Antihistamines could eliminate symptoms of long Covid, scientists hope. Studies are being conducted into the possibility of prescribing allergy pills for the condition after two patients reported no symptoms when they took the pills daily.
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‘Emerging health crisis’
A new case report published in The Journal for Nurse Practitioners focused on two middle-aged women in California who had suffered from long Covid. The two—one of whom is a healthcare worker—reported improvement in symptoms after taking allergy medication.
This has given scientists hope that the common over-the counter medication could be the solution to the condition, which has affected over 54 million people across the world as of August 2021.
Described as an ‘emerging health crisis’, long Covid presents more than 200 reported symptoms ranging from mild to severe, and could impact multiple organ systems.
Author of the report, Prof Melissa Pinto told UCI News:
Right now, we have millions who are sick. Some can’t work, some are bed-bound. While we’re working on these larger questions surrounding long COVID, we need to help people get back on their feet.
Read more:
⋙ Parosmia: Unusual long COVID symptom makes everything smell like rotten meat
⋙ 'Microscopic blood clots’ have been discovered in long COVID patients
⋙ Over a million people have been struggling with long COVID in the UK
Consult your doctor
Antihistamines have not been approved for use for the treatment of long Covid and clinical tests are yet to be conducted to establish their efficacy and dosage levels.
Although these medications are common and generally safe with few side effects, Prof Pinto is cautioning long Covid patients to seek advice from their primary caregivers before using them for the treatment of symptoms. Pinto said:
I’m not instructing patients in any way to use this report as a guide to dose or anything like that. I actually encourage patients, if they’re going to try antihistamines, to work with their provider.
