(NC)-Did you know that some medications can cause drowsiness which could affect your ability to drive your vehicle safely?

(NC)-Did you know that some medications can cause drowsiness which could affect your ability to drive your vehicle safely?

In particular, sedating antihistamines commonly used in the treatment of allergy symptoms can cause drowsiness at the wheel. If a medication does not say non-drowsy on the box then it usually means it is sedating. An allergy medication that is sedating could do any of the following:

Decrease your ability to learn

Decrease your attention span

Provoke memory loss

Interfere with your coordination and the precision of your movements and cause inexplicable mood swings.

All of these symptoms not only affect your productivity, they also affect your safety and that of others. Just think about how a sedating medication could impair your driving skills. Safe driving simultaneously requires attentiveness, excellent coordination, quick reflexes and good memory. A medication that is sedating could affect any of these requirements and could therefore affect your driving.

Not all allergy medications are created equal. There are non-sedating alternatives available like Claritin that will relieve the sneezing and itching of the nose, eyes and throat while letting you perform to the maximum of your abilities.

Here are some helpful safety tips from the allergy experts at Claritin that you can consider before you take the wheel:

Look for the words non-drowsy, or non-sedating on the package of your allergy medication. In other words, any other expression or word combination may be misleading. If you're not sure about what you're buying, ask your pharmacist to explain the different wording.

Avoid the misconception that certain stimulants like coffee will keep you alert over an extended time period. Coffee or other sources of caffeine are short-term stimulants only.

Avoid alcohol: even small amounts can affect your driving, especially if combined with certain medications.

For more information on how to control allergies this season call 1-800-665-1507 or visit www.claritin.ca.

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