Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsOptionsWhich to Use?Remedies and LifestyleCommon OTC MedicationsPrescription MedicationsSpecialist-Driven ProceduresCAM TherapiesTalking to a Provider
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Options
Which to Use?
Remedies and Lifestyle
Common OTC Medications
Prescription Medications
Specialist-Driven Procedures
CAM Therapies
Talking to a Provider
Whether you’re dealing withhay fever,allergic dermatitis, or another allergy, you need treatment. Treatment options will depend on the type of allergy, its severity, and your unique needs.
Here you’ll learn everything you need to know to proactively address your allergy and feel better. You’ll find out the treatment options, how your symptoms dictate the treatment you need, home remedies and lifestyle changes to consider, medication options, and more.
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What Are Allergy Treatment Options
If you’re dealing with an allergy, the good news is that are some great strategies that can help. Such treatment can include the following:
Allergy Symptoms: How to Tell What Treatment You May Need
Allergies can be unpredictable. Some people may only have slight issues, while others may have a pronounced reaction to the same substance. What’s more, allergies can affect various parts of the body.
Someone with a pollen allergy may have nasal symptoms while a person with allergic contact dermatitis may be contending with an itchy rash, scaly skin, and blisters on the skin.
Mild
SSome allergy symptoms are common and mild. These are symptoms that you can often manage on your own, with a run to your local drugstore for an antihistamine or a decongestant:
Severe
Even mild symptoms like sneezing or a runny nose can become debilitating when they are constant. Likewise, a prescription cream may be needed if itching is all you can think about or your rash is beginning to weep.
If OTC medications are insufficient to reduce your symptoms, you may need to turn to an allergist who can prescribe a stronger medication or immunotherapy.
You should also be aware of severe allergic symptoms. These can indicate that you’re having ananaphylactic reactionand include the following:
If you’re experiencing these severe symptoms, you must go to the nearest hospital for treatment.
If you have an epinephrine injector (EpiPen or Auvi-Q), or epinephrine nasal spray (Neffy), use it immediately, whether or not you are certain you are experiencing an allergic reaction. After using the epinephrine, seek medical attention right away as the effects wear off within 20 minutes. Anaphylaxis can return, so further treatment and observation will be necessary.
Home Remedies and Lifestyle Changes
You can take many steps on your own to alleviate your allergy symptoms using practical home remedies.
For food allergies, avoidance is key. Learn how to read food labels to avoid the triggering food in all of its forms. Be diligent when dining away from home to ensure the food isn’t being used in any dishes you consume.
Forrespiratory allergy symptoms(allergic rhinitis, hay fever), keep airborne allergens such as pollen, dander, dust mites, and mold from triggering allergies using the following methods:
Talk to a healthcare provider about whether supplements may help, such as the following:
Common Allergy Medications
OTC medications that treat allergies include:
If OTC medications are insufficient in relieving allergies, then it’s time to bring in the big guns—potent prescription medications. Determining which is right for you will depend on several factors, such as the kind of allergy you have, how severe it is, and your individual needs. Fortunately, these tend to work for most people.
Here are some of the prescription options:
Surgeries and Specialist-Driven Procedures
While medications and other common treatments can control allergies in most cases, sometimes it’s necessary to step things up and consider more aggressive treatment when allergy symptoms persist. Here are some other approaches you may be encouraged to try.
Immunotherapy
Bronchial Thermoplasty
Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM)
You may choose to supplement more traditional treatment for allergies with an alternative approach. Research shows that the traditional Chinese medicine practice ofacupuncturemay help people with allergic rhinitis.
With acupuncture, extremely thin needles are inserted at various points of the body along what are called meridians. It is believed that energy known as Chi flows through these meridians. The idea is to use the needles to direct the flow of energy, which could be helpful in relieving allergic symptoms.
Most studies have been inconclusive. However, one small study comparing the use of traditional acupuncture to sham acupuncture treatments for seasonal allergic rhinitis showed that those who underwent the real treatment experienced an improvement in their quality of life.Talk to a healthcare provider about possible benefits and risks.
Talk to Your Healthcare Provider Before Taking Allergy Medicine
While you may be eager to get allergy treatment started, first check with your healthcare provider or allergy specialist. While allergy treatments can relieve symptoms, they may also cause side effects. Those who should take particular care include:
Also, anyone who has an underlying health condition should check with their healthcare provider to confirm this is safe before moving forward with treatment. They are there to help you navigate treatment and find the best approach.
Summary
23 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America.Allergy treatments.Advanced ENT & Allergy Center.Which type of allergy medication is right for you?NHS.Allergies.American Academy of Dermatology Association.Atopic dermatitis: self-care.American Academy of Dermatology Association.Eczema treatment: coal tar preparations.National Center for Complementary and Integrative Medicine.Butterbur.Mount Sinai.Quercetin.Mount Sinai.Bromelain.The American Academy of Otolaryngic Allergy.Understanding the different types of nasal sprays.American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology.Hay fever.NHS.Antihistamines.NY Allergy & Sinus Centers.Over the counter allergy medications.NHS.Hydrocortisone for skin.American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology.Hay fever and allergy medications.Mayo Clinic.Allergy medications: know your options.The American Academy of Otolaryngic Allergy.Do I need an antihistamine and an intranasal steroid?American Academy of Dermatology Association.Eczema treatment: topical calcineurin inhibitors (TCIS) for children.American Academy of Ophthalmology.Ocular pharmacotherapeutics.American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology.Allergy immunotherapy.American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology.Immunotherapy with allergy tablets.American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology.Bronchial thermoplasty defined.Brinkhaus B, Ortiz M, Witt CM, et al.Acupuncture in patients with seasonal allergic rhinitis: a randomized trial.Ann Intern Med. 2013;158(4):225-234. doi:10.7326/0003-4819-158-4-201302190-00002Michigan Medicine.Why high blood pressure and cold meds don’t mix.
23 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America.Allergy treatments.Advanced ENT & Allergy Center.Which type of allergy medication is right for you?NHS.Allergies.American Academy of Dermatology Association.Atopic dermatitis: self-care.American Academy of Dermatology Association.Eczema treatment: coal tar preparations.National Center for Complementary and Integrative Medicine.Butterbur.Mount Sinai.Quercetin.Mount Sinai.Bromelain.The American Academy of Otolaryngic Allergy.Understanding the different types of nasal sprays.American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology.Hay fever.NHS.Antihistamines.NY Allergy & Sinus Centers.Over the counter allergy medications.NHS.Hydrocortisone for skin.American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology.Hay fever and allergy medications.Mayo Clinic.Allergy medications: know your options.The American Academy of Otolaryngic Allergy.Do I need an antihistamine and an intranasal steroid?American Academy of Dermatology Association.Eczema treatment: topical calcineurin inhibitors (TCIS) for children.American Academy of Ophthalmology.Ocular pharmacotherapeutics.American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology.Allergy immunotherapy.American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology.Immunotherapy with allergy tablets.American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology.Bronchial thermoplasty defined.Brinkhaus B, Ortiz M, Witt CM, et al.Acupuncture in patients with seasonal allergic rhinitis: a randomized trial.Ann Intern Med. 2013;158(4):225-234. doi:10.7326/0003-4819-158-4-201302190-00002Michigan Medicine.Why high blood pressure and cold meds don’t mix.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America.Allergy treatments.Advanced ENT & Allergy Center.Which type of allergy medication is right for you?NHS.Allergies.American Academy of Dermatology Association.Atopic dermatitis: self-care.American Academy of Dermatology Association.Eczema treatment: coal tar preparations.National Center for Complementary and Integrative Medicine.Butterbur.Mount Sinai.Quercetin.Mount Sinai.Bromelain.The American Academy of Otolaryngic Allergy.Understanding the different types of nasal sprays.American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology.Hay fever.NHS.Antihistamines.NY Allergy & Sinus Centers.Over the counter allergy medications.NHS.Hydrocortisone for skin.American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology.Hay fever and allergy medications.Mayo Clinic.Allergy medications: know your options.The American Academy of Otolaryngic Allergy.Do I need an antihistamine and an intranasal steroid?American Academy of Dermatology Association.Eczema treatment: topical calcineurin inhibitors (TCIS) for children.American Academy of Ophthalmology.Ocular pharmacotherapeutics.American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology.Allergy immunotherapy.American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology.Immunotherapy with allergy tablets.American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology.Bronchial thermoplasty defined.Brinkhaus B, Ortiz M, Witt CM, et al.Acupuncture in patients with seasonal allergic rhinitis: a randomized trial.Ann Intern Med. 2013;158(4):225-234. doi:10.7326/0003-4819-158-4-201302190-00002Michigan Medicine.Why high blood pressure and cold meds don’t mix.
Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America.Allergy treatments.
Advanced ENT & Allergy Center.Which type of allergy medication is right for you?
NHS.Allergies.
American Academy of Dermatology Association.Atopic dermatitis: self-care.
American Academy of Dermatology Association.Eczema treatment: coal tar preparations.
National Center for Complementary and Integrative Medicine.Butterbur.
Mount Sinai.Quercetin.
Mount Sinai.Bromelain.
The American Academy of Otolaryngic Allergy.Understanding the different types of nasal sprays.
American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology.Hay fever.
NHS.Antihistamines.
NY Allergy & Sinus Centers.Over the counter allergy medications.
NHS.Hydrocortisone for skin.
American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology.Hay fever and allergy medications.
Mayo Clinic.Allergy medications: know your options.
The American Academy of Otolaryngic Allergy.Do I need an antihistamine and an intranasal steroid?
American Academy of Dermatology Association.Eczema treatment: topical calcineurin inhibitors (TCIS) for children.
American Academy of Ophthalmology.Ocular pharmacotherapeutics.
American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology.Allergy immunotherapy.
American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology.Immunotherapy with allergy tablets.
American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology.Bronchial thermoplasty defined.
Brinkhaus B, Ortiz M, Witt CM, et al.Acupuncture in patients with seasonal allergic rhinitis: a randomized trial.Ann Intern Med. 2013;158(4):225-234. doi:10.7326/0003-4819-158-4-201302190-00002
Michigan Medicine.Why high blood pressure and cold meds don’t mix.
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