Feeling tired from sneezing, wheezing, and sniffing during the time of spring and summer? OTC allergy medications don’t help you? If so, then it may be the right time to pay a visit to your general practitioner and tell your health problems related to your allergy/allergies. That is the only way how you can be prescribed more advanced, prescription allergy medications.
American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology has published guidelines for when an allergy sufferer must be prescribed allergy medicines. Prescription allergy medications are prescribed in the following circumstances:
- Chronic nasal congestion.
- Allergy symptoms that last for several months.
- OTC allergy medications do not perform well and cause drowsiness.
- Life-impairing allergy symptoms.
- Severe allergy-induced asthma.
When are Prescription Medicines Necessary for Allergy Relief?
Once you pay a visit to your family physician because of your severe allergy, he/she will obtain your medical history and conduct a thorough exam. If your symptoms stem from allergies with high severity, your medical doctor will offer you the following options for treating your allergy/allergies:
Prescription-Strength Antihistamines and Decongestants
These medical drugs often last longer than OTC allergy medications and they include antihistamines, such as Clarinex (desloratadine) and Allegra (fexofenadine).
- Corticosteroids: These are anti-inflammatory medicines that are sold in various forms, even including nasal sprays such as Flonase (fluticasone). Nasal sprays that contain corticosteroids don’t make symptoms worse like OTC allergy nasal sprays after a prolonged use. Corticosteroids also come in the form of injections, pills, and inhalers. Corticosteroid inhalers are prescribed for allergy-induced asthma.
- Antileukotrienes: Antileukotrienes, such as Singulair (montelukast sodium), treat allergic rhinitis and asthma by fighting leukotrienes, which increase inflammation.
- Bronchodilators: Bronchodilators come in the form of liquids, inhalers, pills, injections, and tablets that treat asthma.
- Anti-Immunoglobulin (IgE) Antibodies: People with severe allergy-induced asthma are prescribed Anti-Immunoglobulin (IgE) Antibody injections. These injections prevent the release of histamine which causes an allergic reaction to occur. The only disadvantage of these injections is that they may cause rhinitis.
Also Read:
