Allergies cannot be cured, but with some of the medications that are available, they are most often manageable. Some of these drugs are available by prescription and others can be purchased over the counter. They can help ease stuffy and runny nose, itchy and watery eyes and itchy throat. Many types of medicines are used for the treatment of allergy symptoms.

Medications for allergies can be found in inhaler, nasal spray, injections, pills, skin creams and liquid form. Some of these drugs can be found right in your local drug store, but others will require a prescription. Following is a summary to the different types of medications used to treat allergies:

Antihistamines: These medications block the chemical that causes symptoms called histamine. Your immune system releases this chemical during a reaction to allergens.

Corticosteroids: Work to prevent the chemicals that cause symptoms during an allergy attack. Most of these medications cannot be obtained without a prescription.

Decongestants: These medications are used to offer temporary and rapid relief of sinus and nasal congestion. If you're pregnant, are older or have high blood pressure, you might not be able to take decongestants. Talk to your physicians to find out what drugs will be a safe option for you.

Other medications for allergies

There are some other allergy medications that can block the chemicals that cause symptoms which the body releases during an allergy attack.

Talk to your physician

When you're looking for a way to help treat your allergy symptoms, talk to your health care provider about what medications will be safe and effective and what you should avoid. Keep in mind that over the counter medications can also include side effects and some of them have side effects when you take them with other drugs. Take note of the symptoms that you experience, including when you take your medicines and how much you take. This will help your health care provider determine what is the most effective for you. It might be necessary to try more than one medication to find the one that works most effectively for you.