Drug Allergies: Home Treatment

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Home Treatment

Home treatment for a drug allergy includes avoiding medicines that can cause an allergic reaction, relieving symptoms, and knowing what to do if you have a severe reaction.

Avoiding allergic reactions

You can help avoid future allergic reactions by knowing which medicines you are taking.

• Keep a list of all the medicines you take, including supplements and over-the-counter medicines. Share this list with your doctor. This will help him or her identify a medicine you may be allergic to.
• Whenever you start a new medicine, ask your doctor if it may cause an allergy. This includes asking about supplements and over-the-counter medicines. You may have to take the medicine for the first time in your doctor's office.
• Do not use someone else's medicine or share yours. A medicine may appear the same but have a part that can cause a reaction.

Relieving symptoms

If you have a mild skin rash, you can take steps to make yourself more comfortable and relieve itching.

• Take cool showers, or apply cool compresses.
• Wear light clothing that doesn't bother your skin.
• Take it easy; keep your activity level low.
• Use calamine lotion or take over-the-counter antihistamines, including diphenhydramine (such as Benadryl), chlorpheniramine maleate (such as Chlor-Trimeton), or loratadine (such as Claritin).
• Stay away from strong soaps, detergents, and other chemicals, which can make itching worse.

Last updated:	July 24, 2007
Author:	Caroline Rea, RN, BS, MS
Reviewed By:	Caroline S. Rhoads, MD - Internal Medicine, Harold S. Nelson, MD - Allergy and Immunology
Editors:	Susan Van Houten, RN, BSN, MBA, Pat Truman, MATC