[h=3]How Are Drug Allergies Treated?[/h]The primary goal when treating an allergic drug reaction is symptom relief. Symptoms such as rash, hives, and itching can often be controlled with antihistamines, and occasionally corticosteroids.
For coughing and lung congestion, drugs called bronchodilators may be prescribed to widen the airways. For more serious anaphylactic symptoms -- life-threatening allergic reactions including difficulty breathing or loss of consciousness -- epinephrine may be given.
Occasionally, desensitization is used to treat a penicillin allergy or other drug allergy. This technique decreases your body's sensitivity to particular allergy-causing agents. Tiny amounts of penicillin are injected periodically in increasingly larger amounts until your immune system learns to tolerate the drug. There is a high risk of anaphylaxis associated with this procedure so desensitization is typically only reserved for patients with no other drug therapeutic options.
If you are severely allergic to certain antibiotics, there should be alternative antibiotics your doctor can prescribe.
