What Is Levocetirizine Used For?

What Is Levocetirizine Used For? -- An Overview

Levocetirizine dihydrochloride (Xyzal^®) is a prescription medication approved to treat allergies and chronic hives that are due to unknown causes (known medically as chronic idiopathic urticaria).

 

Why Is Levocetirizine Used for Allergies?

Allergies are the immune system's specific reaction to normally harmless substances, such as pollens, certain foods, or medicines. They can either be seasonal or perennial. Seasonal allergies (such as hay fever) occur at specific times of the year, while perennial allergies can occur throughout the year. Allergies can affect various parts of the body, and symptoms are particularly common in the eyes, nose, throat, and lungs.

 

Combined with strategies to minimize a person's contact with allergens, allergy treatment can make life bearable for even the worst allergy sufferer. Treatment often includes allergy shots or medications. Levocetirizine is approved to treat both seasonal and perennial allergies in adults and children age six and older.

 

Why Is Levocetirizine Used for Chronic Hives?

Levocetirizine is also approved for treating chronic idiopathic urticaria (chronic hives of unknown cause). Hives are red, raised welts on the skin. They are usually very itchy. Hives are commonly caused by allergies, although other factors (such as stress) can also cause them. Many people get hives chronically without knowing what causes them. Levocetirizine is approved to treat chronic hives of unknown cause in adults and children as young as six years old.