Do you have hay fever or another type of allergy? If so, you’ve probably heard about antihistamines; indeed, you may already be taking them. These medicines have been helping people with allergy for over 75 years. Antihistamines can soothe symptoms from sniffles and sneezes to watery eyes and itchy rashes. Read on to find out how and why.

Do you have hay fever or another type of allergy? If so, you’ve probably heard about antihistamines; indeed, you may already be taking them. These medicines have been helping people with allergy for over 75 years. Antihistamines can soothe symptoms from sniffles and sneezes to watery eyes and itchy rashes. Read on to find out how and why.

We need to look at histamine first. Histamine is one of the chemicals released by your body when it thinks it’s under attack.

When you come into contact with something your body perceives as a threat it sends a signal to mast cells lining your skin, respiratory tract (both upper and lower) and gut. These mast cells then release histamine.

Histamine is as part of an inflammatory response in which various fluids and white blood cells come to the site of the attack to help. Histamine also gets the body to produce more mucus to flush out anything that doesn’t belong. In addition, it causes itching to make you scratch harmful material off your skin. All these reactions are designed to expel any intruder from your body as fast as possible.

Do you have hay fever or another type of allergy? If so, you’ve probably heard about antihistamines; indeed, you may already be taking them. These medicines have been helping people with allergy for over 75 years. Antihistamines can soothe symptoms from sniffles and sneezes to watery eyes and itchy rashes. Read on to find out how and why.

We need to look at histamine first. Histamine is one of the chemicals released by your body when it thinks it’s under attack.

When you come into contact with something your body perceives as a threat it sends a signal to mast cells lining your skin, respiratory tract (both upper and lower) and gut. These mast cells then release histamine.

Histamine is as part of an inflammatory response in which various fluids and white blood cells come to the site of the attack to help. Histamine also gets the body to produce more mucus to flush out anything that doesn’t belong. In addition, it causes itching to make you scratch harmful material off your skin. All these reactions are designed to expel any intruder from your body as fast as possible.

Do you have hay fever or another type of allergy? If so, you’ve probably heard about antihistamines; indeed, you may already be taking them. These medicines have been helping people with allergy for over 75 years. Antihistamines can soothe symptoms from sniffles and sneezes to watery eyes and itchy rashes. Read on to find out how and why.

The name antihistamine is its actual job description: it’s blocking the effects of histamine. That’s a chemical in your body that causes annoying allergy symptoms.

The name antihistamine is its actual job description: it’s blocking the effects of histamine. That’s a chemical in your body that causes annoying allergy symptoms.

Antihistamines are among the most commonly used medicines for allergic conditions such as:

• Sneezing, runny or blocked nose (allergic rhinitis)
• Itchy, watery eyes (allergic conjunctivitis)
• Hives (urticaria) or rashes
• Allergic reactions to food

They do not cure allergies but for many people antihistamines can make living with allergy bearable.

Antihistamines can work as a short-term preventative measure, taken before you expect to be exposed to allergens. If pollen is your trigger, you may be able to predict when symptoms could start using a pollen forecast or calendar. You can talk to your health care provider about taking your antihistamines a couple of weeks before the season to build up protective antihistamine levels in your blood.

It’s not only antihistamines that have greatly evolved since their first discovery. So has the way we use them. People often partner these medicines with others. In fact, research has shown that for some people combination therapy, as it’s known, might be the way to go in treating symptoms of hay fever.

For instance, it’s possible to use a corticosteroid and an antihistamine nasal spray in a combined form. Decongestants are also used alongside antihistamines. But they should only be taken for short periods; for example, no more than 3 days in a row for decongestant nasal sprays. Their job is to tackle stuffy noses by shrinking swollen blood vessels in your sinuses, while antihistamines deal with the itchiness and sneezing.

Combination products already contain antihistamine so be careful not to exceed the total recommended dose if you’re using a separate antihistamine at the same time. You can ask your health care provider or pharmacist for advice on the specific products you’re taking.

It’s not only antihistamines that have greatly evolved since their first discovery. So has the way we use them. People often partner these medicines with others. In fact, research has shown that for some people combination therapy, as it’s known, might be the way to go in treating symptoms of hay fever.

For instance, it’s possible to use a corticosteroid and an antihistamine nasal spray in a combined form. Decongestants are also used alongside antihistamines. But they should only be taken for short periods; for example, no more than 3 days in a row for decongestant nasal sprays. Their job is to tackle stuffy noses by shrinking swollen blood vessels in your sinuses, while antihistamines deal with the itchiness and sneezing.

Combination products already contain antihistamine so be careful not to exceed the total recommended dose if you’re using a separate antihistamine at the same time. You can ask your health care provider or pharmacist for advice on the specific products you’re taking.

For instance, it’s possible to use a corticosteroid and an antihistamine nasal spray in a combined form. Decongestants are also used alongside antihistamines. But they should only be taken for short periods; for example, no more than 3 days in a row for decongestant nasal sprays. Their job is to tackle stuffy noses by shrinking swollen blood vessels in your sinuses, while antihistamines deal with the itchiness and sneezing.

Combination products already contain antihistamine so be careful not to exceed the total recommended dose if you’re using a separate antihistamine at the same time. You can ask your health care provider or pharmacist for advice on the specific products you’re taking.

Always speak to your health care provider or pharmacist if you’re already taking other medicines and consider using antihistamines. Antihistamines can interfere with how other drugs work, and vice versa. You’ll find all these details on the information leaflet that comes with the antihistamine.

As a rule, it’s not a good idea to drink alcohol, especially if you’re taking the older type of antihistamine.

There is also a risk of unintentionally doubling up on your dosage by using another medicine containing antihistamine at the same time. We’ve already talked about decongestants above.

Interactions with other drugs are not the only reason to read the information leaflet in your antihistamine packet. How you use these medicines varies from type to type:

Always speak to your health care provider or pharmacist if you’re already taking other medicines and consider using antihistamines. Antihistamines can interfere with how other drugs work, and vice versa. You’ll find all these details on the information leaflet that comes with the antihistamine.

As a rule, it’s not a good idea to drink alcohol, especially if you’re taking the older type of antihistamine.

There is also a risk of unintentionally doubling up on your dosage by using another medicine containing antihistamine at the same time. We’ve already talked about decongestants above.

Interactions with other drugs are not the only reason to read the information leaflet in your antihistamine packet. How you use these medicines varies from type to type: