What Is The Outlook For People Who Have Hay Fever
Hay fever can make you feel miserable, but it doesnt cause serious health problems. Most people with hay fever manage symptoms with lifestyle changes and over-the-counter medication.
People with airborne allergies have a higher risk of ear infections and sinus infections. Because hay fever can make it tough to get a good nights sleep, you may feel tired during the day. If you have asthma, hay fever can make your asthma symptoms worse.
How Is Hay Fever Diagnosed
Your healthcare provider will examine you, ask about your symptoms and evaluate you for other conditions, such as a cold or asthma. To measure your antibodies to specific allergens, your provider may take a blood sample and send it to a lab for testing. This blood test is called an immunoglobulin E test. It can detect all types of allergies, including food allergies.
Your provider may recommend a skin prick test to determine what allergens are causing your symptoms.
What Are Your Symptoms
Both allergies and colds may cause a runny or stuffy nose, sneezing, a cough, and fatigue. Itchy eyes, post-nasal drip, and dark circles under your eyes are more common with allergies. Symptoms more commonly caused by a virus include sore throat, cloudy or discolored nasal discharge, fever, and general aches and pains.
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Why Can Seasonal Allergies Cause A Sore Throat
Allergies happen when the body perceives a foreign substance as a threat, and the immune system produces antibodies and histamine in response. This creates an inflammatory reaction that makes you feel downright crummy. Common allergy symptoms include sneezing, congestion, runny nose, sinus pressure, and dark circles under the eyes . But under the right circumstances, allergy sufferers could develop a sore throat as well.
Why does this happen? Children with allergies often have increased mucus production in the nasal passages that drips down the back of the throat. This is referred to as postnasal drip, explains Sanjeev Jain, M.D., a board-certified allergist and immunologist at Columbia Allergy. As the mucus drips down the throat, it causes irritation to the mucosa that lines the throat, and this can result in the sensation of a sore throat.
Keep in mind that sore throat can have other causes as well. For example, it often appears with viral upper respiratory infections and bacterial infections , says Natasha Burgert, M.D., a board-certified pediatrician for Pediatric Associates in Overland Park, Kansas. Sore throat might also be a symptom of COVID-19 in kids. Contact your pediatrician if you dont know the cause of your childs sore throat they may need to diagnose and treat it.
When To Contact Your Health Care Provider
If your symptoms dont improve, or you feel worse, you should contact your health care provider. The American Academy of Otolaryngology2 recommends alerting your doctor if you have any of the following symptoms:
- Difficulty breathing, swallowing, or opening your mouth
- Swelling of the neck or face
- Earache
- A fever of 101°F or higher
- Lumps in the throat or neck
If you have allergies that lead to a sore throat, treating them with OTC medication or natural remedies may provide you with relief from pain and discomfort. But if your symptoms worsen, contact your health care provider to rule out a more serious health concern.
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What Causes Allergic Rhinitis
Allergic rhinitis occurs when your bodys immune system reacts to an irritant in the air. The irritants are so tiny that you can easily inhale them through your nose or mouth.
Allergens are harmless to most people. But if you have hay fever, your immune system thinks the allergen is intruding. The immune system tries to protect your body by releasing natural chemicals into your bloodstream. The main chemical is called histamine. It causes mucous membranes in the nose, eyes and throat to become inflamed and itchy as they work to eject the allergen.
Seasonal and perennial allergies can result from many allergens, including:
- Dust mites that live in carpets, drapes, bedding and furniture.
- Pollen from trees, grass and weeds.
- Pet dander .
- Mold spores.
- Cockroaches, including their saliva and waste.
Food allergies can also cause inflammation in the nose and throat. If you think youre having an allergic reaction to something you ate, get medical help right away. Food allergies can be life-threatening.
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.
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How Is Allergic Esophagitis Diagnosed
Your healthcare provider will ask about your symptoms and when they began. Tell him or her if you know certain foods cause your symptoms. Tell him or her if you have any medical conditions or a family history of allergic esophagitis. You may also need any of the following:
- Allergy tests are used to see how your body reacts to certain allergens. The tests may show what is causing your allergic esophagitis.
- A barium swallow x-ray is used to take pictures inside your esophagus. You will swallow barium in a thick liquid before you have the x-ray. The barium helps any injuries show up better on the x-rays.
- Endoscopy is used to find any tissue changes. A scope is used to see inside the esophagus. A scope is a long, bendable tube with a light on the end. The scope is placed in your mouth and passed down your throat and esophagus. A camera may be hooked to the scope to take pictures.
- A biopsy is used to take tissue samples from your esophagus to be tested. The samples may also be checked for any other problems with your esophagus.
Allergic Rhinitis And A Sore Throat
When the immune system over-reacts to things like pollen and dust mites it results in allergic rhinitis and various symptoms like congestion and sneezing. However, accompanying these things is often the problem of a sore throat as well.
During a reaction, the mucous membranes that line the inside of the nose produce more mucus in an attempt to wash out and trap allergens. This mucus can then cause a runny nose or it can also drip down the back of the throat in a process called the post-nasal drip. This irritates sensitive tissues at the back of the throat so that they eventually become tender. Also, the feeling of mucus dripping down the back of the throat may stimulate a cough which, if persistent, also contributes to a sore throat.
On top of this, a dry or itchy throat is often associated with allergic rhinitis which causes throat tissues to become inflamed a problem wed then call a sore throat.
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Allergic Rhinitis And A Dry Throat
When suffering from allergic rhinitis, the body releases histamine in an attempt to get rid of allergens. This can result in inflammation of the nasal passages and, in turn, congestion can become problematic as the amount of air able to travel in and out of the nose is restricted.
At this point we must rely on our mouth to breathe but unfortunately it does the job less effectively than the nose and, as a result, a dry throat can become an issue.
When you take a breath in, cold air enters the mouth and dries out the moisture created by saliva. The tissues in the mouth are quite sensitive so this means we tend to notice the effects of dryness and it may eventually lead to a sore throat.
Tonsil Stones & Allergies: Can Allergies Cause Tonsil Stones In Your Throat
Estella used to have a happy life..
Until one day she was affected by a serious allergy. Thats it she started getting those gross stones in her throat. From that day onwards, whenever she was affected by allergies, she started getting tonsil stones again and again.
But why?
Why is this happening? Can food, pollen, dust, fur, and other allergies really cause tonsil stones? If so, how is it possible?
First of all, How is a tonsil stone formed?
Without knowing how a tonsil stone is actually formed, it is almost impossible for anyone to understand/follow the process of tonsil stone elimination. This is the reason why I repeat this section in almost all of my articles.
Now, How is a tonsil stone formed on ones tonsils?
Tonsils are important glands that are present on both sides of a persons throat. Medically, when stones are formed on these tonsillar glands, we call them the tonsil stones or the tonsilloliths.
A tonsil stone is nothing but a hardened calcium particle, that is a homogeneous accumulation of mucus, dead cells, bacteria, food particles, and other waste materials. See How to get rid of my tonsil stones Quickly tonight?
Now.. Coming to the main point..
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Home Remedies For Earaches
There are several home remedies available for treating earaches, many of which use simple ingredients found in your cupboard at home.
Relieving congestion in the ear may help to ease your earache. This can be achieved by inhaling steam or menthol. This helps to open the Eustachian tube so that any fluids inside the middle ear are able to drain away.Equalising the pressure in your ear may also help to ease seasonal allergies induced earache. This can be achieved by yawning, chewing gum or holding your nose and blowing until your ears pop. However, you should be very gentle when doing this so that you do not damage the delicate structures of the ear.You should be careful before putting anything into your ear, particularly if you suspect you are suffering from a perforated eardrum, as this can worsen the condition.
Complications Of Allergic Rhinitis
If you have allergic rhinitis, there’s a risk you could develop further problems.
A blocked or runny nose can result in difficulty sleeping, drowsiness during the daytime, irritability and problems concentrating. Allergic rhinitis can also make symptoms of asthma worse.
The inflammation associated with allergic rhinitis can also sometimes lead to other conditions, such as nasal polyps, sinusitis and middle ear infections. These are described below.
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What To Do If You Have Anaphylaxis
Give yourself epinephrine right away if you start to:
- have trouble breathing
- feel tightness in your throat
- feel faint
- have two or more milder allergic symptoms together
Dont try to use an inhaler or antihistamine and wait to see what happens. Go straight for the epinephrine! Seconds count during anaphylaxis.
If you have signs of a serious allergic reaction:
Choose Hot Liquidy Foods And Drinks
Everyone knows that chicken soup is supposed to help alleviate symptoms like congestion, but it does not have to be chicken soup to be effective. Hot liquids like soup and herbal tea break down mucus and keep you hydrated, helping you fight infections and expel excess mucus. Hot beverages can also break down and soften tonsil stones, which might help you get rid of them for good.
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Allergies Do Not Cause Fevers
People often wonder if allergies can cause a fever. The answer is no. Allergies cannot cause a fever, though you could have an allergy flare at the same time youre experiencing a fever from another infection.
With a cold, your temperature can run warmer, but typically it will be less than 100 degrees Fahrenheit.
Signs Your Symptoms Are Caused By Allergies
1. You have a combo of nasal congestion, a scratchy throat, a runny nose, pressure around your eyes, and itchy ears and eyes. Looks like allergies, smells would smell like allergies too, if you werent too stuffed up to smell.
2. Your symptoms last more than two weeks. If your nose runs on and on, with a scratchy throat and lots of congestion that gets no worse, but no better, its probably just allergies.
3. Your snot is yellow or clear. Even with pale yellow snot, youre OK.
4. Youre fine the rest of the year. Asthmatic coughing and wheezing that starts up juuust about the same time as the flowers bloom in April, May, or June is an unlikely coincidence. *Puts money on allergies.*
5. If you do think you have allergies: Consider taking an OTC antihistamine, or better yet, see an allergist who can tell you exactly what to take and whether you could benefit from a nasal steroid or a nasal spray. And feel better!
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Know Your Paths To Care
Were here to help you get better quickly, with tools and information for self-care and convenient options for visits or advice when you need it. Easy ways to get help for your cold or allergy symptoms include:
- Consulting Nurse Service: Call a nurse, who will assess your symptoms and recommend treatments or other next steps. Available 24/7.
- Online visit: Complete a questionnaire about your symptoms. A clinician will provide a diagnosis, treatment plan and, if needed, a prescription without a trip to your doctors office.
- CareClinic by Kaiser Permanente at Bartell Drugs:Walk in for care at 15 Puget Sound Bartell Drugs locations. Open 7 days a week with evening and weekend hours.
How Is Allergic Rhinitis Treated
Several allergy medications can improve symptoms and help you live with hay fever. These treatments come in many forms, including liquids, pills, eye drops, nasal sprays and injections. Talk to your provider before taking any medication, especially if youre pregnant or have other health concerns. Your provider may suggest:
Antihistamines: Antihistamine medications are available with a prescription or over the counter. They work by blocking the histamine that your body releases during an allergic response. Antihistamines come as pills, liquids, eye drops, nasal sprays and inhalers. They include:
- Loratadine .
- Fexofenadine .
- Levocetirizine .
Antihistamines can cause drowsiness. Avoid alcohol when taking antihistamines, especially if youre going to drive.
These medications relieve congestion in the nose and sinuses. You can take decongestants by mouth or use a nasal spray. They include:
- Afrin® nasal spray.
- Phenylephrine nasal spray .
-
Pseudoephedrine .
Corticosteroid nasal sprays: These sprays and inhalers reduce inflammation and relieve symptoms of hay fever. The most common nasal sprays are Flonase®, Nasacort® and Rhinocort®. Side effects include headaches, nasal irritation, nosebleeds and cough.
Your provider might recommend immunotherapy in the form of a pill that you place under your tongue.
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How Can Allergies Affect My Voice
Youre doing everything right to keep your voice healthy. You dont overuse it. You keep any acid reflux under control. You do exercises to keep it strong. Despite all that, you still have hoarseness. Whats causing the problem? As it turns out, it might be allergies.
In the Charlotte area, springtime allergies are often caused by tree pollens, grass pollens, and molds. Symptoms include sneezing, nasal stuffiness, a runny nose, itchy and watery eyes, and coughing.
When Did You Begin To Feel Unwell
If you remember being around someone who had an upper respiratory infection a few days before you started feeling ill, you may have caught a viral infection. Viruses are spread by contact with sneezes, coughs, and contaminated surfaces such as door handles. Allergies, on the other hand, can begin immediately after coming in contact with triggers such as pollen. If you think you might be experiencing a seasonal allergy, check the pollen count in your area if levels are high, allergies may be the culprit.
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Can Allergies Cause A Cough
Yes, and you can blame it on your immune system. When your body mistakes a substance like pollen or mold as a harmful invader, it sets off an intense response to try and flush it out, according to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology . During this process, your cells release histamine and other chemicals, which triggers an allergic reaction. Cue the cold-like symptoms, including a sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, sneezing, and coughing.
Allergy coughs are typically caused by swelling or irritation of the airways, the AAAI says. And, if you develop post-nasal dripwhen the mucus hanging out in your sinuses trickles down the back of your throatthat can also cause a cough, Dr. Bassett says.
