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How Antihistamine Relieves Allergies

Allergies are your body’s natural response to allergens. When you have an allergic reaction to a substance—like pollen or pet dander—your body’s immune system perceives it as a danger and overreacts. This causes the release of histamine, a special chemical that helps the body function normally.1

However, during an allergic reaction, extra histamine released from immune cells is also responsible for all those unwanted side effects like runny nose, watery eyes, and sneezing. This is because histamine:2

  • Stimulates mucus secretion, leading to a runny or stuffy nose
  • Triggers itching sensations on the skin
  • Causes leaky blood vessels that lead to watery eyes
  • Constricts lung muscles, making breathing difficult

Antihistamines are medications designed to block the effects of histamine in the body, alleviating these pesky symptoms. There are several different types of antihistamines available on the market, each with slightly different benefits.

Antihistamines can be broken down into two major groups: H-1 receptor blockers and H-2 receptor blockers. H-1 blockers are mainly used to treat common allergy symptoms, while H-2 blockers are used for gastrointestinal conditions.2

You may be wondering, is BENADRYL® an antihistamine? Yes, it is! In addition to oral BENADRYL® for adults & children, BENADRYL® also comes in the form of a Topical Analgesic/Skin Protectant.

To compare the differences between BENADRYL® and other allergy medicines and determine which BENADRYL® is right for you, you can review the chart below.

VIEW ALL BENADRYL® INGREDIENTS


Compare Benadryl to Other Allergy Medicines

When it comes to choosing OTC allergy meds, there are a lot of options out there. Use the handy chart below to compare Xyzal vs. BENADRYL®, Claritin vs BENADRYL®, Zyrtec vs. BENADRYL®, Allegra vs. BENADRYL®, and more.

While each medication uses a different active ingredient, most are indicated for treating similar allergy symptoms but there are some important differences to be aware of.

Medication BENADRYL®6 Claritin®3 Allegra®4 Zyrtec®5 Xyzal®7
Active ingredient Diphenhydramine HCl Loratadine Fexofenadine Cetirizine HCl Levocetirizine
Oral Allergy Medication Form Tablet, liquid gel capsule, chewable tablet (Children’s), syrup (Children’s), topicals Tablet, chewable tablet, extended-release tablet, dissolvable tablet, liquid gel, syrup Tablet, gel capsule, extended-release tablet, syrup Tablet, liquid gel, extended-release tablet, dissolvable tablet, chewable tablet, syrup Tablet, syrup
Comes in Topical Form? Yes – Offered in topical gel, cream, spray, & stick No No No No
Treats the common cold Yes No No No No
Product that treats Congestion? Yes Yes Yes Yes No
Indicated conditions(OTC) Allergies & cold symptoms*
*Only adult product is indicated to treat allergy & cold symptoms
Allergies Allergies Allergies Allergies
Symptoms Treated by OTC products
Nasal congestion only available in decongestant products.
Runny nose, itchy, watery eyes, sneezing, itchy nose/throat, sinus congestion and pressure & nasal congestion Runny nose, itchy, watery eyes, sneezing, itchy nose/throat, sinus congestion and pressure & nasal congestion Runny nose, itchy, watery eyes, sneezing, itchy nose/throat, sinus congestion and pressure & nasal congestion Runny nose, itchy, watery eyes, sneezing, itchy nose/throat, sinus congestion and pressure & nasal congestion Runny nose, itchy/watery eyes, itchy nose/throat, sneezing
Symptoms Treated by Topical Temporarily relieves pain & itching associated with:
-Insect bites
- Minor burns
- Sunburn
- Minor skin irritations
- Minor cuts
- Scrapes
- Rashes due to poison ivy, poison oak, and poison sumac
Dries the oozing and weeping of poison ivy, poison oak, and poison sumac.
N/A N/A N/A N/A

BENADRYL®6 Claritin®3 Allegra®4 Zyrtec®5 Xyzal®7
Active ingredient
Diphenhydramine HCl Loratadine Fexofenadine Cetirizine HCl Levocetirizine
Oral Allergy Medication Form
Tablet, liquid gel capsule, chewable tablet, syrup, topicals Pill, chewable tablet, dissolvable tablet, liquid gel, syrup Tablet, gel capsule, extended-release tablet, syrup Tablet, liquid gel, dissolvable tablet, syrup Tablet, syrup
Comes in Topical Form?
Yes – Offered in topical gel, cream, spray, & stick No No No No
Treats the common cold
Yes No No No No
Product that treats Congestion?
Yes Yes Yes Yes No
Indicated conditions(OTC)
Allergies & cold symptoms*
*Adult product only treats cold symptom
Allergies Allergies Allergies Allergies
Symptoms Treated by OTC products
Nasal congestion only available in decongestant products.
Runny nose, itchy/watery eyes, sinus pressure/sinus congestion & itchy nose/throat Runny nose, itchy, watery eyes, sneezing, itchy nose/throat, sinus congestion and pressure & nasal congestion Runny nose, itchy, watery eyes, sneezing, itchy nose/throat, sinus congestion and pressure & nasal congestion Runny nose, itchy, watery eyes, sneezing, itchy nose/throat, sinus congestion and pressure & nasal congestion Runny nose, itchy/watery eyes, itchy nose/throat, sneezing
Symptoms Treated by Topical
Temporarily relieves pain & itching associated with:
-Insect bites
- Minor burns
- Sunburn
- Minor skin irritations
- Minor cuts
- Scrapes
- Rashes due to poison ivy, poison oak, and poison sumac
Dries the oozing and weeping of poison ivy, poison oak, and poison sumac.
N/A N/A N/A N/A

Benefits of Benadryl for Allergy and Cold Relief

Now that you’ve had a chance to compare options, you may have decided BENADRYL® is the right medication to alleviate your allergy or cold symptoms. At the BENADRYL® Relief Center, you’ll find a product for almost any case—whether it’s simply allergies, or congestion and sinus pressure as well.

BENADRYL® also offers more products than other OTC allergy meds, including topical creams, gels, and sticks to get rid of that itch on your skin. These can be used for treating rashes or hives associated with allergies. For children, there are syrups and chewable tablets to help treat that runny or stuffy nose.

No matter the allergy symptom, BENADRYL® has got you covered.

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References

  1. Cleveland Clinic. Antihistamines. July 13, 2020. Accessed from: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/drugs/21223-antihistamines

  2. MedlinePlus. Histamine: The Stuff Allergies are Made of. September 8, 2017. Accessed from: https://medlineplus.gov/medlineplus-videos/histamine-the-stuff-allergies-are-made-of/

  3. Cleveland Clinic. Loratadine capsules or tablets. Accessed from: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/drugs/18985-loratadine-tablets

  4. Cleveland Clinic. Fexofenadine capsules or tablets. Accessed from: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/drugs/20104-fexofenadine-capsules-or-tablets

  5. Cleveland Clinic, Cetirizine tablets. Accessed from: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/drugs/19298-cetirizine-tablets

  6. Cleveland Clinic. Diphenhydramine capsules or tablets. Accessed from: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/drugs/19101-diphenhydramine-capsules-or-tablets

  7. Cleveland Clinic. Levocetirizine Oral Tablets. Accessed from: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/drugs/19735-levocetirizine-oral-tablets