Article: Antihistamines help neutralize allergens and can minimize your hay fever symptoms. There are many different over the counter and prescription antihistamines that can relieve hay fever. Talk to your doctor about which are best for you. You can buy antihistamines over the counter at most pharmacies and in some grocery stores. You may find that loratadine, cetirizine and fexofenadine help control your hay fever best. Your doctor can prescribe an antihistamine nasal spray to help relive hay fever that affects your nose. Ask her about azelastine and olopatadine to help relieve your hay fever. In addition, you can also try antihistamine eye drops, which may relieve the symptoms of hay fever that affect your eyes, such as itching and watering. You can get these at many pharmacies or your doctor can prescribe stronger versions. Some antihistamines may also help you sleep because they have a sedative effect. You should take antihistamines with food and water to reduce your risk of stomach irritation. You can dose antihistamines in adults every 8-12 hours; take between 1 and 2 mg of the medication at each setting. These drugs help prevent and treat inflammation, itching and runny nose caused by hay fever. Consider using nasal corticosteroids to help relieve your hay fever symptoms. Your doctor needs to prescribe most nasal corticosteroids. You may want to ask if medications such as propionate, triamcinolone, mometasone, and budesonide can help your hay fever. Recently, the nasal corticosteroid fluticasone became available over the counter and is available at most pharmacies and even some larger retailers. Your doctor may prescribe an oral corticosteroid such as prednisone if you hay fever is especially severe. Follow your doctor's orders exactly when taking these medications. Oral corticosteroids can have serious side effects when used long term. These include: cataracts, osteoporosis, and muscle weakness. Your doctor might also prescribe prednisone if your hay fever is very severe, but the side effects (such as weight gain and issues with glucose metabolism) can be severe. If you are suffering from hay fever-related congestion, you may want to take either an over-the-counter or prescription decongestant. These medications can help relieve your hay fever and its uncomfortable symptoms. Decongestants come in liquid, tablet, and nasal sprays. The most common oral decongestant that you can get over the counter is pseudoephedrine. You will need to get a prescription from your doctor for nasal decongestants such as phenylephrine and oxymetazoline. Oral decongestants have a variety of side effects including high or increased blood pressure, insomnia, irritability, and headache. Using nasal decongestants for longer than 2-3 days can make your symptoms worse. If you have very severe hay fever that doesn't respond to other medications, talk to your doctor about getting allergy shots. Over the course of a few years, they may help significantly relieve or eliminate your hay fever. Studies have found that allergy shots are especially effective at treating hay fever allergens such as cat dander, dust mites, pollen, grass, and weeds. Allergy shots are often called immunotherapy or desensitization therapy. You can use a squeeze bottle or neti pot to rinse out your sinuses. This may clear allergens from your nose and relieve any congestion. Using sterile water in either the neti pot or squeeze bottle, make a basic saline solution of one teaspoon of salt to one cup of water. Gently pour this into your nasal cavity and let it flow out the opposite nostril. There is some evidence that certain herbal remedies may help prevent seasonal allergies and hay fever. Consider this treatment if you don't want to take any medications. Butterbur may help relieve your seasonal allergies. However, make sure that if you decide to use butterbur to only purchase products marked "PA-free", which indicates that potentially hazardous toxic substances are removed from the product. There is also limited evidence that spirulina and tinospora cordifolia may also help relieve hay fever. Although there is no conclusive evidence, some other herbal remedies or supplements such as capsicum, honey, vitamin C and fish oil may help relieve seasonal allergies. You can buy herbal remedies and supplements at most health food stores and some pharmacies.

What is a summary?
Use antihistamines. Inhale nasal corticosteroids. Ingest oral corticosteroids. Take decongestants. Receive allergy shots. Rinse your sinuses. Try herbal remedies.