It is advisable not to take diphenhydramine while driving, performing other dangerous or hazardous activities or operating heavy machines. Diphenhydramine is known to cause drowsiness or dizziness. It is also dangerous to use alcohol while taking the medicine since it may increase dizziness or drowsiness.
It is advisable to always seek doctor’s advice before giving a young child cold or cough medicine, since it can cause serious complications leading to the death of the child. Diphenhydramine should not be given to a child under 2 years. Misuse of cough and cold medicine can cause the death of the child
How Diphenhydramine Works?
Diphenhydramine is an antihistamine that blocks the allergic response by working on histamine receptors.
Diphenhydramine is an antihistamine that helps in reducing the effects caused by natural chemical histamine produced by the body. The histamine in the human body is a type of chemical that reduces symptoms of sneezing, runny nose, watery eyes and itching.
How Effective is Diphenhydramine?
Diphenhydramine effectively treats runny nose, hives, skin rashes, itching, sneezing and other various allergy symptoms. Diphenhydramine is also used to treat motion sickness, various symptoms of Parkinson’s disease and helps to induce sleep.
Diphenhydramine effectively treats allergy reactions including urticarial for example hives, allergic conjunctivitis and epinephrine for anaphylactic reactions. Diphenhydramine medicine also relives motion sickness.
Diphenhydramine controls symptoms including itching, watery eyes, runny nose and sneezing. diphenhydramine is also effective to elderly people suffering from Parkinson’s disease unable to tolerate strong agents. Diphenhydramine can also be used by people with difficulties in getting sleep.
- It is not advisable to operate machines or drive while taking diphenhydramine because it is likely to cause dizziness, drowsiness or impairs someone’s judgment.
- One should not use alcohol while taking diphenhydramine because it increases the feeling of dizziness and drowsiness.
- When taking diphenhydramine to treat motion sickness one should take 30 minutes before exposure to motion. One should take the dose subsequently before taking meals and before going to bed at night for duration of exposure.
- A child under twelve years should not use diphenhydramine as an aid for sleep at any time.
The response and effectiveness of diphenhydramine is good. Effects of the dose last for some few hours between four and six hours. It is absorbed at the maximum within one hour
What is the Recommended Dosage of Diphenhydramine?
General Adult Dose of Diphenhydramine for Extrapyramidal Reaction
Parenteral: 10 to 50mg IV or IM as it should be. One may increase dose to 100mg if necessary. Maximum daily dose should be 400g and not more that.
Oral: 25 to 50mg orally every 6 to 8 hours
General Adult Dose of Diphenhydramine for Insomnia
25 to 50mg orally during bedtime
General Adult Dose of Diphenhydramine for Motion Sickness
Parental: 10to 50mg IV or IM as needed. One may increase the dose to 100mg if necessary. Maximum daily dose should be 400mg.
Oral: 25 to 50 mg orally every 6 to 8 hours. Take first dose 30 minutes before exposed to the motion and later repeat before taking meals and the end of the duration of taking the dose.
General Adult Dose of Diphenhydramine for Cough
25mg orally after every four hours as it is needed and it should not be more than 150mg per day.
General Adult Dose of Diphenhydramine for Cold Symptoms
25 to50 mg orally after every 4 to 6 hours as it is needed and it should not be more than 300mg/24hrs.
General Adult Dose of Diphenhydramine for Pruritus
25 t0 50 mg orally every 4 to hours as it is necessary and it should not be more than 300mg per 24hrs.
General Adult Dose of Diphenhydramine for Urticarial
25 to 50 mg orally after every 4 to 6hrs as it necessary and it should not be more than 300mg/24hrs.
General Pediatric Dose of Diphenhydramine for Allergic Rhinitis
Greater than or equal to 2 to 6yrs: 6.25mg after every 4 to 6 hours and it should not be more than 37.5mg/24hours.
Greater than or equal to 6 to less than 12 years: 12.5 to 25mg orally after every 4 to 6 hours and it should not exceed 150mg/24hours.
Greater than or equal to 12 years: 25 to 50mg orally after every 4 to 6hours and it should not exceed 300mg/24 hours.
General Pediatric Dose of Diphenhydramine for Cold Symptoms
Greater than or equal to 2 to less than 6 years: 6.25mg orally after every 4 to 6 hours and it should not be more than 37.5mg/24 hours.
Greater than or equal to 6 to less than 12 years: 12.5 to 25 mg orally after every 4to 6 hours and should not be more than 150mg/ 24 hours.
Greater than or equal to 12 years: 25 to 50mg orally after every 4 to 6 hours and it should not be more than 300mg/ 24 hours.
General Pediatric Dose of Diphenhydramine for Motion Sickness
More than or equal to 2 to less than 6 years: 6.25 mg orally after every 4 to 6 hours and it should not be more than 37.5 mg/24hrs.
More than or equal to 6 to less than 12 years:12.5 to 25 mg orally after every 4 to 6 hours and should not exceed 150 mg/ 24 hours.
More than or equal to 12 years: 25to 50 mg orally every 4 to 6 hours and should not be more than 300 mg/24 hours.
General Pediatric of Diphenhydramine Dose for Insomnia
More than or equal to 12 years: 25 to 50 mg orally during bed time
General Pediatric of Diphenhydramine Dose for Cough
More than or equal to 2 to less than 6years: 6.25 mg orally after every 4 hours and should not exceed 37.5 mg/12 hours.
More than or equal to6 to less than 12 years: 12.5 mg orally after every 4 hours and it should not be more than 75 mg/24 hours.
More than or equal to 12 years: 25 mg orally after every 4 hours and it should not be more than 150mg/24 hours.
What are the Side Effects of Diphenhydramine?
There are common effects caused by diphenhydramine which include:
- Dry eyes, blurred vision
- Stomach upset and constipation
- Dry throat, nose or mouth
- Drowsiness during day time
People between the age of 18 and 60 and have no any medical condition or takes no other medication experiences the following;
- Diphenhydramine may cause sedation, drowsiness, impair judgment and affect a person ability to operate machine or drive.
- There are other common side effects which are experienced after using diphenhydramine which include; low blood pressure, headache, having a dry mouth, abdominal symptoms, rapid heartbeat and thickening of bronchial secretions.
It is advisable to seek medical attention with immediate effect if the following signs start to show: difficult breathing, hives and swelling of the face, tongue, lips or throat.
One should not continue to use diphenhydramine and immediately seek the doctor’s attention in case the following symptoms start to show:
- Fluttering in the chest and pounding heartbeats
- Passing out and feeling confused
- Moving of the tongue uncontrollably and tightening of the neck or jaw
Conclusion
Diphenhydramine is an antihistamine that is commonly used to effectively treat allergic reactions, it can also be used as a sleep aid and reliving motion sickness but it causes drowsiness after use.
