Version July 2025
| Category | Medications and sample United States brand name(s) | Prescription required or available OTC in the United States? |
| Nasal steroid sprays |
| Some prescription, some OTC |
| Less-sedating oral antihistamine pills |
| Some prescription, some OTC |
| Sedating oral antihistamine pills* |
| OTC |
| Nasal antihistamine sprays*¶ |
| OTC |
| Nasal steroid/antihistamine combination spray¶ |
| Prescription |
| Oral decongestant/antihistamine combination pillsΔ |
| OTC |
| Nasal cromolyn spray |
| OTC |
This table includes medications commonly used for treating symptoms of allergic rhinitis (seasonal allergies), including some sample brand names.
OTC describes a medication you can buy without a doctor's prescription. These can be sold under many different brand names and store brands. Always read the generic names on the label of your OTC medicines to make sure that you are not taking more than 1 product containing the same medicine, as this can be harmful. If you are also taking other medications or have health problems, check with your doctor to make sure that OTC medications are safe for you. Many medications that used to be available by prescription only are becoming available OTC.
OTC: over-the-counter.
* These medications often cause sedation and should not be used before driving or operating machinery. The less-sedating oral antihistamines are often a better choice since they don't cause impairment.
¶ If nasal antihistamine sprays are swallowed, they can cause the same side effects as oral antihistamines, like sedation. When using nasal sprays, breathe in or sniff gently to keep the medicine in your nose. If you taste the medicine in the back of your throat, you might have breathed in too hard.
Δ Pseudoephedrine should not be used in children, older adults, or people with certain medical problems (eg, high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, trouble urinating due to an enlarged prostate). Talk to your doctor before using pseudoephedrine.
