Antihistamines, such as diphenhydramine (Benadryl) or chlorpheniramine, help reduce swelling of the lining to the nose.

Diphenhydramine Dosing Chart

Age	Each Dose	Interval	Max Daily Dose
2-5 years	6.25 mg	4-6 hours	37.5 mg/day
6-11 years	12.5-25 mg	4-6 hours	150 mg/day
12 and older	25-50 mg	4-6 hours	300 mg/day

Chlorpheniramine Dosing Chart

Age	Each Dose	Interval	Max Daily Dose
Under 6	consult your physician
6-11 years	2 mg	4-6 hours	12 mg/day
12 and up	4 mg	4-6 hours	24 mg/day

Long-acting antihistamines tend to cause less drowsiness and can be taken less frequently. Some of these are available without a prescription.

Examples of long-acting antihistamines include:

• Fexofenadine (Allegra)
• Loratadine (Claritin)
• Cetirizine (Zyrtec)
• Levocetirizine (Xyzal)
• Desloratadine (Clarinex)

Some allergic rhinitis medications combine decongestants with antihistamines:

• Trinalin
• Periactin
• Semprex-D
• Chlor Trimeton