Can Allergies Make It Hard To Swallow

Stroke Or Transient Ischemic Attack

Symptoms

• Abnormal vision

A stroke occurs when blood flow is stopped by a clot in your brain or when theres a bleed in your brain. A transient ischemic attack often called a mini-stroke can cause similar symptoms as a stroke, but it lasts for less than 24 hours.

After a stroke or TIA, you may have weakened muscles of the oropharynx or it may affect your swallowing reflex. These both cause difficulty swallowing.

Treating stroke or a TIA

If you have symptoms of a stroke or TIA, immediately go to the emergency room. TIAs need to be taken as seriously as a stroke because they increase your risk of experiencing a full-blown stroke. Treatment includes anti-clotting medication and possibly surgery.

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Cold Flu Or Sinus Infection

A sore throat that causes painful swallowing often signals that youâre getting one of these common illnesses. It can start a day before other symptoms like a runny nose and cough.

If its a cold, youll need to wait it out by sipping fluids and getting plenty of rest. If it might be the flu, which feels much worse and is a lot more serious than a cold, you need to see a doctor.

With a sinus infection, constantly trying to clear your throat of drainage can cause irritation and painful swallowing until the infection clears.

Allergies & Trouble Swallowing

Allergies are known for their reactions in the body such as sneezing, coughing and asthma-like symptoms.A less common symptom associated with allergies is trouble swallowing. Trouble swallowing caused by allergies is the result of postnasal drip or inflammation in the throat, according to the American Academy of Otolaryngology 1. If trouble swallowing leads to difficulty breathing, seek immediate medical advice. This could be a rare allergic reaction where the throat swells, cutting off the ability to breathe, according to MayoClinic.com.

If you are experiencing serious medical symptoms, seek emergency treatment immediately.

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Talk To Your Swedish Physician If You Have Trouble Swallowing

Eosinophilic esophagitis is a disease characterized by the presence of a large number of eosinophils, a type of white blood cell, which causes inflammation in the esophagus. This inflammation can lead to stiffening or narrowing of the esophagus, which can lead to difficulty swallowing or food getting stuck in the esophagus. The cause in adults has not been clearly identified, but an allergic reaction to environmental and/or food allergens have been suggested in individuals who are genetically susceptible. There is a strong association with food allergies, environmental allergies, asthma, and atopic dermatitis. Hence the worsening of symptoms during spring and fall. This condition was initially thought to be rare, but has been increasing over the years, possibly due to increasing recognition. Current estimates of this condition may be as high as two to three per 10,000 individuals.

There are two basic approaches to treating eosinophilic esophagitis. One is to use medication , and the other is to change your diet. The most common dietary change is a six-food elimination diet, in which you remove milk, egg, soy, wheat, nuts/tree nuts, and fish/shellfish. A targeted-elimination diet can also be considered as well as referral to an allergist/immunologist. Currently, treatment is directed at controlling symptoms, reducing eosinophil levels in the tissue, and preventing complications of the disease, such as food impactions.

Symptoms Of Swallowing Difficulties

The symptoms and side effects of dysphagia can appear differently in each person, and often depend on the underlying cause of the swallowing problem. Symptoms of difficulty swallowing include:

• Inability to swallow easily
• Excessive pressure in your throat or chest
• Loss of weight as a result of inadequate intake of food/liquids
• Coughing caused by liquid, or saliva being sucked into the lungs instead of swallowed correctly

Difficulty swallowing is often mild and annoying, but occasionally it can be severe and dangerous. Minor occurrences should be no cause for concern, but any ongoing, progressing or worsening symptoms should lead to you see an expert otolaryngologist or ENT doctor right away.

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Why Does My Throat Hurt When I Swallow

If youre having a hard time eating and drinking, youre not alone. Painful swallowing is a common condition. You could be experiencing burning, soreness, a sharp pain, or the sensation that you have a lump in your throat. All of these symptoms can make it difficult to swallow. Most of the time, painful swallowing is benign and can be treated easily with OTC medications and home remedies. But if your condition is severe or persists, you will need to see your PCP or throat doctor for treatment. You may be diagnosed with one of the following causes for painful swallowing:

What Are Seasonal Allergies

When spring rolls around and the time has come to bask in the green grass, do you find yourself itchy and sneezing? Or when the warm, summer breeze arrives, do you feel nauseous, itchy, or drowsy? If so, you likely are one of more than 50 million Americans who suffer from seasonal allergies.

When most people think of seasonal allergies, they typically think of pollen from trees, grasses, and weeds. But did you know that seasonal allergies also include other seasonally related triggers? For instance, many people have allergies to smoke from bonfires in the summer and fireplaces in the winter. Even particular ingredients in candy thats typically consumed on holidays like Halloween and Valentines Day can be considered seasonal allergies.

As a whole, seasonal allergies vary from region to region and from person to person, as various climates are home to different allergens and everyone reacts to these allergens differently.

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Breathe Clear Institute Can Find Out Why It Hurts When You Swallow

Although painful swallowing isnt usually a cause for concern, you should seek help if its causing prolonged suffering or if you have other troubling symptoms. Breathe Clear Institute can help. We take a holistic approach to health and will start by diagnosing the root cause of your discomfort to then customize a throat treatment plan for your specific needs. Schedule an appointment with an ENT from Breathe Clear institute and start feeling better today!

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Difficulty Swallowing Post Nasal Drip And Throat Tightness

• Medical Author: Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD

Last Editorial Review: 8/31/2020

While these symptoms are sometimes observed during an panic or anxiety reaction, they are very commonly associated with allergies and viral infections that cause sore throat, particularly if accompanied by other symptoms of upper respiratory infections like runny nose and cough. If you are concerned about your symptoms, seek the advice of your doctor.

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:

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Confirming Or Ruling Out Eosinophilic Esophagitis

If you or your child fit the description above, our first order of business is to run some allergy tests to see whether you may be having a response to certain foods or other allergens. As well, we will likely arrange for an upper endoscopy, in which a camera and special instruments are inserted into your esophagus to take a closer look at the lining and to gather a tissue sample for biopsy.

If we find the presence of eosinophils in the biopsy and you or your child test positive for food allergies, the odds are were dealing with EoE.

What Is Drug Desensitization

Sometimes, you need to take a medication that youre allergic to. For example, certain chemotherapy medications to treat ovarian cancer may cause an allergic reaction. There may be no safe alternative.

A healthcare provider, usually an allergist or immunologist, can do drug desensitization. This helps your body temporarily accept the medicine. The provider gives you a very small dose of the medicine. Over a few hours, they gradually increase the dose until youve received the full amount. You continue to take the medicine regularly. Doing so keeps you in this temporary non-allergic state. Once you stop taking the medication, youll be allergic to it again.

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Spring Allergies May Make It Difficult To Swallow

Eosinophilic esophagitis is a disease characterized by the presence of a large number of eosinophils, a type of white blood cell, which causes inflammation in the esophagus. This inflammation can lead to stiffening or narrowing of the esophagus, which can lead to difficulty swallowing or food getting stuck in the esophagus. The cause in adults has not been clearly identified, but an allergic reaction to environmental and/or food allergens have been suggested in individuals who are genetically susceptible. There is a strong association with food allergies, environmental allergies, asthma, and atopic dermatitis. Hence the worsening of symptoms during Spring and Fall. This condition was initially thought to be rare, but has been increasing over the years, possibly due to increasing recognition. Current estimates of this condition may be as high as 2-3 per 10,000 individuals.

There are two basic approaches to treating eosinophilic esophagitis. One is to use medication , and the other is to change your diet. The most common dietary change is a six-food elimination diet, in which you remove milk, egg, soy, wheat, nuts/tree nuts, and fish/shellfish. A targeted-elimination diet can also be considered as well as referral to an allergist/immunologist. Currently treatment is directed at controlling symptoms, reducing eosinophil levels in the tissue, and preventing complications of the disease, such as food impactions.

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Tests For An Enlarged Thyroid

Your doctor will feel your neck and may do blood tests to check your thyroid hormone levels. Other tests used to diagnose an enlarged thyroid gland include an ultrasound and a thyroid scan.

If you have heartburn, the following can help prevent throat tightness and other symptoms:

• avoid overeating
• avoid foods that trigger it
• take antacids or acid-blocking drugs

For a sore, tight throat caused by infection, pain relievers such as ibuprofen can ease the discomfort. You may also need a prescription for antibiotics from your doctor for bacterial infections like strep throat. You can gargle with a mixture of salt, baking soda, and warm water, or suck on a throat lozenge. Rest your voice until you feel better.

Anaphylaxis is treated under close medical supervision and with a shot of epinephrine. Other medications like antihistamines and corticosteroids may be necessary as well.

The treatment depends on what caused the tightness in your throat.

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Allergy Sore Throat Treatment

So, you have a sore throat, cough, runny nose and congestion. Have you caught a common cold or do you have allergy symptoms? Sometimes, it is even difficult for doctors to distinguish between the two, because their symptoms can be so similar. If you have persistent throat discomfort accompanied by other allergy symptoms, consider that you may have a sore throat due to allergies.

Pollen Allergy And Hay Fever

Hay fever, which is commonly referred to as a pollen allergy, is an allergic reaction to certain allergens, mostly grass pollen, and is referred to medically as allergic rhinitis.

Normally a healthy immune system does not acknowledge pollen in the air. However, in the case of a pollen allergy, these allergens irritate the mucous membranes.

This overreaction by the immune system often starts suddenly and can take place at different times of the year, depending on the flowering period of particular plants.

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What Happens When Exposed To Allergens

An allergen is a substance that causes an allergic reaction. After youve been exposed to an allergen, your body identifies it as a threat, and your immune system kicks into high gear to protect against the perceived threat. Your body will release histamines into your bloodstream, which is what leads to allergy symptoms, such as a sore throat.

Histamines also trigger your body to produce extra mucus to keep your mouth, nose, and throat from drying out. Most days, you dont notice your bodys mucus production. But when your immune system releases too many histamines after being exposed to an allergen, this vigorous response leads to congestion, postnasal drip, and a sore throat.

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Your Acid Reflux And Swallowing Problems May Be Signs Of Eosinophilic Esophagitis

Over the past two decades, the incidence of children and adults needing medical attention because of difficulty swallowing or food impaction has risen, prompting researchers to take a closer look at the problem. The result of their research is the identification of an allergic/immune condition, which theyve labeled eosinophilic esophagitis .

At Allergy Asthma & Immunology Institute, Dr. Laura Ispas and our team have long been aware of EoE, helping patients in Leesburg, Virginia, find answers and workable solutions. To better acquaint you with EoE, which can mimic other gastrointestinal problems, weve pulled together the following primer.

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Do Allergies Cause A Sore Throat

Yes, allergies can impact your throat. To understand why, you have to know why allergies happen in the first place: If youre allergic to something, your body sees proteins in that substance as a foreign invader. And when those proteins get into your systemsay, by breathing in a whiff of dust or getting pollen blown into your eyesyour immune system launches an inflammatory response in an attempt to protect you.

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Part of that inflammatory response involves producing lots of extra mucus. The mucus helps propel the debris out of your body, but it can give you congestion and a runny nose, which drains into your throat. The ears, nose, and throat are all physically connected, so problems in one area can affect another, explains William Reisacher, M.D., director of allergy services at New York-Presbyterian Hospital and Weill Cornell Medicine in New York.

As a result, that mucus can cause post-nasal drip, when the goopy stuff dribbles down the back of your throat and makes it feel raw and irritated. Allergens can also trigger the tissues in the back of your throat to become inflamed, which only adds to the discomfort, Dr. Mehdizadeh says.

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Soothing A Sore Throat At Home

Here are several home remedies that may help soothe a sore throat from allergies, according to Harvard Medical School:

• Stay well-hydrated to help to thin the mucus.
• Consume more hot liquids, such as chicken soup.
• Use a humidifier or inhale steam.
• Prop yourself up with a few extra pillows at night, since mucus can collect in the back of your throat when you lie flat.

There are also many over-the-counter medications available, including oral decongestants and antihistamines. Nasal decongestants may also be helpful, though Harvard Medical School cautions that they shouldnt be used for more than one to two days. For help choosing the most appropriate product, talk to your doctor or a pharmacist.

While these steps can help soothe a sore throat from allergies, they wont prevent future allergy symptoms. Pollen, whether from grass, trees or ragweed, is a common culprit of seasonal allergies, according to the American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, so avoiding exposure to it can help. The Mayo Clinic recommends staying indoors on dry, windy days and, if possible, keeping your doors and windows closed on days with high pollen counts. If you need to do outdoor chores, such as lawn mowing or weed pulling, wear a pollen mask.

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Allergies And Difficulty Swallowing

It is possible to have difficulty swallowing as a result of blockage or swelling in the throat due to allergies. The bodys response to allergies can cause enough excess mucous to block or narrow the esophagus, causing inflammation or discomfort and leading to symptoms of dysphagia. If prolonged, this inflammation can become esophagitis, which is caused by the presence of any unfamiliar substance affecting the esophagus. An intense allergic reaction can also cause an acute swelling of the esophagus making it difficult to breathe and swallow.

What Causes Difficulty Swallowing

There are a variety of root issues that could be causing your difficulty swallowing. If your dysphagia symptoms linger, its important to see a specialized doctor who can confirm the underlying source of your swallowing problem. More benign causes of dysphagia include allergies, sinus issues, and acid reflux. More serious conditions which can cause difficulty swallowing include nervous system disorders, tumors, and paralysis of the vocal cords.

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Sore Throat And Cough

The constant presence of mucus draining down your throat causes irritation. Your voice can be raspy and sore in a way thats different from a regular sore throat. In fact, your throat symptoms may not even start until the later stages of a cold for example, when youre otherwise feeling better but your nose is still draining. This is a very common complication of postnasal drip.

What Tests Can Diagnose Anaphylaxis

An allergist may recommend testing your skin and blood. These tests can confirm the substances that cause severe reactions. A skin test places a small amount of the allergen on your skin to see if it causes a reaction. A blood test that measures tryptase can be helpful if obtained within one to three hours of the allergic reaction.

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