A list of food allergy medications that are easily purchased at the pharmacy

Food allergies are abnormal reactions that the body produces because the immune system mistakenly considers the intake of certain foods to be harmful substances. What are the treatments and food allergy medications that can quickly overcome the symptoms?

Medicines to treat food allergies

Some foods that cause allergies include eggs, milk, seafood, nuts, wheat, and certain vegetables and fruits. Eating these foods, whether intentional or not and in small or large portions, can trigger the immune system to release histamine.

The release of large amounts of histamine causes the body to react negatively by triggering inflammation. The effects of inflammation then cause food allergy symptoms in the form of a runny nose, itching all over the body, swelling of the lips, tongue, eyes, to nausea, and diarrhea.

In some people, food allergies can also cause them to become short of breath or make a sound which is also known as wheezing.

If you often experience reactions and have been diagnosed with allergies, there are various treatments that can be done to treat allergies so that they don't get worse, leading to anaphylaxis.

Drinking drugs

One of the first things to do when you start experiencing food allergy symptoms is to take medication. Medicines can work to relieve symptoms quickly and effectively. The following are medications that are usually recommended for treating allergic food reactions.

1. Antihistamines

If you have a food allergy, antihistamines are one of the drugs that you must carry around with you. Antihistamine drugs function to stop the production of histamine that triggers allergy symptoms.

Some examples of antihistamine drugs are diphenhydramine, cetirizine, loratadine, and fexofenadine. This medicine can be purchased over the counter at a pharmacy, although in certain cases there may be a prescription that requires a doctor.

Some of the common side effects of antihistamines that you need to watch out for are drowsiness, headaches, stomach upset, and dry mouth. Take the medication as described on the package, or as directed by your pharmacist or doctor.

Antihistamines are often used as mainstay drugs to treat food allergies. However, not all symptoms can be completely treated with antihistamines. You may need other complementary drugs that work with antihistamines to relieve symptoms.

2. Corticosteroids

Corticosteroids or steroids are drugs that doctors often prescribe along with antihistamine drugs to treat food allergies

Steroid drugs function to treat nasal congestion and / or runny nose, sneezing, and itching due to allergies. Steroids are also useful for relieving swelling of the lips, tongue, eyes and other parts of the body as an allergic reaction.

Some examples of common corticosteroid drugs to treat food allergies are as follows.

• Prednisolone and methylprednisolone in pill and liquid suspension form.
• Steroid inhaler for asthma-related symptoms.
• Betamethasone in topical form to relieve itching and red rashes on the skin.
• Fluorometholone in the form of eye drops, to relieve red, watery eyes.
• Budesonide and fluticasone furoate to relieve nasal congestion, sneezing and runny nose.

3. Decongestants

In addition to steroids and antihistamines, your doctor may prescribe a decongestant such as pseudoephedrine if a food allergy causes congestion and runny nose. This food allergy medicine is available in the form of pills, liquids, drops, as well as nasal sprays.

Decongestants work to reduce the swelling in the nasal blood vessels that block the airways. However, decongestants cannot help relieve symptoms of sneezing or itching in the nose.

4. Mast cell (mast cell) stabilizer

Mast cells are white blood cells in the immune system that respond to allergens until the body reacts.

Mast cell stabilizer is a drug that stops the body from releasing histamine. Doctors generally will only prescribe this drug when common allergy medications, such as antihistamines, are not working well.

Doctors will usually prescribe mast cell stabilizer if you experience symptoms of rhinitis (nasal congestion) and conjunctivitis (itchy red eyes). This medication is safe to use for a few days until symptoms improve, but it is not recommended to use it for too long.

5. Anti-diarrheal drugs

Diarrhea is a symptom of a food allergy that can appear in some people. If diarrhea is left untreated, these digestive problems can cause you to become weak due to dehydration.

So to deal with this one food allergy symptom, you can use generic diarrhea medication at the pharmacy. However, a doctor may prescribe drugs such as loperamide (Imodium) and bismuth subsalicylate (Pepto-Bismol) if the symptoms of a food allergy make you have severe diarrhea, for example, until the stool is only liquid.

Loperamide works to slow the movement of stool along the intestines to allow excess fluid in it to be absorbed by the body. Meanwhile, bismuth subsalicylate works by balancing the amount of fluid in the intestine. As a result, the resulting stool will be denser and harder.

6.Nausea reliever medication (antiemetic)

Food allergies can also cause nausea and end up vomiting. If you experience these symptoms, your doctor can prescribe a nausea reliever (antiemetic) medication such as bismuth subsalicylate under the brand name Kaopectate or Pepto-Bismol.

On the other hand, antihistamine drugs such as dimenhydrinate can also help prevent or relieve nausea and vomiting. These antihistamines work by blocking messages to the part of the brain that controls nausea and vomiting.

7. Leukotriene inhibitors

Leukotriene inhibitors are prescription drugs that block the release of leukotriene, another chemical the body produces to trigger an allergic reaction. This medication can relieve symptoms of a food allergy in the form of nasal congestion, runny nose, and sneezing.

Unfortunately, this drug has side effects that can have a psychological impact on users, such as irritability, anxiety, insomnia, depression, and even hallucinations.

Epinephrine injection, for severe food allergies

In some cases, eating small amounts of allergenic foods can trigger a severe reaction called anaphylactic shock. Anaphylactic shock can appear quickly with symptoms that immediately feel severe and aggravating.

Anaphylactic shock can be life threatening if not treated promptly. For that, you need a special allergy drug in the form of epinephrine injections. Anaphylactic shock is especially prone to occur in people who have a peanut allergy.

When experiencing an anaphylactic reaction, injections of the drug epinephrine can help improve breathing, raise your blood pressure, stabilize your heart rate, and reduce swelling during allergies.

This food allergy drug is only prescribed by a specialist, not sold freely in the market. Store the injection in a cool place, away from sunlight, and do not store in the refrigerator. This is because exposure to excess temperature can change the drug content. Don't forget to pay attention to the expiration date of the drug every time you use it.

The effect of this drug is fast, but does not last long to overcome the symptoms of a severe food allergy. If you or someone else gets better immediately after the epinephrine injection, you still need to be taken to a doctor for further examination and treatment.

Immunotherapy

Another option for treating food allergies is immunotherapy. Please note, immunotherapy is not intended to completely cure allergies, but this treatment will relieve any allergic conditions you have.

Treatment focuses on getting the body more accustomed to exposure to allergies, so that it is hoped that the body will no longer produce too severe reactions. In addition, you may also take allergy medication less frequently after using this method.

Some of the types of immunotherapy treatments are:

• Injectable immunotherapy (SCIT). Allergy shots are the most common and effective form of allergy immunotherapy. These injections will help change the immune system which will prevent the development of allergies and asthma. Injections will be done 1-2 times a week for a span of six months.
• Sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT). SLIT is done by placing a tablet containing allergens under the saliva. After that the drug will be absorbed into the body. Tablets can reduce symptoms by building up the body's resistance to the allergens' effects. Unfortunately, tablets only treat one type of allergy and cannot prevent the development of a new allergy.

Home food allergy treatment

In addition to medical drugs or those given from a doctor, you can also take several steps to relieve the allergic reaction you are feeling. Here are the various options.

Apply an itch-relieving cream

Often times, food allergic reactions will cause symptoms such as itching or a red rash. Indeed, if it appears you often can't help scratching it. However, this method will actually make the skin more itchy and can cause sores or even irritation.

To fix this, it's better to immediately apply cream to the area that feels itchy. The types of creams that are often used are topical corticosteroid drugs and calamine lotion.

Like drinking corticosteroid drugs, this topical drug also contains steroids which function to relieve inflammation in the skin that triggers itching. While the calamine lotin will protect the skin with its astringent content which can reduce itching. You can find calamine lotion at a pharmacy.

In addition to topical corticosteroids and calamine, you can also use a soothing moisturizer, such as aloe vera gel. For a more practical alternative, apply a cloth dampened in cold water or an ice pack to the itchy skin for 10 minutes.

After that, wear looser, sweat-absorbing clothing so that skin irritation doesn't get worse.

Soak in warm water

Another method that can be used as a treatment for food allergic reactions is to soak in warm water. This method will help reduce the excruciating itching when the reaction occurs. Apart from relieving itching on the skin, taking a warm bath is also believed to relax the body.

Remember, the water used is lukewarm water and not hot water. Hot water will actually exacerbate irritation and dry out your skin.

Drink water

Some people experience allergic reactions such as nausea or vomiting after eating trigger foods. There are also people who experience diarrhea. If you experience it, in addition to taking allergy relievers, you should also help by drinking enough water.

The body releases a lot of fluids when you have diarrhea or vomiting, at this time you will be more susceptible to dehydration. Therefore, make sure you need enough fluids by drinking more water.