Is Your Nose Running? Part 2 : the Solutions

Here are my top solutions to treating seasonal allergies (not in particular order of efficacy or preference). With the exception of Allegra®, the oral antihistamines can be bought over the counter.

1. Oral antihistamines:

   1. Sedating:

      1. diphenhydramine (Benadryl®): 25-50 mg every 6-8 hours as needed. Use mostly for night time symptoms.

         1. Adverse reactions: drowsiness, dry mouth

   2. Non sedating

      1. cetirizine (Zyrtec®): 5-10 mg daily

      2. loratidine (Claritin®): 10 mg daily

      3. fexofenadine (Allegra®): 60 mg twice a day or 180 mg daily

         1. Most common adverse reactions: headache, drowsiness (not as pronounce or as common as older antihistamines)

2. Prescription nose sprays

   1. corticosteroid sprays

      1. mometasone furoate (Nasonex®): 2 sprays each nostril daily

      2. triamcinalone (Nasacort AQ®): 2 sprays each nostril daily

         1. Most common adverse reactions: headache, runny nose, cough, bloody nose, viral infection (from immunosuppresion)

   2. antihistamine sprays

      1. azelastine (Astelin®): 1-2 sprays each nostril twice a day.

         Most common adverse reactions: headache, drowsiness, bad taste, runny nose and cough.

3. Lavender capsules (not FDA approved)

   1. 3-4 drops of Lavender in a vegetable capsules with 5-6 drops of olive oil 2-3 times a day.

Check with your family physician for accurate diagnosis and before starting any medicine or health care product.

Take care.