Can Allergies Cause Swollen Glands

Dealing With Swollen Lymph Nodes And Allergy Symptoms

Some people are more prone to lymphatic swelling than others. Ways to prevent lymph nodes from swelling include:

• Boost immunity naturally with diet, exercise, and good sleep hygiene.

• Drink more water and clear fluids.

• Avoid allergy triggers if possible.

• Manage allergy symptoms.

• Maintain good overall health. That includes having routine physicals and adhering to medical treatment recommendations.

How Can You Tell The Difference Between A Cold And Allergies

Both allergies and viral infections can cause symptoms like a sore throat, runny nose, headaches, and congestion. So how can you tell whats actually making you feel crummy?

How your symptoms begin are often a big clue: Colds tend to creep up slowly, while allergy symptoms usually flare up shortly after youre exposed to an allergen, per the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology. If you start to notice itching, stuffiness, or an annoying tickle in the back of your throat after spending some time outside, for instance, youre probably dealing with allergies.

Other clues to watch for: If your sore throat tends to get worse or makes it hard to swallow, or you develop a fever, chills, or body aches, youre probably dealing with a cold or infection, Dr. Mehdizadeh says. If your allergy medications dont seem to be helping, thats also a sign it could be a cold, flu, COVID-19, or something else.

The bad news? Colds and allergies can exist at the same time, Dr. Reisacher says. So if you cant figure out what youre dealing with, talk with your doctor.

Recommended Reading: Little Remedies Allergy

How Does A Person Become Allergic

Common allergic reactions, such as hay fever, certain types of asthma, and hives are linked to an antibody made by the body called immunoglobulin E . Each IgE antibody can be very specific. This means it reacts to certain pollens and other allergens. For example, a person can be allergic to 1 type of pollen, but not another.

Allergens can be inhaled, ingested, or enter through the skin. When a person is exposed to an allergen, the body starts making a lot of similar IgE antibodies. The next contact with the same allergen may lead to an allergic reaction. Symptoms of an allergic reaction will vary. They depend on the type and amount of allergen how the body’s immune system reacts to that allergen.

Allergies can affect people of any age, gender, race, or socioeconomic status. Allergies are more common in children. But they may occur at any age. Allergic reactions may go away for many years and then come back. These things may also play a role in the development or severity of allergies:

Read Also: Can Allergies Make You Nauseous

How Can You Prevent Swollen Lymph Nodes

You cant stop a lymph node from swelling as it fights off infections and other things that dont belong in the body. That is what they are designed to do, and we want them to do it, Dr. Moran said.

You can try to prevent the infections that lead to swollen lymph nodes by washing your hands, disinfecting surfaces, avoiding touching your nose and eyes and staying away from people with contagious infections. You can also help keep yourself healthy by getting enough sleep, exercising regularly, maintaining a healthy diet and avoiding tobacco products.

Symptoms Of Swollen Lymph Nodes

The most common signs are:

• Tenderness or pain in your lymph nodes

• Swelling that makes your lymph nodes the size of a kidney bean or possibly larger

Because swollen lymph nodes are usually linked to some type of illness, you might also have other symptoms, depending on what that illness is:

• Runny nose, sore throat, or fever

• Swelling of clusters of lymph nodes in different places in your body

• Hard lymph nodes that wonât move or get bigger quickly

Read Also: Can You Get Headaches From Pollen Allergies

What Is The Difference Between Hay Fever And Colds

Hay fever, or allergic rhinitis, is another term for allergies. Hay fever usually refers to outdoor allergies, such as to pollen or mold. Hay fever is often seasonal. The symptoms of hay fever are caused by an allergic reaction of the immune system to foreign material in the air you breathe.

The common cold is an upper respiratory infection caused by a virus that usually affects the nose but may also affect the throat, sinuses, Eustachian tubes, trachea, larynx, and bronchial tubes but not the lungs. The common cold produces mild symptoms usually lasting a duration of only five to 10 days, although some symptoms may last for up to three weeks. In contrast, the flu , caused by a different class of virus, can cause severe symptoms but initially may mimic a cold.

Diagnosis Of Swollen Lymph Nodes

If youve recently become ill or had an injury, let a doctor know. This information is vital in helping them determine the cause of your symptoms.

The doctor will also ask you about your medical history. Since certain diseases or medications can cause swollen lymph nodes, giving your medical history helps them find a diagnosis.

After you discuss the symptoms with the doctor, theyll perform a physical examination. This consists of checking the size of your lymph nodes and feeling them to see if theyre tender.

After the physical examination, blood tests may be ordered to check for certain diseases.

If necessary, the doctor may order an imaging test to further evaluate the lymph node or other areas of your body that may have caused the lymph node to swell. Common imaging tests used to check lymph nodes include:

If the above tests suggest the need for further evaluation, the doctor may order an MRI.

In certain cases, even further testing may be needed following the MRI. In this case, the doctor may order a lymph node biopsy. This is a minimally invasive test that consists of using thin, needle-like tools to remove a sample of cells from the lymph node. The cells are then sent to a laboratory where theyre tested for major diseases, such as cancer.

If necessary, the doctor may remove the entire lymph node.

You May Like: Can Allergies Cause Post Nasal Drip

Food Allergies Lead To Leaky Gut Syndrome

Acquired food allergies can occur from eating the same foods, poor digestion and weakened integrity of the intestinal barrier, known as Leaky Gut Syndrome. It is now understood that poor digestion of proteins may cause large, undigested particles to escape through the leaky gut into the bloodstream. Your immunity, in turn, sees this as an attack and launches an allergic reaction. Not that the food is bad for you, but rather the food particles are larger than they should be. The food-allergic reaction can affect any site in the body as it occurs in the bloodstream, including skin, joints, bowels & brain. The inflammation from your food allergies can worsen Leaky Gut Syndrome creating a vicious cycle of damage. This will continue unchecked until the problematic foods are eliminated and the leaky gut is repaired.

Sore Throat And Ear Pain: Symptoms Causes Treatment

Most people have localized lymphadenopathy, where only the lymph nodes in a particular part of the body are swollen. If more than one area swells, this is called generalized lymphadenopathy, and it is usually a sign of systemic disease, or disease in the whole body, which must be treated medically.

Cat scratch fever, also known as cat scratch disease, can cause localized lymph nodes in the area near the cat scratch.

Certain risk factors make a person more likely to have a malignant lymph problem, such as lymphoma. These include:

People with a malignant lymph node may notice that the lump is hard or tender. They may also have systemic symptoms, such as fever, night sweats, and unexplained weight loss.

Also Check: Do Dogs Get Allergies In Spring

What Are Lymph Nodes

Lymph nodes are small, bean-shaped structures that are a part of your lymphatic system , which is part of the immune system.

There are hundreds of lymph nodes throughout the bodyin the neck, groin, armpits, and moreand they are connected to each other by lymph vessels.

Lymph vessels carry lymph fluid to the lymph nodes.

The lymph nodes act as filters for foreign substances, destroying germs, viruses, and bacteria that enter the body. Though theyre often called lymph glands, lymph nodes are not glands.

What Do Swollen Lymph Nodes Mean

When lymph nodes discover bacteria or other foreign substances, they ramp up their production of white blood cells to fight it, and that causes them to swell. This is a good sign. It means that your immune system is protecting you from an invader.

Lymph nodes tend to swell close to the source of the infection, where they work the hardest. Upper respiratory infections, for example, cause lymph nodes in the neck to swell.

Usually, swollen lymph nodes are caused by infections and return to normal in a few weeks. However, there are other, more alarming causes of swollen lymph nodes, so you should always take them seriously.

You May Like: How To Relieve Allergies Fast

When Should I Be Concerned About Swollen Lymph Nodes

Swollen lymph nodes are usually a sign that the body is fighting an infection or reacting to an allergen. Sometimes, however, enlarged nodes may hint at a more serious problem. Healthcare providers all agree that its time to see a doctor if you notice other symptoms such as:

• Swollen lymph nodes all over the body
• Persistent lymph nodes for several weeks

In particular, if a group of swollen nodes seems to be glued together in a single masscalled matting this is a potentially dire symptom, and its a good idea to see a healthcare professional.

Strep Throat Is Lurking

Though its not as common in adults, strep throat is a bacterial infection that can cause swollen tonsils and inflammation, says Dr. Zalvan. Besides difficulty swallowing, you might also experience bad breath and have trouble opening your mouth.

Left untreated, bacterial tonsillitis can lead to a more complicated infection that causes pus to collect around the capsule of the tonsil. This infection may require intravenous antibiotics and a drainage procedure to remove the abscess, says Brad DeSilva, MD, otolaryngologist at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center.

Because strep is sometimes associated with sinusitis, ear infections, and pneumonia, it can be hard to tell if your swollen tonsils are the victim of a viral or bacterial infection. If symptoms persist, Dr. DeSilva recommends having your doc run a rapid strep test to determine if antibiotics are needed.

Also Check: Do Twix Have Nuts In Them

Also Check: How To Make Allergies Feel Better

How To Deal With Swollen Glands

The swelling can be cured with medication and other methods suggested by a doctor. In all such cases of swollenness, it is always wise to act on the advice of a medical practitioner after consulting him or her.

Since such swelling may turn serious if self-medication is done, it should always be avoided. Very often, people resort to home remedies to cure the glands swelling. They often put on warm clothes to subside such swelling.

Such home remedies, however, may not work if the pathogen infection is serious. Hence, it is always advisable to consult a medical practitioner to get the swollen glands cured.

A swollen gland should be cured by taking an anti-allergic medicine prescribed by a doctor. In mostcases, the doctor may prescribe some anti-allergic medicines to fight out the pathogens.

However, if the degree of infection or pathogen-related toxicity is serious, the doctors may prescribe several medicines to treat the swollenness of glands. The concerned medical practitioner would know the level of seriousness by watching the subsidence of swollen gland after taking prescribed medicines for a few days.

Surprising Symptoms Of Food Allergies

Most allergic reactions are the acquired type. These occur in the bloodstream rather than the mucous membranes, so the symptoms are more vague and delayed in effect. Some people suffer from symptoms that dont affect others due to their genetics. The nine surprising symptoms associated with Food Allergies are:

Read Also: Can Deviated Septum Cause Allergies

Enlarged Or Swollen Glands And Nasal Congestion

• Medical Author: Sabrina Felson, MD

Last Editorial Review: 6/15/2020

Enlarged glands and nasal congestion is seen in chronic sinusitis and seasonal allergies/indoor allergies/hay fever. Also consider nasal polyps. Infections like the flu, common cold, and oropharyngeal abscess may also cause these symptoms.

While the list below can be considered as a guide to educate yourself about these conditions, this is not a substitute for a diagnosis from a health care provider. There are many other medical conditions that also can be associated with your symptoms and signs. Here are a number of those from MedicineNet:

What Are The Main Differences Between The Flu The Cold Allergies And Covid

Often people with allergies have a history of seasonal allergies, says Dr. Peterson. And allergy symptoms tend to be more long-lasting than viral symptoms. Itchiness is usually a telltale sign of allergies, as its not a symptom of viral illness, she says. People with allergies also do not develop a fever, while people with COVID-19 often do.

When it comes to differentiating allergies from a cold or flu, itchy eyes, ears, and throats tend to indicate the former. Symptoms of a cold or flu are gradual in onset while allergies are sudden in onset, says Dr. Peterson.

Related Story

• When Is Flu Season ExactlyAnd When Does It End?

Colds and flu can be accompanied by low-grade fever, swollen glands, or body aches, which you never get with allergies, she explains. Also, a cold typically lasts three to 10 days, so if your symptoms last longer than that, then it is more likely to be allergies.

Runny nose, cough, and sneezing are common symptoms of both allergies and colds. With allergies, though, you can sneeze two or three times in a row, Dr. Peterson says. Additionally, if you have mucus that is thick and/or yellow or green in color, then it is a respiratory infection, but if its thin and watery then it could be either a cold or allergies, Dr. Peterson says.

Also Check: Can Allergies Cause A Fever In Adults

What Are Swollen Lymph Nodes

Swollen lymph nodes are a commonly-experienced sign that the body is responding to an infection or some other problem. Also called lymphadenopathy, swollen lymph nodes are a symptom just like a sore throat or runny nose. However, lymphadenopathy could be a symptom of any number of underlying issues. The healthcare providers job is to carefully study the clues to identify and then treat the cause.

The lymphatic system is like an ongoing rinse cycle for the bodys tissues. Lymphatic fluid is blood plasma that squeezes out of the tiniest blood vessels. The fluid flows around cells, delivers nutrients, and rinses away waste materials, dead cells, and foreign invaders like bacteria or viruses.

Eventually, the lymphatic fluid seeps into lymphatic vessels and flows to collection points called lymph nodes which return the fluid to the blood. There are about 600 pea- to bean-sized lymph nodes in the body, mostly clustered in the jaw, side of the neck, collarbone, armpits, and groin area.

Lymph nodes are filled with white blood cells, the immune systems front line against infections and foreign invaders. The white blood cells filter out and destroy bacteria, dead cells, viruses, and other stuff that passes through the node. When the white blood cells recognize a foreign invader, they kick into action and generate more white blood cells to go after that specific invader.

Swollen lymph nodes are caused by:

• Infections, such as mononucleosis or strep throat
• Lymph node infection

Not All Allergies Are Equal

There are different types of allergic reactions. Developed or acquired allergies may occur from constantly eating the same foods. Completely avoiding the food for a time, however, may allow the immune system to forget that its allergic. Thereafter, occasionally eating that food may be ok. Allergies that you are born with are fixed, immediate reactions that occur whenever the food is eaten, no matter how long youve avoided it.

Don’t Miss: How To Stop Allergy Attack Fast

Swollen Lymph Nodes Medications

Swollen lymph nodes are a symptom of an underlying condition: bacterial infections, viral infections, immune system disorders, allergies, cancer, and other causes. Each of these will be treated using medications appropriate to the diagnosis.

The pain, discomfort, and swelling of the lymph nodes can be relieved with over-the-counter pain relievers such as ibuprofen, acetaminophen, aspirin, or naproxen.

Gut Allergy Yeast Connection

Leaky Gut Syndrome is scientifically termed as increased intestinal permeability or intestinal barrier dysfunction. This means that there is damage to the intestines as if there are holes in a sieve. The leaky gut allows larger, undigested food particles to enter your bloodstream. Toxins and unwanted microbes like yeast infiltrate also, breaking down your immunity. The systemic infection of yeast in your blood is called Candidiasis, which compromises your immunity further, leading to many chronic symptoms.

Read Also: Will Prednisone Help With Allergies

How Can Allergy Symptoms Be Treated By A Doctor

Allergists, like Dr. Kevin Farnam, MD, are medical doctors who specialize in the treatment of allergies and asthma. These specially trained clinicians can treat your stubborn allergy symptoms by first, diagnosing, and then prescribing medications that can help.

Many mild allergy cases can be treated without seeing a doctor. When allergies interfere with your day-to-day activities, you can take back control of your life by seeing an allergist.

An allergist can treat all kinds of allergy problems including:

• Allergic rhinitis or hay fever is a reaction that occurs primarily from environmental allergens
• Anaphylaxis is rare and a potentially fatal allergic reaction caused by triggers such as food, a medication, or an insect sting
• Asthma is an allergy symptom that causes muscle spasms in a persons breathing airway that blocks air to the lungs
• Atopic or contact dermatitis are allergies that cause hives or dermatitis on the skin

Visiting an allergist could include:

• A complete history and physical exam
• Allergy testing to see what is causing your symptoms
• Education to help prevent allergies by avoiding them
• Medication to treat symptoms
• Allergy shots to alleviate symptoms

You should see an allergist if your allergies are causing chronic sinus infections, difficulty breathing, or the discomfort of sneezing, wheezing, or other symptoms that disrupt your life.