Consider Immunotherapy Allergy Drops
While allergy medications provide short-term relief from symptoms, and often lose their effectiveness if overused, immunotherapy is a more long-term approach to allergy fatigue treatment. Immunotherapy slowly introduces the body to more and more of the allergen it is allergic to so that it builds up a tolerance and no longer reacts as strongly. Allergy shots are an older form of immunotherapy that are very effective, but this treatment has some associated risks and requires frequent office visits. Allergy drops are just as effective but can be done easily from home with daily drops under the tongue, making this one of the best ways to manage and eliminate allergies causing fatigue.
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Sore Throat From Allergies: Symptoms And Remedies
Among the allergy symptoms that can affect day-to-day life, getting a sore throat from allergies can be especially irritating. Together with a runny nose and itchy eyes, a sore throat can cause discomfort and disruption to your routine.
Allergy symptoms of a sore throat can include a dry, scratchy feeling in your throat. It could be caused by different kinds of allergies, whether seasonal or something in your home that is affecting you.
There are various steps you can take to help manage or even reduce the symptoms.
Find out more about potential sore throat allergy remedies with our helpful guide.
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Figure Out Whats Causing Allergies
Allergy symptoms are a sign your body is fighting off an allergen.
So to best manage those symptoms, its important to identify what youre allergic to.
If you have allergy symptoms that only happen certain times of the year you might have allergic rhinitis .
The most common causes of allergic rhinitis include:
- Pollen, which usually causes allergies in the spring and early summer
- Mold, or tiny fungi that float in the air like pollen, which usually causes symptoms in late summer and early fall
Other forms of allergic rhinitis also stem from environmental allergens, but they may occur year-round:
- Dust mites, tiny organisms found in household fibers
Other common allergy causes may be easier to identify, because theyre not circulating in the environment:
- Insects and insect stings
If you have persistent allergy symptoms and youre not sure what youre allergic to, speak with your doctor.
An allergist can diagnose you via allergy testing and recommend a treatment to help.
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You Notice A Seasonal Pattern
If you’re the type of person who knows they get the same cold every March, it might be time to reconsider what the culprit actually is. “If you notice it’s seasonal like clockwork, and every spring or fall you get these symptoms, it might be allergy-related,” Dr. Parikh said.
That holds true even if your seasonal symptoms occur earlier than you might think of as allergy season, Dr. Rosenstreich said. “In the Northeast, for example, most people are not aware of the fact that the trees begin to pollinate even when there’s still snow on the ground. Depending on the weather, people can have allergy symptoms in February.”
Allergy Dos And Don’ts: Take A Sick Day
“What you don’t want to do is let allergies run your life,” says Anju Peters, MD, an allergy specialist in the division of allergy and immunology at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago. “I would never tell a patient with allergies to stay home from work unless they had an asthma exacerbation,” she adds. Instead, she says to investigate good allergy treatment options.
“If you have mild symptoms, try over-the-counter antihistamines, but stay away from the sedating ones,” Dr. Peters says. Instead, use non-sedating ones or try a saline rinse to wash allergens out of your nose.
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Cleaning Your Nasal Passages
Regularly cleaning your nasal passages with a salt water solution known as nasal douching or irrigation can also help by keeping your nose free of irritants.
You can do this either by using a homemade solution or a solution made with sachets of ingredients bought from a pharmacy.
Small syringes or pots that often look like small horns or teapots are also available to help flush the solution around the inside of your nose.
To make the solution at home, mix half a teaspoon of salt and half a teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda into a pint of boiled water that’s been left to cool to around body temperature do not attempt to rinse your nose while the water is still hot.
To rinse your nose:
- stand over a sink, cup the palm of one hand and pour a small amount of the solution into it
- sniff the water into one nostril at a time
- repeat this until your nose feels comfortable you may not need to use all of the solution
While you do this, some solution may pass into your throat through the back of your nose. The solution is harmless if swallowed, but try to spit out as much of it as possible.
Nasal irrigation can be carried out as often as necessary, but a fresh solution should be made each time.
Is Asthma A Risk Factor For Severe Covid Infection
Early in the pandemic we were worried our asthmatic patients would have severe COVID infections, says Dr. Fung. But now, more evidence is piling up that asthmatics do all right. Theres more reason for worry with patients with COPD or other underlying lung conditions. If youre an asthmatic, and get a COVID infection, you should still alert your doctor and get help if symptoms are getting worse despite taking asthma medicines.
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Heres What Happens During An Allergic Reaction:
Thats how you get the typical allergic response, Kwan says. Your immune system is trying to tell your nose to sneeze to get rid of the pollen, and your eyes to water because pollen particles are landing there. Your nose is producing a large amount of mucus to get what it perceives as foreign substances out of your bodyin essence, thats the bodys goal during an allergic response.
What Happens At Your Appointment
A GP may arrange some allergy tests or refer you to a specialist allergy clinic to have them.
Tests you may have include:
- a skin prick or patch test where a small amount of the allergen is put on your skin to see if it reacts
- blood tests to check for allergens that may be causing your symptoms
- a special diet where you avoid or eat less of a food you might be allergic to, to see if your symptoms get better
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Immediate Action Required: Call 999 If:
- you get a skin rash that may include itchy, red, swollen, blistered or peeling skin
- you’re wheezing
- you get tightness in the chest or throat
- you have trouble breathing or talking
- your mouth, face, lips, tongue or throat start swelling
You could be having a serious allergic reaction and may need immediate treatment in hospital.
Weird Allergy Symptoms That Make You Feel Like Crap
Seasonal allergy symptoms arent only about sneezing and wheezing. Sometimes the symptoms are more subtle. And thats trouble, because when theyre less obvious, you either suck it up and keep feeling like crap or knock on the wrong doctors door for treatment, delaying relief.
There are tons of allergy treatments and symptom soothers, from nasal sprays to OTC meds, to prescription drugs to drops you can put under your tongue and nobodys favorite, allergy shots. So if you have a little congestion or itchy or watery eyes and any of the following, you dont have to put up with it-but you might need a consult with an allergist to find the perfect way to make it all stop.
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Your Medication Is Wiping You Out
Zyrtec Allergy Relief Tablets + Itch Relief Stick
Certain allergy medications, including first-generation antihistamines like diphenhydramine can make you feel tired, says Stanley Schwartz, M.D., Ph.D., division chief of Allergy-Immunology-Rheumatology at the University at Buffalo Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences.
Antihistamines block the receptors for histamine in the body, and there is a receptor for histamine in the brain that keeps you alert, he explains. When certain antihistamines reach your brain, they can make you feel sleepy as a result. Thats why Dr. Monteleone says she often encourages patients to use second-generation antihistamines like cetirizine . Theyre non-sedating and tend to have less of that fatigue-causing property, she says.
Bottom Line What Should We Do If We Have Symptoms Of Allergy Or Something That Might Be Covid
Wear a mask and maintain social distancing precautions. If you have mild symptoms, the most important thing you can do for yourself and others is to stay home until you can get tested. Then, monitor your symptoms. If you have the same symptoms every day, its probably allergies. Youll want to get in touch with a doctor via phone or telehealth if your symptoms get worse, or youre having trouble breathing.
It can be a scary to think about COVID-19, but its important to remember that many people with COVID-19 will have mild disease, though it is still contagious. If you test positive, you can read this useful guide from the CDC for advice on how to keep other members of your family safe, while you monitor your symptoms and wait to get better.
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Allergies Follow A Pattern And Symptoms Tend To Stick Around Longer
If you have allergies, your symptoms will flare up at certain times throughout the year when the allergens youre sensitive to are present. For example, if you have a tree pollen allergy, your symptoms will first appear in the early spring.
This also means that your symptoms can last for several weeks until that particular allergy season has ended. To put that into perspective, colds usually only last about a week.
Cold viruses are present all year, so you can catch one at any time. However, the winter cold season is when getting sick is more likely.
Can Allergies Make You Feel Sick
People often ask us whether allergies can make you feel sick. While allergies can cause symptoms similar to flu or cold, they dont cause a fever. Its important to receive the right diagnosis because each allergy has a unique underlying cause. Lets talk about allergies, cold, and flu symptoms and look at ways to treat an allergy.
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What Causes Allergic Rhinitis
If you have allergies, your body releases chemicals when you are exposed to an allergen. One such chemical is called histamine. Histamine is your bodys defense against the allergen. The release of histamine causes your symptoms.
Hay fever is an allergic reaction to pollen. Pollen comes from flowering trees, grass, and weeds. If you are allergic to pollen, you will notice your symptoms are worse on hot, dry days when wind carries the pollen. On rainy days, pollen often is washed to the ground, which means you are less likely to breathe it. Your allergies can vary depending on the time of year:
- Allergies that occur in the spring are often due to tree pollen.
- Allergies that occur in the summer are often due to grass and weed pollen.
- Allergies that occur in the fall are often due to ragweed.
Allergens that can cause perennial allergic rhinitis include:
- Mold is common where water tends to collect, such as shower curtains and damp basements. It can also be found in rotting logs, hay, and mulch. This allergy is usually worse during humid and rainy weather.
- Animal dander.The skin, saliva, and urine of furry pets such as cats and dogs are allergens. You can be exposed to dander when handling an animal or from house dust that contains dander.
- Many allergens, including dust mites, are in dust. Dust mites are tiny living creatures found in bedding, mattresses, carpeting, and upholstered furniture. They live on dead skin cells and other things found in house dust.
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.
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What Causes Allergies Body Aches
When you are allergic to something your body thinks it is sick. You can experience the very same symptoms as a virus, cold, or flu. Not only do allergies cause a runny nose or sneezing, allergies and body aches also go hand in hand.
The Immune System Is Kind of “Funny”
You may actually have been exposed to a virus, either cold or flu and that is what is causing body aches. When you have allergies and body aches, you may have also been exposed to a “trigger.” Triggers can set off your immune system and make you feel achy and tired, the same as with a virus. The body aches are a sign your body is fighting something off.
This can all be a bit confusing, so here is a handy chart to see the very subtle differences:
Allergies vs. Infection
Your doctor is the best person to help you tell the difference and treat what you have appropriately.
Avoiding Allergens Comes First
Experts agree that the first line of attack against allergies should be to limit exposure to the allergens that cause them. Common allergens include pollen, dust mites, animal dander, and the molds that grow in soil and inside homes. Some helpful tips:
- Stay indoors when pollen counts are high. Keep windows closed and the air conditioner on. If you must venture outdoors, shower and wash your hair before going to bed at night.
- Keep humidity in your home below 50% to stop mold growth. If you use a dehumidifier, clean it frequently to keep it from becoming a source of mold.
- Replace curtains, which collect allergens, with blinds, and stick with easy-to-clean floor coverings like wood or tile rather than rugs or carpeting.
- Wash bedding frequently in water thatâs at least 130 F to kill dust mites. Encase mattresses and pillows in allergen-impermeable covers. Donât share your bed with the family pet.
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What Are Allergies And Why Do They Make You Feel So Bad
Theres pollen on the breeze. Suddenly your eyes begin to itch, and you have trouble breathing through your nose. Its your allergies acting up again, and they seem to give you problems every year. But whats going on inside your body when you have an allergy?
Allergens are mostly innocuous. But when someone who is susceptible to developing allergies encounters an allergen like pollen, for example, their immune system triggers a response to fight the perceived danger.
Turns out its all a big misunderstanding.
Allergies occur when the immune system misidentifies typically harmless allergens as invading foreign substances and tries to fight them off. The sneezing, congestion and hives you experience is your own bodys immune system battling what it perceives as a danger.
Allergens are mostly innocuous, says Millie Kwan, MD, PhD, an allergist with the UNC Allergy and Immunology Clinic. But when someone who is susceptible to developing allergies encounters an allergen like pollen, for example, their immune system triggers a response to fight the perceived danger.
Your Immune Response To Allergens
Your immune system is a complex network of cells, organs, proteins , and other chemicals whose sole purpose is to keep you healthy by identifying and destroying invading bacteria, viruses, and other microorganisms that can make you ill.
This bodywide infection-fighting system includes your:
- Tonsils and adenoids, which you can live without
- Appendix, also expendable
- Bone marrow, where white blood cells are created
- Thymus, where T cells go to mature, located just behind your chest bone
- Lymph nodes located throughout the body and connected by lymphatic vessels
- Lymph tissue in the small intestine
- Spleen, another expendable organ
Allergic reactions occur when white cells that move throughout your blood and tissues mistakenly identify certain substances for potentially dangerous germs.
This triggers your white blood cells to launch a defense against the invaders by releasing histamine and other inflammatory chemicals that, as they concentrate to get rid of the perceived threat, cause your allergy symptoms.
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