What to pack in your allergy relief kit

October 16, 2017

These are some essential items to pack in your allergy relief kit:

1. Eye drops

Use eye drops when your eyes get red and itchy. Eye drops ease inflammation so your eyes don’t itch, tear up, or swell. Use antihistamine drops with ketotifen in them before you go outside to prevent symptoms. Try artificial tears to flush out allergens. Or look into over-the-counter decongestant eyedrops to help curb the redness. Ask your doctor what you need.

2. Decongestants

Decongestants may help if you suffer from stuffiness or congestion. They help shrink your nasal tissues, which swell during an allergic reaction. You can get them over the counter as pills. Some are mixed with an antihistamine. If you have a health problem like high blood pressure, glaucoma, or thyroid disease, talk to your doctor before you take them.

3. Antihistamines

You need them to ease allergy symptoms such as a runny nose, sneezing, and itchy, watery eyes. They block a substance called histamine, which your immune system makes when you come across an allergen. You can get them over the counter and by prescription. Newer ones like cetirizine, desloratadine, fexofenadine, levocetirizine, and loratadine are less likely to make you sleepy. Check with your doctor or pharmacist.

4. Lotions and creams

Keep small tubes of moisturizer and hydrocortisone cream in your allergy kit. Use them to treat allergic reactions that show up on your skin. Moisturizers can soothe the dry, itchy feeling, and hydrocortisone cream eases inflammation. Your doctor may suggest or prescribe other medications for more serious reactions or eczema.

5. Medical Information

If you have a life-threatening allergy, you should wear a medical alert bracelet. If your allergies are mild, you can store medical information on a laminated card in your allergy kit. Include your type of allergy, your doctor’s name and phone number, emergency contact information, and health insurance information.

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