Suffering from allergies, no matter whether they’re caused by animals, foods or dusts, isn’t pleasant, and for some can cause serious side effects. It’s important for people to know what their options are when it comes to allergy treatment. In some cases, your doctor will prescribe certain medications for you, but often, people try to find just the right treatment that will help them deal with the stuffy noses, watery eyes and the sneezing and itching that accompanies most allergies by themselves.

An allergy treatment can be something as simple as avoiding the substance, or allergens, that you’re allergic to. However, since many people are unable to control their environment to such a degree, choosing the right allergy treatment for your needs takes some homework. The most common types of allergy treatment come in the forms of decongestants, antihistamines, corticosteroids, leukotriene modifiers and mast cell stabilizers. Some of these are available over the counter, while others are by prescription only.

An antihistamine is the most common allergy treatment medication. This type of allergy treatment involves many over-the-counter antihistamine products found on most pharmacy shelves. An antihistamine blocks the release of inflammatory histamines into your immune system, which usually results in the common signs and symptoms of an allergy reaction, such as runny, watery eyes, itching and sneezing and sometimes rashes or hives. Commonly used antihistamines are available in pill or liquid forms such as Benadryl and Claritin, but also come in nasal sprays and even eye drops.

A decongestant helps to relieve sinus and nasal congestion caused by hay fever, and is usually available as over the counter medications such as Sudafed and Neo-Synephrine. A corticosteroid allergy treatment helps to prevent and also treat the inflammation experienced by most allergy sufferers. Common forms of this type of allergy medication, Flonase and Nasacort, are available by prescription. A leukotriene modifier is a medication that serves to block leukotriene, which is an inflammatory chemical released by your immune system during an allergy attack.

These allergy treatment remedies are available through prescription only. Some mast cell stabilizers, which also serve to prevent the release of histamine into the body via immune system responses to the particular allergen someone is allergic to are available in over the counter medications such as NasalCrom, but the eye drop forms of these types of medications are available through prescription only.

No matter what type of allergy you suffer from, relief is available, but to determine the right allergy treatment for your symptoms and allergen sensitivity, it’s best to see your doctor for the correct allergy treatment. Suffering from allergies doesn’t have to mean a drastic change in lifestyle, but some occasions, or seasons, may require you to adapt to the conditions around you.

An allergy treatment is only as effective as the medication you take to control it, which is why it’s so important for your doctor to decide which medication is right for you. Allergy treatment can range from cheap to expensive options when it comes to medications, but the good news is, relief is out there.