How long does it take to take effect after taking allergy medicine?

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Allergy is the body's response to harmful or irritating foreign substances, leading to manifestations such as: rash, hives, itching, diarrhea... Then, taking allergy medicine to "Calm down" the immune system is very good. So how long does it usually take to take allergy medicine?

1. Allergic reactions of the body

Essentially, allergy symptoms are the result of the immune system overreacting, mistaking a harmless substance (usually pollen or animal dander) for something more dangerous (like germs). or viruses) and start mass attacks.
When exposed to an allergen, the immune system releases histamine and attaches to receptors on other cells. After binding to the receptor, histamine causes those cells to swell and causes inflammation.
Antihistamines (also known as allergy medications, skin allergy medications ...) work by blocking histamine from affecting these cells.
When taking allergy medicine early, patients can prevent inflammation and allergies from occurring, because antihistamines have the ability to block histamine from binding to its receptors in cells, causing no symptoms. allergy or allergy symptoms will be milder. However, if the patient takes the drug after having symptoms of an allergy, the histamine binds to the receptor and activates the inflammatory process.

2. How long does it take to take allergy medicine?

Drugs for skin allergies, allergy medicines for itching belong to the group of antihistamines. Both cetirizine and loratadine are antihistamines that do not cause drowsiness in patients.
Antihistamines are well known to make patients sleepy, because the drug can enter the central nervous system easily and directly affect the alertness of the user. However, newer generation antihistamines are less likely to cause this side effect.
When a patient has a severe allergic reaction that leads to the inability to stop sneezing, watery eyes, and vision obstruction, then taking allergy medicine will give a very good symptom improvement effect, How long does it take to take allergy medicine?

Among the active ingredients of antiallergic drugs with Loratadine, this active ingredient is extremely popular, effective in improving allergic conditions in a period of 1-3 hours and reaching the highest effect after about 8-12 hours. The drug usually lasts for 24 hours in most patients, so it is given once daily.
Although it does not provide quick relief like some antihistamines, Loratadine does not cause drowsiness in most people and is suitable for daily use. Loratadine is long acting, if most people take at least 24 hours to see relief after a single dose, Cetirizine works very quickly. In this case, users can feel relief in just 1 hour after taking the drug.

3. Side effects when taking allergy medicine

Cetirizine and Loratadin are antihistamines with few side effects and are recognized as safe for most people. However, any drug will have side effects and allergy medicine itch , skin allergy is no exception.
Cetirizine may make some users feel drowsy. According to the manufacturer's recommendations, patients should use it when they have a lot of time at home to prevent drowsiness. Loratadine is less sedating than Cetirizine when used at recommended doses.
Some mild side effects when taking allergy medicine include:
Headache; Feeling sleepy or tired; Dry mouth; Sore throat; Dizzy ; Stomachache; Red eyes; Diarrhea or constipation. Some more serious side effects can occur, but the incidence is very low. If the user develops the following signs, get medical help as soon as possible:
Swelling in the lips, tongue, face or throat; Shortness of breath; Fast or irregular heartbeat.

Children can have any of the same side effects as adults but in addition to these unwanted effects when taking allergy antihistamines children may be irritable, restless or have trouble sleeping.
Women who are pregnant or planning to become pregnant should talk to their doctor before using Cetirizine and Loratadin. Although these two drugs have not been shown to have any known risks or birth defects in pregnancy, doctors do not recommend using any drugs during pregnancy unless the potential benefits outweigh the potential risks. harmful.
Studies have shown that Loratadine passes into breast milk in extremely low concentrations. Although it can cause drowsiness, it is unlikely that this medicine will cause side effects in a nursing infant when used in the correct dosage.
However, like other antihistamines, Loratadine affects excretion and may decrease milk production. Therefore, Loratadine should only be used at the lowest dose if breast-feeding.
When you intend to take allergy medicine, you should consult a pharmacist or doctor. Using the right medicine at the right dose always brings good treatment results and is safe for the patient's health.

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Reference source: healthline.com - usarx.com - webmd.com