 1 ].
Some examples include:. Consult your doctor or pharmacist prior to taking any antihistamines. Some common side effects of first-generation antihistamines include:. Note that even though these symptoms are more profound and distinct with first-generation antihistamines, they still can be caused by second-generation antihistamines, just to a much lesser extent. Nasal congestion is a very common condition.
Nasal congestion can be caused by anything that irritates or inflames the tissues inside the nose. This includes minor illnesses like the common cold or sinus infection, which will typically improve within a week. If your stuffy nose has persisted for more than a week, it often indicates an underlying health issue that you need to look into and get appropriate treatment. Nasal congestion may also occur during pregnancy due to hormonal fluctuations and a surge in blood supply.
Pregnant women may experience this during the end of their first trimester. These changes may cause the tissue inside the nose to become inflamed, dry or even bleed.
Antihistamines and decongestants are both over-the-counter drugs that can relieve nasal congestion. They come in various forms, including tablets, nasal sprays, oral liquids and eye drops.
Both have advantages and disadvantages, but more importantly, they work very differently and may tend to your needs differently. Mostly found in tablet and liquid form, antihistamines are good at relieving and preventing the symptoms of allergies, runny noses, itches and hay fever.
If you have taken one of those nasal sprays that are somewhat uncomfortable but seem to work in an instant, you likely took a decongestant. Decongestants are good at providing instantaneous relief, freeing up a constricted nose.
Antihistamines work by blocking histamines — a chemical found in the body cells, which causes swelling and irritation in your nasal tissues. This chemical also causes nose swelling, sneezing, runny nose, watery eyes and even itching. A common side-effect of antihistamines is drowsiness. Though this side effect of antihistamines makes it inappropriate to consume at certain times, not all of them cause drowsiness.
The newer second-generation of antihistamines are less likely to cause drowsiness. First-generation antihistamines have strong sedative action and would likely give you an unpleasant dry mouth after consumption.
They are mostly used for allergic rhinitis and conjunctivitis, contact dermatitis, hay fever and even motion sickness. If your nasal congestion is keeping you awake, first-generation antihistamines may be a godsend for you. However, ensure that you do not take these before operating any machinery or driving. On the other hand, second-generation antihistamines are non or less -sedative antiallergic agent. If you are dealing with nasal congestion at work, you may want to use a second-generation antihistamine so that you can remain alert.
If you take an antihistamine and experience the following rare, but life-threatening symptoms, do consult a doctor immediately:. Unlike many other types of medicine, you can take antihistamines with or without food. However, you should not take it together with alcohol. You should also take extra precautions and consult a healthcare provider on any suspected allergies before consuming antihistamines. This is particularly important if the allergy is new to you, as recurrent allergies may have severe reactions that cannot be alleviated with antihistamines.
Which medicine is going to relieve your symptoms? Understanding what each medicine does is important in answering this question. A decongestant helps reduce swelling in the nasal passageways by shrinking the blood vessels. It helps you breathe easier because it relieves the pressure and improves airflow.
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