Relief from allergies may be near but it’s not here yet.  Lots of folks go running for the drug store looking for help but how effective and safe are the over the counter medications?

There are many that are effective but the safety factor can depend on your own health.  Meredith Fleming, the pharmacy manager for Professional Pharmacy at St. John says you need to keep in mind that decongestants tend to raise your blood pressure.

There are also a number of antihistamines you can pick up at the store but which one is best for you? Fleming says Allegra, Zyrtec or Claritin are all good choices for use during the day because they don’t cause drowsiness.  She says Benadryl is an excellent choice for use before bedtime because it is the most drying of the antihistamines and it will make you drowsy.

You may also have heard of Mucinex.  It’s an expectorant which helps you get rid of phlegm.

Many over the counter flu and cold remedies also contain acetaminophen.  That’s the drug that is in Tylenol.

Fleming says you need to be careful when buying over the counter remedies that treat more than one symptom because they often contain more than one drug.  She says It would be easy to take a cold and flu medication that contains something like acetaminophen and then take more acetaminophen in a pain medication for a headache and wind up ingesting more of the drug than is recommended or is safe.

Fleming says if you’re in doubt, you can always ask the pharmacist at a store about the medications.  She also adds that if your mucus is a green or yellow color that you likely have an infection and should see a doctor.

There is a remedy that Fleming can recommend that won’t be a problem for overdoses or interactions with other drugs.  She says there are nasal washes that can flush out allergens before they cause you to sniffle or sneeze.