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Food Allergies
- Topic Overview
-
Health Tools
- Cause
- Symptoms
- What Happens
- What Increases Your Risk
- When To Call a Doctor
- Exams and Tests
- Treatment Overview
- Prevention
- Home Treatment
- Medications
- Other Places To Get Help
- Related Information
- References
- Credits
Medicine is used to treat some food allergies. Medicines to treat a severe allergic reaction or an anaphylactic reaction are packaged in a prescribed allergy kit.
For mild allergic reactions, people often try nonprescription medicines first. You can try prescription medicines if over-the-counter medicines fail to control allergy symptoms or if they cause drowsiness or other bothersome side effects.
Medication Choices
Medicines used to treat a severe allergic reaction include:
- Epinephrine. Epinephrine is given as a shot. It acts quickly to stop the further release of histamine and to relax the muscles that help you breathe.
- Antihistamines. Antihistamines block the action of histamine during an allergic reaction and help improve symptoms such as itching and sneezing.
- Corticosteroids. These medicines help reduce inflammation.
Medicines used to relieve mild food allergy symptoms include:
- Antihistamines and corticosteroids for hives, gastrointestinal symptoms, or sneezing and a runny nose.
- Bronchodilators for asthma symptoms. Bronchodilators relax the airways of the lungs, making it easier to breathe.
| By: | Healthwise Staff | Last Revised: March 23, 2011 |
| Medical Review: | Sarah Marshall, MD - Family Medicine Rohit K Katial, MD - Allergy and Immunology | |
© 1995-2011 Healthwise, Incorporated. Healthwise, Healthwise for every health decision, and the Healthwise logo are trademarks of Healthwise, Incorporated. This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise, Incorporated disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Your use of this information means that you agree to the Terms of Use. How this information was developed to help you make better health decisions.
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