Some allergy medications can be very effective in helping you relieve allergy symptoms fast. This section will help you understand the positives and negatives of a range of allergy medications. Antihistamines Histamines are the chemicals your body produces that trigger a lot of your allergy symptoms. Antihistamines block the histamines from producing these symptoms.
Antihistamines offer fast relief from sneezing, runny nose, and itchy, watery eyes.
But they have no effect on nasal congestion. That's why they're often used or prescribed in conjunction with a decongestant. While antihistamines can relieve allergy symptoms, they are not effective for treating the symptoms of colds. Although they provide symptom relief, they have been associated with side effects like drowsiness. This makes them poor choices for the elderly, as well as for people who need to be alert at the wheel or on the job.