Talk To Your Allergist Right Away If You Are Suffering From Body Aches And / Or Cfs
You do not have to live with chronic pain and you do not have to live with fatigue. At Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology Medical Group we have helped many patients with allergies, joint pain, and much more. We highly suggest you call us right away at 805-658-9500 for an appointment. We can do through testing to get the most accurate diagnosis which will lead us to the right treatment plan.
Are Your Allergies Making You Tired
For many of us, environmental allergens like pollen, mold or dander trigger an allergic response, especially during peak seasons when their counts are at their highest. During an allergic reaction, inflammation often develops especially in your eyes, lungs, sinuses and throat. Inflammation can trigger other allergy symptoms including coughing, sneezing or headaches, and can prevent you from getting a good nights rest. The combination of a lack of sleep and congestion often leads to allergy-induced fatigue. If inflammation develops in your ears, they may not be able to drain properly, leading to fluid build-up. Fluid in your middle ear can make you feel dizzy, similar to having your head underwater. The longer you experience allergy symptoms, the more tired you will become, making school, work and other daily activities increasingly difficult.
The first step to managing your allergies is to identify which allergen affect you. Once you have determined the cause, an allergist can help you develop a treatment plan that will limit your exposure to the allergen and alleviate your symptoms.
If you experience allergy-induced brain fog or other allergy symptoms, you can try:
Over-the-counter medication:
Your allergist can help you to determine which medications, including antihistamines*, may be best for you. Antihistamine medications can help to combat feelings of fatigue by temporarily reducing the amount of swelling in your nasal cavity.
Allergy Shots:
Showers
Cleaning
Treatments For Allergy Headaches
It’s not uncommon for a doctor to diagnose someone with both environmental allergies and migraines, Dr. Cooper says.
“Both allergies and migraine use the same kinds of immune cells, almost like it’s the same problem, just different parts of the body,” says Dr. Cooper.
Because of this similarity, medications that reduce allergy symptoms may also help prevent or lessen a migraine attack.
But if you still get a throbbing migraine, Dr. Cooper says several medications effectively stop a migraine quickly with few side effects.
Triptans are common fast-acting prescription medicines available in tablets, injections, nasal sprays, and sublingual tablets. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, such as aspirin, Aleve, Motrin, and Advil, or drugs like acetaminophen , may help soothe less severe migraines.
Some people find a combination of aspirin, acetaminophen, and caffeine in over-the-counter medications like Excedrin and other brands is more effective than NSAIDs alone.
Allergy-related sinusitis treatment involves treating allergy symptoms, too.
“Most physicians will start with intranasal corticosteroid sprays and antihistamines. Other additional therapies can include decongestants and other anti-inflammatory medications,” says Dr. Wu.
To treat headache symptoms, Dr. Wu says NSAIDs or nasal decongestants such as pseudoephedrine are options.
Papers Of Particular Interest Published Recently Have Been Highlighted As: Of Importance
This review article reveals opportunities to improve the diagnosis and management of allergic rhinitis through a new multidisciplinary, evidence-based clinical practice guideline. The consensus was created by a multidisciplinary panel of experts in otolaryngology, allergy and immunology, internal medicine, family medicine, pediatrics, sleep medicine, advanced pediatric nursing, and complementary, and integrative medicine; however, the neurologic point of view is absentThe AMPP Study is a longitudinal, population-based study of individuals from the USA with severe headache. The study started in 2004, when headache questionnaires were mailed to 120,000 households . During phase 2, 24,000 people with severe headaches were selected to complete surveys once a year from 2005 to 2009. From this study, we have learned about the prevalence of migraine and chronic migraine, the comorbidities of migraine, the level of disability, the burden and costs, and the treatments used by patients
Which Allergies Cause Headaches
Here are some of the common allergies that can lead to headaches:
- Allergic rhinitis . If you have a headache along with seasonal and indoor nasal allergies, its more likely due to a migraine headache rather than allergies. But pain related to hay fever or other allergic reactions may cause headaches due to sinus disease. A true sinus headache is actually quite rare.
- Food allergies. There can be a relationship between food and headaches. For example, foods like aged cheese, artificial sweeteners, and chocolate can trigger a migraine in some people. Experts believe its the chemical properties of certain foods that trigger the pain, as opposed to a true food allergy.
- Histamine. The body produces histamines in response to an allergic reaction. Among other things, histamines decrease blood pressure . This can result in headache.
Treat an allergy headache the same way that youd deal with any other headache. If allergies are the source of the headache, there are ways to address the root cause.
Are There Ways To Reduce Your Allergy Exposure
Here are several ways to minimize your exposure to seasonal allergies:
- Pay attention to daily pollen and mold spore levels, so you can avoid outdoor activities as much as possible when counts are high. To check out the American Academy of Allergy Asthma & Immunologys allergen tracker, .
- Begin taking medications before the start of the allergy seasonwhen pollen, grass, ragweed, or mold counts soar.
- Shut the windows and doors in your home, office, and car to seal out pollen.
- Wear a hat when outdoors or wash your hair before bed to keep pollen off your pillow and away from your face.
- Change your clothes after spending time outdoors to minimize your exposure to pollen. Studies show that half of the pollen that accumulates on clothing remains even if you try to shake or brush it off before you go indoors.
- Avoid mowing the grass or raking moldy leaves if those are your triggers, or wear a mask when doing so.
Managing Your Seasonal Allergies
One of the most important things someone suffering from allergies can do is to identify the triggers. While some people seem to blame one trigger, it is possible that there are actually multiple triggers. It is not uncommon for those who suffer from spring allergies to show symptoms throughout the year. Some ways to avoid triggers include:
- Shower after being outdoors.
- Monitor pollen and mold counts, which are available on TV or in the news.
- Stay inside during peak pollen counts, which is the middle of the day of the afternoon.
- Wear a filter mask when working outdoors.
- Take preventive medication.
You can take other precautions as well, such as bathing and shampooing your hair each day to completely remove the pollen from your hair and skin. You should also wash your bedding in hot soapy water at least once a week.
You may need to wear sunglasses outdoors to protect your eyes from pollen. Those with severe allergies might find that a facemask is helpful during times when daily pollen counts are very high. It is also important to avoid line drying your bedding or clothes outdoors if the local pollen counts are high, as pollen can settle on these items.
Heart Disease And Fatigue
Symptoms: Fatigue from an activity that should be easy
If youre exhausted after an activity that used to be easy — for example, walking up the steps — it may be time to talk to your doctor about the possibility of heart disease. Heart disease is the leading cause of death in women. If your fatigue is related to your heart, medication or treatments can usually help correct the problem, cut the fatigue, and restore your energy.
Dont Know How To Fix Your Allergy Fatigue Balloon Sinuplasty At Kaplan Sinus Relief Could Help
Can allergies cause fatigue? Yes. But does knowing that help you fix your allergy fatigue? Not really. And if your allergies havent responded to traditional treatments and are making you tired all the time, then a more strategic approach might be necessary.
At Kaplan Sinus Relief, we help you breathe freely again with procedures like ClariFix for chronic rhinitis and allergies and balloon sinuplasty.
Balloon sinuplasty, a non-invasive, in-office procedure that has provided patients with long-lasting results, and has become an increasingly attractive option for those suffering from allergy-related fatigue. During the procedure, your ENT uses a tiny to balloon to widen the nasal passageways, restore normal drainage, and help you breathe at night.
The best part? The procedure takes less than 20 minutes and most patients are back at work between 24 and 48 hours.
Kaplan Sinus Relief has been a pioneer for the balloon sinuplasty procedure. Our staff is here to answer any of your sinus questions and help you find relief. So, curious whether traditional sinus surgery helps allergies? Wondering if youre a good balloon sinuplasty candidate?
Request an appointment or call Kaplan Sinus Relief at 713-766-1818 today.
Other Helpful Articles by Kaplan Sinus Relief:
How To Treat Allergies
A number of treatments can help ease the symptoms of allergies. The first is avoiding allergens by staying indoors more often during allergy season or using an air filter. Some people also find that wearing masks helps ease allergy symptoms.
Taking allergy medications can also ease symptoms. Immunotherapy, which exposes a person to very small quantities of the allergen to stop their body from overreacting to it, can also be helpful. People who are interested in a permanent solution to allergies could ask a doctor about immunotherapy in the form of allergy shots.
A headache that results from sinusitis can cause feelings of pressure in the head, especially near the front of the face and under the eyes. This happens because fluid builds up in the sinuses, generally due to an infection.
Some people also get dizzy, feel sick, or have lower energy levels.
Autonomic Testing Guides Treatment For Improved Autonomic Function
The autonomic nervous system can be tested and evaluated through a process known as spectral analysis. This simple, quick and painless test can provide the critical understanding that helps your physician for their treatment plan.
The ANS can become imbalanced in many different ways. Some ANS dysfunction requires a short course of medication alone or in concert with nutritional strategies to reduce systemic inflammation and oxidative stress in order for the brain to regain maximal function. The safest way to reverse heartburn is with a map of your autonomic nervous systems to guide treatment.
Dr. Nemechek often performs autonomic testing prior to initiating treatment for orthostatic hypotension and other autonomic symptoms . To learn more about this technique contact Dr Patrick Nemechek.
Seasonal Allergy Symptoms With Fatigue
An allergy is an exaggerated abnormal immune response to something in the environment that normally would not be harmful. One of the most common types of allergies is the seasonal allergic rhinitis, or hay fever . Hay fever affects one in five people, according to MayoClinic.com, and causes many of the same symptoms as the common cold. Seasonal allergies are caused by airborne pollen from trees, grasses and flowers . Contact initiates the immune response, leads to inflammation of the blood vessels in the air passages and produces a variety of symptoms that are annoying, but rarely dangerous.
If you are experiencing serious medical symptoms, seek emergency treatment immediately.
Why Sinus Headache Is A Diagnostic Challenge: Similarities And Differences
Another common feature of allergic rhinitis and migraine is their seasonal exacerbation in the spring, fall, and summer months as a result of allergic triggers . A study from South Korea conducted between 2005 and 2013 showed that 13.5 % of migraine patients reported seasonal exacerbations . Moreover, the costs of migraine treatment are higher during allergy season , because many people with migraine experience an increase in headache intensity and frequency due to coexisting allergic rhinitis . Furthermore, ocular and nasal symptoms in allergic rhinitis may vary from day to day, depending on the allergen concentration in the atmosphere .
To avoid a misdiagnosis, it is important to realize that the pain characteristics of each condition may differ. Patients describe sinus-related pain as dull and pressure-like; usually bilateral; located in the maxillary, glabellar, periorbital, or frontal regions of the skull; and worse in the morning. Those with migraine, on the other hand, usually describe the pain as throbbing or stabbing, mostly unilateral, moderate to severe in intensity, located in the temporal or retro-orbital area, and not worse during a particular time of day .
Can Allergies Cause Fatigue And Dizziness
Another frequently overlooked potential symptom of allergies is that of dizziness. Your nasal passageways and middle ear are connected via a tube called the Eustachian tube, which plays a role in providing you with balance. When your allergies start acting up, your Eustachian tube may be affected, causing dizziness and even vertigo.
How Your Seasonal Allergies May Be Causing Fatigue
For millions of people around the world, allergies can cause tremendous misery and discomfort. Allergens can not only provoke symptoms like a runny nose, sore throat, and watery eyes, but severe fatigue as well.
When most people think about seasonal allergies, their mind conjures up images of all the cold-like symptoms we commonly see in allergy-sufferers. And indeed, those symptoms can make any person with allergies dread certain times of the year. There is, however, one other symptom that is really familiar only to those who suffer from this condition: fatigue. Yes, anyone with seasonal or environmental allergies can also suffer from severe exhaustion as well.
Can Allergies Cause Fatigue And Body Aches
Once patients ask and receive the answer to the question, Can allergies cause fatigue? they are apt to wonder if allergies might be behind other frustrating symptoms. One of these lesser-known symptoms of allergies is body aches.
Allergies cause inflammation not only in your nasal tissues but in other areas of your body as well, including the tissues in your joints. This inflammation can cause body aches, which can be compounded by fatigue. Allergy-related body aches may also stem from frequent snoring or coughing, which can create wear and tear on a patients body.
Viral Or Bacterial Infection And Fatigue
Symptoms: Fatigue, fever, head or body aches.
Fatigue can be a symptom of infections ranging from the flu to . If you have an infection, you’ll probably have other symptoms like fever, head or body aches, shortness of breath, or appetite loss.
Infections that may cause fatigue include:
- Flu
Symptoms: Chronic fatigue, deep muscle pain, painful tender points, sleep problems, anxiety, depression
Fibromyalgia is one of the more common causes of chronic fatigue and musculoskeletal pain, especially in women. Fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome are considered separate but related disorders. They share a common symptom: severe fatigue that greatly interferes with people’s lives.
With fibromyalgia, you may feel that no matter how long you sleep, it’s never restful. And you may feel as if you are always fatigued during daytime hours. Your sleep may be interrupted by frequent waking. Yet, you may not remember any sleep disruptions the next day. Some people with fibromyalgia live in a constant fibro fog — a hazy feeling that makes it hard to concentrate.
Constant daytime fatigue with fibromyalgia often results in people not getting enough exercise. That causes a decline in physical fitness. It can also lead to mood-related problems. The best way to offset these effects is to try to exercise more. Exercise has tremendous benefits for sleep, mood, and fatigue.
Continued
So The Big Hints For Oi Or Oh As A Cause Of Headaches Are:
- Occasional lightheaded sensation or woozy spells just after standing up.
- Fatigue after meals especially bigger meals or high carbohydrate meals.
- Occasional fatigue, poor mental functioning, poor memory or confusion.
- The association of intense neck muscle pain or chronic stiffness.
Often times symptoms can improve, albeit temporarily, when exercising. This is because constriction of muscles during exercises helps pump more blood from the muscles themselves into the circulation thereby increasing the blood flow to the brain
OH can get substantially better after increasing the amount of salt and decreasing the carbohydrate intake in your diet. Salt increases your blood volume and makes it easier to maintain adequate blood flow o the brain. The reduced carbohydrate intake allows your autonomic nervous system to recover and more properly control blood flow to the brain.
Think about your headache pain. Does it occur more in one time of the year over another ? Do you seem to get sinus infections more commonly than your friends or family? Does the pain start in the back of the head or at the temples? Or do you also wrestle with chronic fatigue, have intermittent lightheadedness or intense neck muscle pain?
If you answered yes to any of these, you may need to rethink your diagnosis of migraine headaches.
Discover The Source Of Your Symptoms
You may already believe that allergies are the root cause of your fatigue and other symptoms, but there may be more to it than that. An ear, nose and throat specialist can fully examine to make sure other issues such as sinusitis or deviated septum arent causing or worsening your issues. They can also conduct an accurate allergy test to find out exactly which allergies you have, and how severe each one may be. Common triggers of allergies include dust mites, mold, pet dander, and pollen.
Preventing Food Related Headaches
Preventing food allergy headaches can be as simple as avoiding specific trigger foods once you figure out what your triggers are. But some triggers are difficult to avoid because they are found in most processed foods, this can also make those triggers difficult to find.
If youre having difficulty finding your trigger foods, it may be time to talk to a headache specialist at a headache treatment clinic to learn more about how to prevent headaches caused from allergies. Contact the National Headache Institute for more information on our cutting-edge treatments including stem cell treatment. Call today to schedule an appointment at one of our convenient locations.
Food Allergies Food Intolerance And Fatigue
Symptoms: Fatigue, sleepiness, continued exhaustion
Although food is supposed to give you energy, medical research suggests that hidden food intolerances — or allergies — can do the opposite. In fact, fatigue may be an early warning sign of food intolerance or food allergy. Celiac disease, which happens when you cant digest gluten, may also cause fatigue.
Ask your doctor about the elimination diet. This is a diet in which you cut out certain foods linked to a variety of symptoms, including sleepiness within 10 to 30 minutes of eating them, for a certain period of time to see if that makes a difference. You can also talk to your doctor about a food allergy test — or invest in a home test such as ALCAT — which may help you identify the offending foods.
When To Contact A Doctor
A person should contact a doctor if they:
- have an ear infection or ear pain that gets worse or does not improve within a few days
- have a headache that lasts longer than a day or have frequent headaches
- have severe allergies
- think that they may have migraine headaches
- have headaches that affect their mental health or daily functioning
A person should go to the emergency room if they experience any of the following:
- a sudden, unexplained, very severe headache that makes it impossible to do anything else, along with other symptoms, such as nausea or tingling
- stroke symptoms, such as numbness on one side of the body or a drooping face
- loss of consciousness, a feeling of being very well, or a worry that their headache is an emergency
Some other symptoms a person might notice with a headache and dizziness include:
- nausea
When a headache or dizziness lasts for a long time, it is more likely that a person has a chronic or serious condition, such as migraine, head pressure from a tumor or infection, or a brain injury.
A person should avoid self-diagnosing and contact a doctor if they are concerned.
Certain Allergy Medications Can Worsen Fatigue
Even though they work to relieve some symptoms, certain allergy medicines can actually make you more tired. Antihistamines in particular have been known to cause drowsiness, however, most newer, second-generation pills are designed to be non-drowsy. Still, it is important to always read labels carefully, and consult with a doctor if unsure which allergy medications may cause increased fatigue.
When To See Your Doctor
Although many allergies can be controlled with judicial use of OTC medications, its always wise to consult with your doctor. If allergies are negatively impacting your quality of life or interfering with your daily activities, its in your best interests to explore treatment options with your doctor.
Your doctor might recommend that you see an allergist. This is a physician specializing in diagnosing and treating allergic conditions, such as asthma and eczema. An allergist might offer you a number of suggestions for treatment, including:
Food Allergies And Joint Pain
Seasonal allergies arent the only type of allergies that can contribute to joint pain. Certain foods can cause your body to have an inflammatory response because of a pre-existing condition, a food sensitivity or allergy. Inflammation is what causes the joints to swell and create pain or discomfort. There are two main culprits for food-related joint pain:
- Arthritis
- Food allergy or sensitivity
If you already have arthritis, then you probably have experienced some amount of joint pain in the past. Although there are many different types, arthritis is basically inflammation that affects your joints, causing pain and stiffness. Some patients with this condition experience increased inflammation after eating certain foods. This is especially true of patients with rheumatoid arthritis, an autoimmune disease that causes chronic joint inflammation, especially in the hands and feet.
Even though arthritis causes your body to be in a constant inflammatory state, its important to be aware of the triggers that can cause bouts of increased inflammation and lead to painful joint symptoms. Some foods known to impact arthritic patients and cause joint pain include:
- Food allergy/sensitivity test
- Elimination diet
- Nutritional deficiency test
Whether it be gluten, dairy or an assortment of other foods, identifying and eliminating these triggers from your diet could help you manage joint pain. An anti-inflammatory menu will also be beneficial to your overall health and well-being.
Underactive Thyroid And Fatigue
Symptoms: Extreme fatigue, sluggishness, feeling run-down, depression, cold intolerance, weight gain
The problem may be a slow or underactive thyroid. This is known as hypothyroidism. The thyroid is a small, butterfly-shaped gland that sits at the base of your neck. It helps set the rate of metabolism, which is the rate at which the body uses energy.
According to the American Thyroid Foundation, about 17% of all women will have a thyroid disorder by age 60. And most won’t know it. The most common cause is an autoimmune disorder known as Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. Hashimoto’s stops the gland from making enough thyroid hormones for the body to work the way it should. The result is hypothyroidism, or a slow metabolism.
Blood tests known as T3 and T4 will detect thyroid hormones. If these hormones are low, synthetic hormones can bring you up to speed, and you should begin to feel better fairly rapidly.
Congestion Can Cause Brain Fog
A stuffy, swollen nose can make it difficult to think clearly, often causing a hazy or tried feeling. Many have termed this feeling brain fog, and it results from the congestion and pressure in your nasal and sinus air passages. Without treating allergy symptoms, and sometimes contributing sinus issues, the inflammation, irritation, and runny nose at the root of this issue will keep making you feel foggy.
Symptoms Of Celiac Disease
Celiac disease is the most severe form of gluten intolerance.
It is an autoimmune disease that affects about 1% of the population and may lead to damage in the digestive system .
It can cause a wide range of symptoms, including skin problems, gastrointestinal issues, mood changes, and more.
Here are a few of the most common symptoms of celiac disease.
