Home Pharmacy (cont.)

Medical Author:

Benjamin Wedro, MD, FACEP, FAAEM

Dr. Ben Wedro practices emergency medicine at Gundersen Clinic, a regional trauma center in La Crosse, Wisconsin. His background includes undergraduate and medical studies at the University of Alberta, a Family Practice internship at Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario and residency training in Emergency Medicine at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center.

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Medical Editor:

Charles Patrick Davis, MD, PhD

Dr. Charles "Pat" Davis, MD, PhD, is a board certified Emergency Medicine doctor who currently practices as a consultant and staff member for hospitals. He has a PhD in Microbiology (UT at Austin), and the MD (Univ. Texas Medical Branch, Galveston). He is a Clinical Professor (retired) in the Division of Emergency Medicine, UT Health Science Center at San Antonio, and has been the Chief of Emergency Medicine at UT Medical Branch and at UTHSCSA with over 250 publications.

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Allergies and Itch

Allergic reactions limited to the skin including itching and hives (urticaria) usually are not life-threatening. However, difficulty breathing, wheezing, hoarseness, or difficulty swallowing may be signs of a life-threatening allergic reaction called anaphylactic shock and emergency medical services should be activated (call 911 if available) if these symptoms develop.

Diphenhydramine (Benadryl) is an antihistamine that treats allergic reactions and itch. It is effective but a significant side effect in drowsiness. Individuals taking diphenhydramine should not drive a car, operate heavy machinery, or drink alcohol. Nonsedating antihistamines include loratadine (Claritin), cetirizine (Zyrtec) and fexofenadine (Allegra).
Cromolyn sodium (Nasalcrom) is a nasal spray used to treat nasal allergies.

Synonyms and Keywords»

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