Is Claritin a Good Antihistamine for Allergies and Hives?
Claritin is considered to be an effective medication for treating the symptoms of allergies and hives. It is one of the second generation antihistamines. FDA has approved Claritin as a safe medication for treating the symptoms of hives and hay fever. It can be used by individuals in any age group except for the children who are less than 2 years old. An individual can easily obtain Claritin from a chemist shop without any need or doctor’s prescription. It is available in various forms including oral disintegrating pills, liquids and tablets.
Claritin Dosage for Allergies and Hives
Children lying in the age group of 2 to 6 years are recommended a dosage of 5 mg of Claritin while individuals who are older than 10 years can take 10 mg. If a person is suffering from hives, the dosage may need to be increased from the recommended amount to achieve better results. However, in case of hay fever, increasing the dosage does not show any significant improvement.
How Effective and Safe is Claritin as an Antihistamine for Allergies and Hives?
One of the things that make Claritin so effective is that it is quickly absorbed into the body. Thus, its effect can be seen in just a few hours. The continuous use of Claritin is often effective in controlling and treating the symptoms of hives and hay fever. Although, Claritin is an effective antihistamine medication for treating symptoms of hives and hay fever, there are some better options available in the form of Allegra and Zyrtec. Claritin does not usually results in severe side effects. Some people might experience side-effects like dry mouth, fatigue and sedation but their percentage is less than 10%. Only about 8% of the people taking Claritin experience sedation. Claritin has received ‘B’ rating in the pregnancy category which suggests that even the pregnant women can use it without any major risk of side-effects. Apart from the minor side-effects, there are no major side-effects of Claritin and thus it is considered to be a safe antihistamine for treating allergies and hives.
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