14 OTC Allergy Treatments to Make Spring Less Miserable

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Anyone who’s ever waged war with the pollen count knows that the best over-the-counter (OTC) allergy treatment is a good old-fashioned antihistamine. But your defense strategy doesn’t have to stop there, especially when your symptoms (hello, sneezing, hacking, and a nonstop runny nose) are making life miserable.

If you rely on the same handful of allergy remedies every year, only to see middling success, it might be time to try something different. That’s why we asked members of the SELF team to share exactly what they do and use to make this time of year a little more liveable. Something as simple as a really good cough drop or a sub-$100 humidifier can drastically improve how you feel—take it from SELF staffers who report on health professionally and deal with allergies personally. From an enormous water bottle to never-fail nasal sprays, these are our allergy-season essentials.

If you’re wheezing and sneezing, the least you can do is try to make yourself as comfy as possible—that’s this writer’s philosophy, at least. As someone who never dealt with seasonal allergies as a kid but finds herself knee-deep in them as an adult, I’ve only recently figured out what will ease my misery when the pollen hits.

First, I stay hydrated with a big old water bottle. My personal favorite is Simple Modern’s 40-ounce guzzler, but your Stanley, Hydro Flask, or Owala will work great too. When I’m not drinking water, I’m sipping tea to soothe my sinuses and dry throat. Chamomile is my go-to, but SELF has previously reported that people with ragweed allergies may also have sensitivities to chamomile, so talk to an allergist if you have concerns.

Second, I curl up in my favorite never-leaving-the-house clothes. If you don’t already have a go-to cozy ensemble, SELF staffers swear by Lululemon's Scuba Half-Zip and Free People’s sweats. Plus, putting on fresh clothes when you come in from the outdoors can reduce how much pollen gets into your house, Saira Q. Zafar, MD, a board-certified allergist and immunologist at Schweiger Dermatology & Allergy In Millburn, tells SELF. Bonus points if you shower before changing.

Common allergens like dust mites, mold, and pollen can build up around your home. But you can reduce them by setting up an air purifier with a high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter, Mauli B. Desai, MD, an allergist at Montefiore Health System and associate professor of medicine, allergy and immunology at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York City, tells SELF.

SELF’s senior commerce editor likes Levoit’s “small but mighty” Core300-P purifier. “[It] does an amazing job of pulling dust and pollen out of the air,” she says, adding that it’s basically silent and the filter is super easy to clean (just wipe it down—no replacement needed).

“It runs 24/7 in my apartment, so the cost per use is basically nonexistent (I bought it two years ago),” she says. “I leave it on at night, so I sleep easier and breathe better in the morning.”

To round out her appliance game, our senior commerce editor also runs Homedics’s Ultrasonic Humidifier. It’s the perfect size for her bedroom and helps her sleep through the night (even when her allergies are raging). “I don't wake up with that swollen, scratchy telltale ‘pollen season’ throat,” she says. “I can’t get through spring without it.”

Dr. Zafar also recommends switching up your bedding to “help minimize nighttime or early morning flares.” Start by changing your sheets more frequently to prevent allergens from building up, then consider using allergy-proof bedding and covers, like the options from top-rated brand AllerEase below. These linens are made of tightly woven fibers that more effectively block dust mites from getting into your pillows and mattress, SELF previously reported. We’re already breathing easier.

If you have a sore throat, it’s more likely you have a cold than seasonal allergies. But a scratchy, irritated throat can go hand-in-hand with other common allergy symptoms (especially if you’ve got that annoying post-nasal drip).

A good cough drop can help—Halls’s Honey Lemon Cough Drops save our senior commerce editor from hack attacks during Broadway shows and ballet performances (“Those theaters are DRY,” she says). Not a fan of the cooling, sometimes burning sensation of menthol lozenges? Opt for Ludens’s instead. They taste good and work—the best of both worlds.

I’ll spare you too many details on my crusty, first-thing-in-the-morning eyes, but they’re bleary and cranky on a good day—so you can bet that when allergies kick in, they’re extra temperamental. Luckily, a cooling eye mask or cold compress can provide almost immediate relief, Dr. Zafar says. This one from Magic Gel also comes with a heatable compress if you find that more relaxing than ice.

Experts have also recommended antihistamine eye drops, like Alaway’s, to SELF before. They work immediately and can give your eyes relief for up to 12 hours.

After oral antihistamines like diphenhydramine (a.k.a. Benadryl) and nondrowsy options like Allegra, Claritin, Xyzal, and Zyrtec, medicated nasal sprays like Flonase (a favorite of multiple SELF staffers) are your next best bet for treating running and stuffy noses at the source. They help reduce inflammation, mucus, and swelling in your nasal passageways, so you can breathe a little easier (and blow your nose less often).

If your main concern is decongestion, you can also try a nasal saline spray, which will clear out any pollen or mucus, Dr. Desai says. One SELF tester turns to Arm & Hammer’s Nasal Mist for colds and allergies alike. “[It provides] instant relief,” she says. “And [is] much easier to use than a Neti pot.” A saline mist is a gentler alternative to standard sprays, which comes in handy if you have kids (or really hate the sensation of shooting something directly up your nose).

When my nose is running like a faucet, I’ll use anything to make it stop—but if I had my choice, I’d pick Puffs’s Plus Lotion Tissues every time, for the sake of my easily chapped skin. They feel soft and silky, even after my umpteenth sneeze.

Whatever your allergy woes may be…

Keep in mind: If your symptoms are so severe that you can’t go about your daily life or you have trouble breathing, skip the trip to the drugstore and talk to your health care provider. They can help determine the best course of treatment (for example, an allergy shot), Dr. Zafar says.

Or as Dr. Desai puts it: “If allergies are preventing you from enjoying the beautiful spring weather, it’s time to see your doctor.”

Related:

• The P.M. Routines That Help Us Sleep Better and Wake Up Glowing
• 19 Little Things That Make Our Mornings So Much Better
• Dermatologists Over 50 Reveal the Best Products for Mature Skin and Hair

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