5 Things to Know About Spring Allergy Antihistamines

Start with loratadine (Claritin) or cetirizine (Zyrtec) These second-generation antihistamines are your best bets for spring allergies. Fexofenadine (Allegra) is a good backup if those don’t work.

Avoid diphenhydramine (Benadryl) unless you want to sleep Older antihistamines like Benadryl cross into your brain and cause drowsiness. The newer ones don’t, so you can function normally.

Cetirizine is slightly stronger but may cause some drowsiness It works better for some people but can still make you a little sleepy. Loratadine is almost always truly non-drowsy but might be weaker.

Fexofenadine sits in the middle It’s a solid option if loratadine isn’t strong enough and cetirizine makes you drowsy. Try it as a second or third choice.

Try loratadine first, then switch if needed Start with loratadine. If it’s not cutting it, move to cetirizine. Don’t bother with Benadryl unless you want a nap.