If your nose and sinuses are stuffed up, a decongestant may help. You can use it alone or combine it with an antihistamine. Remember, though, it can increase your heart rate and may cause anxiety or make it hard to fall asleep. If you have a runny nose or sneezing, try an antihistamine.
Can I take a decongestant with allergy medicine?
Studies have shown that the combination of an antihistamine drug and a decongestant is better at relieving the symptoms of allergic rhinitis due to seasonal inhalant allergies. These drugs only offer symptomatic relief and should be used with some caution.
What is the difference between a decongestant and an antihistamine?
If you have nasal or sinus congestion, then a decongestant can be helpful. If you have drainage — either a runny nose or postnasal drip or itchy, watery eyes — then an antihistamine may be helpful. Over-the-counter antihistamines often make people drowsy; decongestants can make people hyper or keep them awake.
Do antihistamines work as a decongestants?
Decongestants for a stuffy nose. While antihistamines work to prevent and quell allergy symptoms by blocking the effects of histamine, decongestants work by narrowing your blood vessels, decreasing swelling and inflammation.
What can you not mix with pseudoephedrine?
Do not take more pseudoephedrine than recommended. Caffeine can increase the side effects of this medication. Avoid drinking large amounts of beverages containing caffeine (coffee, tea, colas), eating large amounts of chocolate, or taking nonprescription products that contain caffeine.
Do antihistamines weaken immune system?
Antihistamines, with their ability to disrupt the immune response that leads to annoying reactions like runny noses and swelling tissues, have long been considered the ideal way to control allergies. But their long-term effects on the immune system are unknown.
What is a good decongestant for allergies?
Many medicines combine an antihistamine and decongestant, like Allegra-D, Benadryl Allergy Plus Sinus, Claritin-D, and Zyrtec-D.
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Common decongestants include:
- Afrin, Dristan, Vicks Sinex (oxymetazoline)
- Sudafed PE, Suphedrin PE (phenylephrine)
- Silfedrine, Sudafed, Suphedrin (pseudoephedrine)
What is the best decongestant and antihistamine?
Antihistamine/Decongestant Combos
- pseudoephedrine/loratadine.
- R-Tannate.
- Respahist-II.
- Semprex-D.
- Sudafed Sinus and Allergy.
- Triplex AD Liquid.
- Vazotab Chewable.
- Zyrtec D.
What is the best antihistamine for sinus congestion?
Along the same lines as OTC options, antihistamine medications, such as Sudafed, Claritin, Zyrtec or Benadryl, can also offer sinus infection symptom relief. While these medications specifically target allergy symptoms, sinus infection symptoms can be similar, making antihistamines worth a try.
What is the best decongestant for sinuses?
Decongestants . These medicines help reduce the swelling in your nasal passages and ease the stuffiness and sinus pressure. They come as nasal sprays, like naphazoline (Privine), oxymetazoline (Afrin, Dristan, Nostrilla, Vicks Sinus Nasal Spray), or phenylephrine (Neo-Synephrine, Sinex, Rhinall).
Is Benadryl a decongestant or antihistamine?
Benadryl is an antihistamine and Sudafed is a decongestant. Benadryl and Sudafed are available in generic form and over-the-counter (OTC).
Do Antihistamines dry up mucus?
Antihistamines and decongestants may dry out the mucous membranes in your nose and sinuses and slow the movement of the cilia (the tiny hairs that line the nose, sinuses, and the air passages inside the lungs and that remove irritants). This can make mucus thicker, adding to drainage problems.
Do Antihistamines help viral infections?
All antihistamines are best used for allergy, but they can be helpful for suppressing some viral URI symptoms.
What happens if you take too much pseudoephedrine?
If you take too much, symptoms of an overdose of Sudafed PE can include: headache. dizziness. high blood pressure.
Why does pseudoephedrine make me feel good?
Pseudoephedrine is a decongestant that constricts (shrinks) dilated blood vessels within the nose, relieving congestion. It causes vasoconstriction by stimulating primarily alpha-adrenergic receptors. It also has weak activity at beta-adrenergic receptors.
Why is Sudafed bad for you?
Pseudoephedrine constricts blood vessels in the nose and sinuses. This shrinks swelling and drains fluids, letting you breathe easier again. Unfortunately, the drug doesn’t affect only the head — it tightens blood vessels throughout the body. One effect is a possible increase in blood pressure.