Would Allergy Medicine Help a Cold?

A 2015 review says antihistamines have a limited beneficial effect on the severity of cold symptoms for the first two days of a cold, but no benefit beyond that, and no significant effect on congestion, runny nose, or sneezing.

Can allergy medicine help a cold?

Most experts say that histamine isn't the major cause of a runny nose when you have a cold. Even so, some of the older antihistamines, such as brompheniramine and chlorpheniramine, can bring relief. Newer antihistamines like fexofenadine (Allegra) and loratidine (Claritin) have not been shown to work for cold symptoms.

Can Zyrtec help with a cold?

Cold Treatments

Stuffy and runny nose, sore throat, sneezing and, to a lesser extent, mild chest discomfort are the primary traits of a cold. The recommended treatment options are: Antihistamines (Claritin, Zyrtec, Allegra)

James H. Sterling

James H. Sterling

Environmental Science & Climate Journalist

James Sterling reports on renewable energy developments, climate policy, ecological conservation, and green tech innovations around the globe.