Allergies are a fact of life for many of us. Whether it’s hay fever, hives, insect bites, or food allergies, the body’s immune system overreacts by releasing histamine, which causes swelling, itching, sneezing, runny nose, watery eyes etc. Antihistamines are one of the main tools to tame those symptoms. But not all antihistamines are the same. Below I’ll summarise the different kinds, when they’re recommended, what to watch out for, and a quick guide to matching allergy type to antihistamine class. Types of Antihistamines Antihistamines are primarily H1 receptor blockers (they block the effect of histamine at H1 receptors). There …
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As a parent and allergy sufferer, one of the best investments I have made for my own home was buying an air purifier. I used to wake up with a sore throat and a blocked nose every morning, and most days I could not function properly until I had taken an antihistamine. Spring was unbearable, and even simple chores like vacuuming or dusting meant I had to wear a mask indoors. It became clear that investing in a good air purifier might be the answer. Being an engineer, I could not just pick one at random. I wanted to be … Read more