ZYRTEC Allergy Tablets provide 24-hour prescription-strength relief of your worst allergy symptoms of sneezing, runny nose, itchy, watery eyes, and itching of the nose and throat. ZYRTEC is the #1 allergist recommended brand (among OTC oral antihistamines).

 How the ZYRTEC Family of Products Work From sneezing, runny nose, itchy throat to itchy eyes, allergy sufferers are intimately familiar with their symptoms. But what you might not know is exactly how the ZYRTEC family of allergy medicines work and how they can help relieve those symptoms. So here's a short overview for handy referral and reference.

First Things First. Just What's an Allergy Anyway? An allergy is a hypersensitivity disorder of the immune system brought on by environmental substances known as allergens. Your immune system detects something in the air which is usually harmless to most people. And then it fights back in a way that allergy sufferers know all too well.

Depending on the season, it might be tree pollen (one of the worst allergy offenders, which can arrive early in the season and travel for miles); grass pollen (most common in spring to early summer);weed pollen (weeds are the worst producers of pollen, from late summer through fall), or spores from fungi or mold. Year-round, it can be dust mites (chances are they are all over your house, especially in bedding and upholstered furniture), cockroaches, pet dander (both cats and dogs), or spores from indoor/outdoor fungi or mold.

Your immune system produces antibodies to defend against these allergens. When antibodies respond to an allergen, they bind to the cells in a process that produces histamine. Histamine causes your system to react, producing inflammation and allergy symptoms, including irritation inside your nose. You sneeze. Sound familiar?

Here's Where the #1 Allergist Recommended Brand* ZYRTEC Comes In Antihistamines work by blocking the action of the chemical histamine to relieve sneezing, itchy, watery eyes, runny nose, and itchy nose and throat. Antihistamines come in different forms, and are available over the counter and by prescription. When you are considering the appropriate way for you to develop an allergy relief strategy, you may want to talk to your doctor. An ongoing conversation with a health care professional can ensure your personal strategy improves as you learn about what causes triggers and why.