Diphenhydramine: What to Know Before You Take It
Also known as Benadryl
A patient-focused safety profile with information from public regulatory sources.
In plain language
What Diphenhydramine is used for
Uses temporarily relieves these symptoms due to hay fever or other respiratory allergies: ■ sneezing ■ itching of the nose or throat ■ runny nose ■ itchy watery eyes ■temporarily relieves these symptoms due to the common cold: ■ sneezing ■ runny nose
Read before you decide
Risks and precautions
Risks and warnings
Warnings Do not use ■ with any other product containing diphenhydramine, even one used on skin ■ to make a child sleepy Ask a doctor before use if the child has ■ glaucoma ■ a breathing problem such as chronic bronchitis
Medication review
Diphenhydramine drug interactions
FDA safety data
Most-reported side effects
Based on 195,250 FAERS reports. Reports do not prove the drug caused the effect.
Regulatory record
FDA recalls (4)
cGMP deviations: Temperature abuse
Recalling firm: Mckesson Medical-Surgical Inc. Corporate Office
CGMP Deviations: Intermittent exposure to temperature excursion during storage.
Recalling firm: Cardinal Health Inc.
Microbial contamination of non-sterile product
Recalling firm: LNK International, Inc.
Subpotent Drug: This lot is being recalled because of out-of-specification test results for Diphenhydramine citrate.
Recalling firm: Pfizer Us Pharmaceutical Group
Common questions
Patient questions
What is Diphenhydramine prescribed for?
Uses temporarily relieves these symptoms due to hay fever or other respiratory allergies: ■ sneezing ■ itching of the nose or throat ■ runny nose ■ itchy watery eyes ■temporarily relieves these symptoms due to the common cold: ■ sneezing ■ runny nose
What are the key warnings and safety precautions for Diphenhydramine?
Warnings Do not use ■ with any other product containing diphenhydramine, even one used on skin ■ to make a child sleepy Ask a doctor before use if the child has ■ glaucoma ■ a breathing problem such as chronic bronchitis
Does Diphenhydramine interact with other medications or foods?
Diphenhydramine has 1 documented drug interaction(s) and 0 food interaction(s) in clinical databases. Always provide your complete medication list to your clinician.
This information is educational — not medical advice.
This page is provided for general educational purposes and summarizes publicly available data from sources such as the U.S. Food & Drug Administration. It is not a substitute for the judgment of a licensed clinician and should not be used to start, stop, or change any medication. It may be incomplete or out of date, and individual circumstances vary. Always talk with your prescriber or pharmacist about your specific medications and health conditions. If you think you may have a medical emergency, call 911.