{"id":61111,"date":"2023-11-01T09:30:12","date_gmt":"2023-11-01T13:30:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/?p=61111"},"modified":"2024-11-12T19:58:22","modified_gmt":"2024-11-13T00:58:22","slug":"best-antihistamine","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/best-antihistamine\/","title":{"rendered":"What\u2019s the best antihistamine?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Antihistamines are medications that help alleviate allergy symptoms such as hives, itchy eyes, sneezing, sinus congestion, runny nose, and watery eyes. Allergies are the <\/span>sixth<\/span><\/a> leading cause of chronic illness, with over 100 million Americans experiencing allergies yearly. According to a 2021 <\/span>survey<\/span><\/a>, 50% of adults with seasonal allergies in the United States reported they used over-the-counter (OTC) antihistamines to relieve their symptoms. Which one is best? It depends on a variety of factors\u2014from the specific allergy symptoms to how long you need relief. Read on to learn more.<\/span><\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/b>Is it safe to take an antihistamine every day?<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n

What is the best antihistamine?\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

Although their effectiveness can vary from person to person, the best oral antihistamines are <\/span>Zyrtec<\/span><\/a> (<\/span>cetirizine<\/span><\/a>), <\/span>Claritin<\/span><\/a> (<\/span>loratadine<\/span><\/a>), and <\/span>Allegra<\/span><\/a> (<\/span>fexofenadine<\/span><\/a>), says <\/span>Don. J. Beasly, MD<\/span><\/a>, an otolaryngologist at <\/span>Boise ENT<\/span><\/a> in Boise, Idaho. \u201cThese are generally considered the most effective for allergy relief due to their low sedation and long-lasting effects,\u201d Dr. Beasly says.<\/span><\/p>\n

Oral antihistamines for allergy symptoms can be broken down into the following groups:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n