This disease is considered one of the most common in the world - 85% of the world's population suffer from it. We are talking about allergies, which seems to be a trifle (compared to viral hepatitis, heart disease, or fractures). However, only those who have never come across this disease, which can significantly worsen the quality of life, can think this way. One of its main drawbacks (in addition to unpleasant symptoms) is the need for constant medication during an exacerbation. Let's look at the most effective of them and try to find out which allergy remedy helps others better than others.
What is an allergy?
This disease is an inadequate reaction of the body to a collision with a substance to which it has an increased sensitivity.
For example, in a class they eat peanut cake. Organisms of 20 students safely assimilate this food, splitting it into useful elements. However, in the 21st child, a cough suddenly begins and his throat swells. In this case, the body perceives peanuts incorrectly and exhibits unusual symptoms.
This is an allergy, and its acute manifestation, life-threatening. So such a victim must be urgently taken to the hospital.
Allergy is a "personal" disease that occurs in everyone's own way. The reasons for its occurrence have not yet been clarified by scientists, so they explain them in a standard wording for such cases: "individual characteristics of the body."
What could be an allergen?
Before you try to determine the best remedy against allergies, it is worth learning about substances that can provoke it.
Any allergic reaction starts after something new enters the body, which provokes its abnormal behavior. Such foreign substances are called allergens. Absolutely everything is able to play this role: medicines, food, pollen, dust, tissue, sun rays, various microbes, etc.
Moreover, even substances formed by the body itself can provoke allergies. They are called endoallergens or autoallergens.
It is also worth remembering that the same allergens in different people can give different symptoms. And so Vasya, on contact with a cat, begins to sneeze, but Vanya may have a rash, not immediately, but after a few hours.
Can allergies be cured?
The main disadvantage of this disease is just that it is incurable, but it can only be controlled.
Today, there are two ways to help alleviate the course of the disease:
- Isolate the patient from exposure to an allergen. However, this is not always possible. You can control your food or drug intake. But if the allergen is pollen, animal pheromone, insect venom or a microbe in general, this will not work.
- If a collision with a harmful substance cannot be avoided, then it is necessary to take specialized drugs. They cannot cure the disease, but they are able to partially neutralize the effects of the allergen or alleviate its consequences.
Types of Drugs
Before choosing the best allergy remedy, you should find out their typology.
According to the composition and method of action on the body, all drugs are divided into the following groups:
- Antihistamines.
- Decongestants.
- Leukotriene Inhibitors.
- Homeopathic medicines.
- Steroid sprays and ointments.
- ASIT method.
Let us now consider each of the types in more detail, and also choose the best allergy remedy from the one or another category.
Three generations of antihistamines
As soon as an allergen enters the body, the immune system begins to actively produce histamine, which causes most of the inadequate symptoms.
To stop the release of this substance, the patient is first prescribed antihistamines. However, they are not able to remove the already provoked symptoms.
To date, 3 generations of antihistamines have been created in the pharmaceutical industry.
1st generation drugs are considered obsolete and inferior to substances invented in recent decades. As a rule, such drugs help for 5-8 hours, after which a second dose is needed. Their constant use during the flowering season is addictive, and also negatively affects the work of the kidneys.
In addition, these drugs act depressingly on the nervous system and cause drowsiness. What prevents not only full work, but also interesting to spend free time.
This generation includes:
- "Suprastin";
- "Allergosan";
- Tavegil
- "Diazolin";
- Fenkarol;
- Diphenhydramine.
All these drugs are available in the form of tablets, as well as ampoules and ointments. They can be used for different types of allergies.
Their cheap price, affordability and many years of testing make it possible for many patients to take them, despite the existence of better medicines.
By the way, many allergy sufferers talk about Suprastin as the best allergy remedy. These reviews, as a rule, are written by people who do not want to try something new. In fairness it is important to note that this particular drug is really good, although inferior to more modern ones. One of its main advantages is the possibility of using it for children from 1 year.
Another medicine of this generation, which, like Suprastin, is considered the best of its kind, is Diazolin. Some pediatricians today prescribe it to children.
The second generation includes drugs such as Claritin, Fenistil, Semprex, Trexil, Erius, Eden, and Histalong.
Drugs of this type act less depressing on the nervous system and are compatible with other drugs. Also, the effect of them persists for 24 hours.
However, such drugs adversely affect heart function and are incompatible with antidepressants. In addition, they are still addictive.
According to most patients, the best allergy remedy in this category is Claritin and its cheaper counterparts. It is prescribed not only for the treatment of an already manifested allergy, but also as a prophylaxis when taking new drugs. Quite often, pediatricians recommend it for babies.
In this case, the best remedy for allergies for children in this generation is considered to be "Erius" in the form of syrup. It can be assigned even to six-month-old crumbs.
For allergic injuries of small areas of the skin or insect bites, the most effective in the 2nd generation is Fenistil in the form of a gel. It can be used for children, but only from 2 years.
The third generation of antihistamines is represented by drugs such as Telfast, Tsetrin, Zirtek and Xizal.
Today they are positioned as the most effective. These drugs do not affect the heart and do not have a sedative effect on the nervous system. However, they also negatively affect the functioning of the kidneys with prolonged use (which is typical for patients suffering from seasonal hay fever).
Among other shortcomings of such drugs, experts highlight the impossibility of their appointment to nursing mothers and children under 2 years of age.
The best remedies for allergies for adults in the 3rd generation are drugs based on cetirizine. They act faster and relieve symptoms very well, but they are not very expensive.
Despite the effectiveness of all these drugs, before you start taking any of the antihistamines, you should definitely consult with your doctors, since each of them has a number of individual contraindications.
Decongestants
Such drugs are most effective when it comes to treating the effects of exposure to allergens. Typically, decongestants are prescribed for allergic rhinitis (runny nose, swelling of the nose, itching, sneezing, upset smell and taste).
Such drugs include drugs based on pseudoephedrine, xylometazoline and oxymetazoline. They are used not only to treat the effects of allergies, but also with common colds.
As a rule, they are available in the form of nasal sprays. It is worth noting that they are less safe for the body than antihistamines. That is why they are not prescribed for pregnant women, nursing mothers and children under 12 years old. They are also used with caution for problems with the heart, diabetes and high blood pressure.
The most effective among decongestants are drugs with oxymetazoline. It is part of such nasal drops as Nazol, Nazivin, Nazo Spray, etc.
In case of acute need, they are used not only by adults, but also by children from 2 years old.
Leukotriene inhibitors
This name is given to drugs prescribed for patients with inflammation of the respiratory tract arising from the action of an allergen.
These include medicines containing montelukast in their composition ("Singular", "Notta-Sanovel").
Such drugs are used not only for allergies, but also for the treatment of asthma attacks.
Homeopathic remedies against allergies
Choosing the most effective medicines, you should pay attention to homeopathic medicines. Although their adherents call these drugs the safest, one should not exclude the possibility of an allergy to a component of the drug itself.
So, the best among them are drugs "Euphrasia", "Dulcamara" and "Sabadilla". In this case, "Euphrasia" is allowed to apply even to infants.
However, before using these drugs, you should visit a doctor. And it is better to conduct tests and find out if there is an allergy to one of these drugs.
The best hormonal remedies for allergies
All of the above drugs remove the effects of allergens and are non-hormonal. However, to eliminate the effects of allergies, hormonal substances are also used - steroid sprays and ointments.
Manufacturers of such drugs claim that they do not have adverse reactions, because their components are practically not absorbed by the body and are quickly eliminated from it, removing swelling or inflammation.
It is worth remembering that a feature of steroid sprays is the occurrence of nosebleeds during their prolonged use.
Steroid preparations include Bekonase spray or Beklazon, Nazarel or Flixonase aerosol, and Momat cream.
These medicines are by far one of the best hormonal drugs. With short-term use, they can show excellent results. However, they not only relieve symptoms, but can also be used to prevent their occurrence.
With prolonged use by children, they can cause delays in their development. Therefore, any drug based on beclomethasone or fluticasone can hardly be called the best allergy remedy for children and pregnant women. In this case, sprays based on mometasone can sometimes be prescribed to babies older than 2 years.
There are also a number of ointments that are great for allergies to the skin. The best remedy, as a rule, is chosen by doctors among such drugs as Lorinden, Flucinar, Sinaflan, Dermoveit and hydrocortisone ointment.
The creams listed above are cheaper and more affordable. However, there are a number of steroid drugs that are more expensive.
These are Advantan, Elokom, Lokoid and Apulein.
It is difficult to say which of them can carry the title of the best remedy for allergies on the face and body. Each has a number of contraindications, but at the moment they are considered the most effective for relieving skin allergy symptoms.
How is allergy treated during pregnancy?
Having dealt with the well-known allergy medicines and choosing which ones are the best of its kind, it is worth paying attention to such a state of the body as pregnancy. The fact is that in this period, taking any drugs, a woman should think not only about their effects on her own body, but also on the fetus in her womb.
It is worth noting that when choosing a medicine for the expectant mother, doctors always put her health above the health of the unborn child.
In the case of allergies, you should be on the alert, because it is often during this period that intolerance of a substance is manifested. Although pregnancy is a contraindication to most of these drugs, some of them are still conditionally safe for expectant mothers.
So, the first generation antihistamines are considered the best allergy remedies for pregnant women: Diazolin and Suprastin. But "Tavegil" and its analogues should be avoided, as it negatively affects the development of the baby in the womb. Short-term use of the hormonal "Advantan" in a small number of pregnant women in the II-III trimesters is also permissible.
A new way to treat allergies - hyposensitization
Even when taking the best allergy medication, the patient can not always be sure that he will surely work 100%. Therefore, in recent years, scientists are conducting research in another area. They developed the ASID method, which aims to prepare the immune system to fight allergies.
The essence of the method is that during the period of remission (when the patient is not in contact with the allergen), small doses of substances are introduced into his body (using special vaccinations) that cause an inadequate reaction. Gradually, their number increases, and after 3-6 months, the immune system learns not to respond to allergens.
Hyposensitization is a great idea, but so far it cannot be considered the best allergy remedy for everyone.
The fact is that during the period of getting used to the allergen in patients, an allergy attack can begin, so he will have to take some of the above drugs, which can disrupt the entire course of treatment.
However, we all hope that in the future, these vaccinations will help many allergy sufferers to cope with their illness and not depend on pills. Who knows, maybe it is hypersensitivity that will become the best way to deal with this ailment.
Finally, it is worth emphasizing once again that even the best allergy remedy cannot be effective for all patients. Therefore, you must definitely go to the doctor, take tests and only after that start taking the prescribed drug.