25 Apr MAY ONE TAKE ALLERGY MEDICATIONS ON SHABBAT?

Spring allergy
season typically
starts around
Pesach and

extends into mid-
July. Pollinating

trees usually
mark the start of

spring allergy season.
A sensitivity to pollen causes the body
to produce an abundance of allergic
antibodies. These reactions can lead to
various symptoms such as itchy and
watery, red eyes, Bags under the eyes, a
runny nose, sneezing and congestion, an
itchy nose, and pressure in the nose and
sinuses, coughing and/or sore throats.
The common medications for allergies
such as Claritin can bring immediate
relief, but is one allowed to take them on
Shabbat?
Our Sages restricted taking medication
on Shabbat because at the time of Chazal
medications were prepared by grinding
herbs; since many people were familiar
with the method of preparation, our Sages
restricted as a safeguard, so people won’t

grind the herbs to prepare the medications
on Shabbat.
This prohibition was only for those who
had mild symptoms which didn’t affect the
entire body and didn’t make a person to
feel like he needs to lay down—otherwise
he would be categorized as “sick” and the
prohibition would be uplifted, as Chazal
permitted to take medication if one is sick.
When someone isn’t sick, although he
might feel irritated because of the allergy
symptoms, he isn’t permitted to take
medications. What then can one do to
relieve his discomfort?
There are several leniencies found in the
Poskim:

Rav Nissim Karelits explains that one 

is Halachically

categorized as sick and may take
medications if he can’t cope regularly
because of his discomfort or pain. This is
many times the case with allergy-sufferers,
as those who are affected by them have
disturbing symptoms. Moreover, he says
that one is also considered sick if he
must strain himself to do things like go
to shul, when normally he would stay

home because of his condition, he is still
considered sick and thus allowed to take
medications.
If a person feels that the symptoms might
start later in the day and wants to take the
pills as a preventative, he is also permitted
to do so. Some permit medications for
someone who feels healthy at the present

moment (Shulchan Aruch, while others permitted medications if
it is taken as a preventative).

If the allergy might potentially cause a
real sickness, then one can definitely take
medications just like he would be permitted
to take the medications when he will get
sick. This is very relevant with airborne
pollen which can trigger asthma, making
breathing difficult and leading to coughing,
wheezing, and shortness of breath.

Some poskim permit using medication
if the person started taking them before
Shabbat. According to this opinion, one
should start taking those pills before
Shabbat so he may continue taking them

on Shabbat.

Many Poskim argued on that leniency
saying that it’s only permitted to continue
taking medication on Shabbat if refraining
from doing so on Shabbat would affect the
potency/effectiveness of the medication.
An example to such would be antibiotics,
that only are affective if taken daily, and
if one were to stop taking them for one
day, they would lose some of their desired
effect.
There is also another permissible way to
take the pills by either mixing it before
Shabbat into food, like for example a

yogurt or applesauce taking it in a  different way

way than the normal way (בשינוי] (i.e., to wrap the
pill in a small piece of tissue and swallow it together]