Medicine as an Allergy Treatment
If you cannot avoid the allergens that are causing your
allergy symptoms, medicines may be able to help you feel better. There are a number of different "classes" of allergy medicines available to treat
allergies. Each class has several brand-name and generic versions available. Some of these allergy medicines are available over-the-counter while others require a prescription.
The different classes of medicines that can be used for allergy treatment include:
- Antihistamines
- Nasal steroids
- Decongestants
- Combination medicines.
Cromolyn sodium is also available for the treatment of allergies.
Click Allergy Medicine to learn more about each of these classes, as well as the specific allergy medicines within each class.
Allergy Shots for Allergy Treatment
Immunotherapy, or a series of
allergy shots, is the only allergy treatment available that has a chance of reducing your allergy symptoms over a longer period of time. For this treatment, you would receive subcutaneous (under the skin) injections of increasing concentrations of the allergen(s) to which you are sensitive.
These injections reduce the level of IgE antibodies in the blood and cause the body to make a protective antibody called IgG.
About 85 percent of people with allergic rhinitis will see their
hay fever symptoms and need for medicines drop significantly within 12 months of starting immunotherapy. Those who benefit from this allergy treatment may continue it for 3 years and then consider stopping. While many are able to stop the injections with good results lasting for several years, others see their symptoms get worse after the shots are stopped.
One
allergy research study showed that children receiving immunotherapy for their allergic rhinitis were less likely to develop
asthma. However, these findings require additional research.
As researchers produce better allergens for immunotherapy, this approach will be become an even more effective allergy treatment.
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