What this topic covers
Allergies happen when your immune system reacts to something harmless — pollen, pet dander, dust mites, certain foods, medications, or insect stings. The reactions range from sneezing and itchy eyes to throat swelling that’s a medical emergency. Most allergies you can manage at home with the right products and habits. A few need a prescription or an epinephrine auto-injector.
How we can help
- Allergic rhinitis assessment — under Ontario’s Minor Ailments program, our pharmacists can assess and prescribe for hay fever and other allergic rhinitis right at the counter. No doctor appointment, OHIP-covered. See Minor Ailments.
- OTC antihistamine guidance — Reactine, Claritin, Aerius, Allegra, Benadryl. They’re not all the same. Some make you drowsy, some don’t. Some work better for skin, some for sinuses. We’ll help you pick.
- Nasal sprays — flonase, nasacort, rhinocort. Most are better than oral antihistamines for nasal symptoms — but they only work if you use them daily through allergy season, not just when you feel stuffed up. We’ll show you the technique.
- Eye drops — for itchy, watery, allergic eyes. Different from dry-eye drops; we’ll point you to the right product.
- Epinephrine auto-injector training — if you carry an EpiPen, we’ll go through the technique with you, check the expiration, and remind you when it’s time to refill. Bring family members in to learn it with you.
- Drug allergy documentation — if you’ve had a reaction to a medication, we’ll record it in your file and flag it on every future prescription.
When to come see us — and when to call 911
Come see us if: you have seasonal hay fever you want help managing, you need an antihistamine recommendation, you want training on your auto-injector, or you’d like a Minor Ailments assessment for allergic rhinitis or pink eye.
Call 911 immediately if: you or someone with you has signs of anaphylaxis — throat tightness, difficulty breathing, swelling of the lips/tongue, severe hives, dizziness, vomiting, or loss of consciousness after exposure to a known allergen. Use an EpiPen if available, then call 911. Don’t wait to see if it gets better on its own.
Tools and resources
Pharmasave’s health hub has allergy trackers and pollen-count tools — see the Tools & calculators link at the bottom of any page.
If your allergies seem worse this year or you’re not sure if what you’re feeling is allergic or something else, walk in and ask. We’re glad to help.