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- General: Allergy treatments depend on the severity of symptoms. Commonly used allergy medications include antihistamines, nasal sprays, decongestants, leukotriene inhibitors and allergen immunotherapy (allergy shots). Patients who have allergic asthma that is caused by mold may benefit from inhaled corticosteroids or bronchodilators. Patients should tell their healthcare providers if they are taking any drugs (prescription or over–the–counter), herbs or supplements.
- Short–acting antihistamines: Short–acting antihistamines like diphenhydramine (Benadryl ®) have been used to relieve mild to moderate allergy symptoms. Most short–acting antihistamines are available over–the–counter. Use cautiously, especially in children because these medications often cause drowsiness, and they have shown to temporarily slow learning in children (even in the absence of drowsiness). However, loratadine (Claritin ®), another over–the–counter medication, does not cause drowsiness or affect learning in children.
- Longer–acting antihistamines: Longer–acting antihistamines like fexofenadine (Allegra ®) or cetirizine (Zyrtec ®) are available by prescription for mild to moderate allergy symptoms. They cause less drowsiness than short–acting antihistamines, and they are equally effective. Although these medications usually do not interfere with learning, use cautiously in children.
- Nasal corticosteroid sprays: Nasal corticosteroid sprays can effectively relieve allergy symptoms in patients who are not responding to antihistamines. Commonly prescribed corticosteroid sprays include fluticasone (Flonase ®), mometasone (Nasonex ®) and triamcinolone (Nasacort AQ ®).
- Decongestants: Decongestants like pseudoephedrine (Sudafed ® Nasal Decongestant) may help relieve symptoms such as nasal congestion (stuffy nose). These drugs shrink the tissues and blood vessels in the eyes and nose that swell in response to contact with an allergen. Nasal decongestant sprays like oxymetazoline (Afrin ®) should not be used more than twice daily for three consecutive days because rebound nasal congestion may result. Decongestants in pill form do not cause this effect.
- Cromolyn sodium: Cromolyn sodium is available as a nasal spray (Nasalcrom ®) for treating allergy symptoms. Eye drop versions of cromolyn sodium are available for itchy, bloodshot eyes.
- Allergen immunotherapy (allergy shots): Allergen immunotherapy, also known as allergy shots, is often used to treat patients who suffer from severe allergies, or for those who experience allergy symptoms for more than three months a year. Allergen immunotherapy involves injecting increasing amounts of a diluted allergen into a patient over several months.
- There are two phases of immunotherapy –
the build–up phase and the maintenance phase. During the build–up phase, allergy shots are injected into the upper arm once or twice a week for several months (typically three to six months). The dose is gradually increased until the maintenance dose is reached. The maintenance phase begins once the effective therapeutic dose is reached. This dose is different for each patient because it depends on the patient's level of allergen sensitivity and their response to immunotherapy during the build–up phase. Once the maintenance dose is reached, the patient will continue therapy every two to four weeks for two to five years or more.
- Inhaled corticosteroids: Patients who suffer from allergic asthma and experience symptoms more than twice a week may be treated with inhaled corticosteroids like fluticasone (Flovent ®), beclomethasone (Qvar ®), budesonide (Pulmicort Turbuhaler ®) or mometasone (Asmanex ®). Inhaled corticosteroids may also be combined with long–acting inhaled bronchodilators like fluticasone/salmeterol (Advair ®).
- Bronchodilators: Bronchodilators are a quick–acting medication that is used to stop symptoms of an asthma attack. The most commonly used short–acting beta–2 agonist for asthma is albuterol (Proventil HFA ® or Ventolin HFA ®).
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