Monday, March 25, 2024
HomeExclusiveCan Allergies Make You Feel Sick And Achy

Can Allergies Make You Feel Sick And Achy

Allergy Sore Throat Treatment

Can allergies make you feel sick and achy?

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.

How You Can Tell The Difference Between Cold And Seasonal Allergy Symptoms

With both allergies and colds, its typical to have congestion or a runny nose, and to sneeze often. You may also feel tired and drowsy. But there are several other symptoms that dont often overlap between allergies and a cold. Here are some of the telltale differences between cold symptoms and allergy symptoms.

Find The Root Cause Of Symptoms To Get Lasting Relief

Allergies are a common condition, and theyre easy to misdiagnose. Most patients dont need full skin or lab testing for allergies, so doctors often make a diagnosis based on patients symptoms, which can be similar to those of other conditions.

People often assume they have allergies based on a Google search of their symptoms without checking with a doctor. Or they dismiss allergies or sinus problems as something not worth caring about they just want relief from the symptoms that are interfering with their lives. Talk to your doctor about chronic symptoms, even if you think you know whats causing them.

My job as a doctor is to get to the root of whats harming my patients. If thats an allergy or a sinus condition, we have treatments available to address those problems. But these symptoms could be signs of more serious issues. If allergy or sinus treatments arent giving you relief, talk with your doctor about other potential causes of your symptoms to make sure youre getting to the root causeand treating it appropriately.

Recommended Reading: What Allergy Medicine Is Stronger Than Zyrtec

Treatment For Food Allergies In Children

As in adults, its very important for your child to stay away from foods that cause allergies. But new research shows that children at high risk for peanut allergy may need to be introduced to peanut products early in life , instead of avoiding all peanut-containing food. Early exposure may help prevent peanut allergies. Discuss this information with your childs healthcare provider before giving peanut products to your baby. If you are breastfeeding your baby, talk with their provider to see if its safe for you to have foods that contain peanuts.

There is now a treatment for peanut allergy in children that uses oral immunotherapy . In OIT an increasing amount of the allergic substance is given to the person to make them less likely to react to the substance that causes the allergy.

You may need to give vitamins to your child if they cant eat certain foods. This can help prevent any nutritional deficiencies. Discuss this with your childs healthcare provider.

Talk with your childs healthcare provider about seeing an allergist for allergy testing. Many childrens allergies change over time. As some children grow older they are able to safely bring foods back into their diet. This should be done with an allergists supervision.

Symptoms Of Allergic Rhinitis

Infographic: Is it a Cold or Allergies?

Your symptoms can vary, depending on the severity of your allergies. Symptoms can include:

  • Sneezing.
  • Itching .
  • Runny nose.
  • Pressure in the nose and cheeks.
  • Ear fullness and popping.
  • Watery, red, or swollen eyes.
  • Dark circles under your eyes.
  • Trouble smelling.
  • Hives.

Allergic rhinitis can last several weeks, longer than a cold or the flu. It does not cause fever. The nasal discharge from hay fever is thin, watery, and clear. Nasal discharge from a cold or the flu tends to be thicker. Itching is common with hay fever but not with a cold or the flu. Sneezing occurs more with hay fever. You may even have severe sneeze attacks.

Recommended Reading: What Allergy Medicine Is Stronger Than Zyrtec

Vomiting Vs Spitting Up

Spitting up is common in babies, because babies digestive systems are still maturing. During their first few months, around half of all babies spit up.

Spitting up still means baby is healthy it isnt a sign that anything is wrong. It happens simply because the sphincter at the bottom of the esophagus has trouble staying closed, so it causes the contents of the stomach to flow back into the esophagus.

Spit-up is not a concern when what baby spits up easily flows out of the mouth. It is also not a concern when baby seems content .

But if baby forcefully expels food, and seems uncomfortable or in distress when they do so, this is vomiting, not spit-up.

Remember that spit-up usually looks like a dribble, while vomit shoots out suddenly and forcefully. Vomiting also brings up more liquid than spit up, and may be yellow or green in color.

Nurse Dani of Intermountain Moms breaks down the difference between vomiting and spit-up, and what to do if you see that baby is vomiting:

Which Parts Of The Body Are Most Affected By Allergies

Seasonal allergies most often affect your respiratory systemnose, sinuses, throat, and lungs. However, pain from allergies can also affect other parts of your body.

Repeatedly coughing and sneezing can strain the muscles between your ribs or the cartilage that attaches your ribs to your breastbone , causing a lot of pain. Pain can also come from your diaphragm, or breathing muscle, which can transfer pain to your shoulder or neck.

This pain is usually sharp and intense and worsens when you breathe, sneeze, laugh, or cough.

Also Check: Off Brand Zyrtec

Youre Soaking Up The Great Outdoors

As you should be! We cant think of better ways to enjoy the beautiful fall weather than farmers markets and morning hikes. But if youre a seasonal allergy sufferer, any time spent outdoors can stir up symptoms. You dont have to head inside for good, but do reconsider your timing.

Pollen counts are highest from early morning until 10 a.m., so try to postpone your activity until later in the day, suggests Rachna Shah, M.D., allergist and faculty member of Loyola School of Medicine.

It’s Probably Allergies If:

Can smells make you sick? Scent sensitivity could be dangerous

Your mucus is clear or watery. And it will stay clear, instead of becoming thick or discolored like it can with a cold, says Michael Benninger, MD, an ear, nose, and throat specialist at the Cleveland Clinic.

Your eyes are itchy or watery. It’s rare to have itchy eyes when you have a cold.

Your symptoms stay the same. “Allergies may feel extra intense for the first day or 2, but you’ll have the same symptoms day after day,” Benninger says.

You’ve had the sniffles for more than a week. A cold usually clears up in 7 to 10 days, but allergies can last several weeks or longer.

Your symptoms show up only in certain situations. Find yourself sneezing every spring or fall? Those are common times for allergies. Another allergy tip-off: Being in a specific place makes you feel miserable — for example, in a house with a cat.

You May Like: What Allergy Medicine Is Stronger Than Zyrtec

Seasonal Allergies: Occurrence And Symptoms

Seasonal allergies are sometimes referred to as hay fever or allergic rhinitis.

In the United States, allergies typically are at their worst during the spring season, when flowers start to bud and trees begin to bloom. In most parts of the country, allergies typically start in February and can last until early in the summer.

Certain factors can influence the intensity and duration of allergy season. For example, milder winter temperatures can lead to early plant pollination. Additionally, a rainy spring can lead to rapid plant growth, ultimately causing an increase in mold and symptoms that can linger into the fall.

Seasonal allergies develop because the bodys immune system has become sensitized and is overreacting to something in the environment that normally does not cause problems in other people. Some of the most common triggers of seasonal allergies include grass, pollen and mold.

Some of the most common general allergy symptoms include:

  • Nasal congestion
  • Fatigue
  • Joint, back and neck pain

Other factors can influence the severity of allergy symptoms. After a rainfall, pollen counts typically increase. Pollen counts are often higher on warm and windy days. On days with no wind, allergens are typically grounded. High humidity also promotes mold growth. In addition, pollen levels are generally at their highest in morning hours. Certain pollens, such as grass and ragweed, are most prevalent when the nights are cool and the days are warm.

How To Get Tested

If you think you might have a food allergy that could lead to nausea and vomiting, you should be tested by an allergist. Getting tested by a board-certified allergist is the first step to helping you deal with your allergy and avoid your triggers. An allergist will take a detailed medical history and review your symptoms to determine whether your symptoms are triggered by an allergy to food, medications, insect stings or something else.

Allergy tests are both convenient and accurate. When combined with a detailed medical history, allergy testing can identify the specific things that trigger your allergic reactions. Testing also helps your allergist determine whether you have a food intolerance or a food allergy, which both can cause stomach upset.

Many people may think they have a food allergy when what they really are experiencing is food intolerance. Food intolerance can often mimic a food allergy, causing nausea and vomiting, but is not life-threatening. The best way to determine whether you are experiencing a food allergy is to see an allergist for testing. An allergist will help you develop an action plan to deal with whatever allergies or intolerances you may have.

You May Like: What Allergy Medicine Is Stronger Than Zyrtec

Other Possible Causes Of Vomiting

If youve determined that baby is vomiting and not just spitting up, keep in mind that these other illnesses and conditions may also be causes of vomiting in babies.

Gastroenteritis

The most common cause of vomiting in babies and young children is commonly known as a stomach bug. This is a bacterial or viral infection that is usually brought on by the rotavirus, and that causes vomiting and diarrhea.Your little one should feel better within a day or two.

Gastroesophageal reflux disease

GERD is gastroesophageal reflux disease, which is caused by stomach contents flowing back into the esophagus. It is a chronic, lasting problem. As we mentioned above, is common in babies and toddlers under the age of two, and especially babies in their first few months of life. But GERD is a chronic digestive disorder that can damage the esophagus and cause vomiting, as well as cause ongoing feeding and growth problems. Half of all GERD cases are caused by either food allergies or food intolerances.

GERD causes forceful, projectile vomiting where your little one is visibly distressed, in contrast to the happy spitting up that is normal for babies. If baby has trouble feeding, with symptoms like projectile vomiting or blood in spit up, stomach pain, dehydration, gagging, respiratory symptoms like coughing and wheezing, they may have GERD. If you think your baby has GERD, contact a doctor.

Food intolerances

Seasonal Allergies & Digestive Symptoms

Really Bad Sore Throat Fix How Sore Throat _ V

Among some of the lesser-known symptoms of seasonal allergies are stomach upset, constipation, diarrhea, GERD, acid reflux, nausea, and stomach cramping.

These digestive symptoms can come with little or no upper respiratory symptoms which is why it can be difficult for these symptoms to be traced back to their source.

You May Like: Can You Eat Twix With A Peanut Allergy

A Wet Hacking Cough Screams Cold

While a cough is common for both allergy flares and colds, the type of cough for each is different. A cold cough is wet and hacking, and often produces mucus or phlegm that gets progressively thicker, often taking on a green or yellow tinge.

Allergy-related coughs usually feel like you have a tickle in your throat. Thats because allergens often irritate the lining of your nose, which triggers your nasal passages to create a watery mucus. This can drip out of your nose and down the back of your throat, creating that tickling sensation.

Vomiting And Food Allergies

Along with food allergy hives , vomiting is one of the most common symptoms of a food allergy reaction in babies and young children. Occasional vomiting is a symptom of a mild allergic reaction, while repeated vomiting can be a symptom of a severe allergic reaction.

Vomiting is actually a symptom of both of the two main types of food allergies immediate-type food allergies and delayed-type food allergies. It could occur alone or with other symptoms.

Immediate-type food allergies are also known as IgE-mediated food allergies. When someone has this type of food allergy, their immune system produces IgE antibodies that detect the specific proteins from foods they are allergic to. The IgE antibodies then trigger an allergic reaction whenever the person eats the food they are allergic to.

Immediate-type food allergies cause symptoms like hives, swelling, and vomiting soon after someone eats a food that they are allergic to usually within seconds to minutes of eating that food, and almost always within two hours.

Delayed-type food allergies are also known as non-IgE-mediated food allergies. This type of food allergy is much rarer than immediate-type food allergies.

Delayed-type food allergies also involve an immune system response, but dont involve IgE antibodies. These food allergies cause GI symptoms, including vomiting, diarrhea, stomach pain and abdominal pain, hours to days after someone eats a food that they are allergic to.

Also Check: Nasacort Allergy Reviews

Dont Freak Out If Allergies Get Worse

Due to fluctuations in pollen levels every year, its totally normal if your allergies are mild one year and then worse the next, Rampur says.

But what if youve never had seasonal allergies before and you suddenly get them? This is also common.

First, if youve recently moved to the area, you could develop allergies as your immune system adjusts to the new pollens youre exposed to. Typically how this works is your allergies wont develop until your second or third year in a new place, Ayars says.

If other people in your family have allergies, its possible you will develop them at some point, too. While its more common for allergies to begin developing in childhood or ones teenaged years, Ayars still sees plenty of patients who start getting a new allergy in adulthood.

Another thing that could make you more susceptible to seasonal allergies is having another medical condition linked to your immune system, such as asthma or eczema.

How Are Fall Allergies Treated

What to do when you’re feeling sick

If autumn hits and youre constantly sneezing or dealing with itchy eyes, its likely that youre allergic to something in the air. Allergies dont have a one-size-fits-all approach when it comes to treatment, but the AAFA says there are several over-the-counter options you can try to keep your symptoms at bay:

Nasal corticosteroids or decongestants both work to minimize nasal swelling, which causes a stuffy, runny, or itchy nose. Just note that you should limit decongestant use to a day or two, otherwise your symptoms may get worse. Try NasalCrom Nasal Allergy Symptom Controller.

Corticosteroid creams and ointments help treat itchy rashes and keeps them from getting worse. Try Cortizone-10 Maximum Strength. See your doctor if you dont see improvement within a week.

Antihistamines or mast cell stabilizers come in variety of forms, like tablets, liquids, and nose sprays. Because they block the release of histamine, you should see an improvement in common symptoms like sneezing, itching, watery eyes, and hives. Try Claritin 24 Hour Non-Drowsy Allergy RediTabs.

Be sure to discuss these treatments with your allergist, who may also recommend allergy shots, prescription-strength meds, or carrying an EpiPen if your symptoms become severe.

Additional reporting by Alisa Hrustic

Recommended Reading: Generic Allergy Pills

Allergies Body Aches And Other Symptoms

When you think of seasonal allergy symptoms, the first thing that comes to mind probably isn’t body aches. However, allergies do cause a full-body response. Your immune system decides that the offending substance is “foreign” and sends chemicals to fight it off. The most common symptoms of allergies often include:

  • Sneezing
  • Dark circles under the eyes
  • Fatigue

Is It Better To Take Zyrtec In The Morning Or At Night

It depends on whether you experience any side effects, says Robert Eitches, MD, an allergist at Tower Allergy. If your problems are only during the day time and you aren’t really prone to side effects, then go ahead and take it during the day.

But if you experience side effects like drowsiness, Dr. Eitches recommends taking your dose at night before bed. “That way you wake up in the morning relatively clearer, too,” he says. If it makes you sleepy, the side effect will have likely worn off by the time you wake up, and since the medication can provide relief for 24 hours, you’ll still experience relief during the day.

Read Also: Can Allergies Make You Throw Up

How Are Allergies Diagnosed

Some allergies are fairly easy to identify but others are less obvious because they can be similar to other conditions.

If your child has cold-like symptoms lasting longer than a week or two or develops a cold at the same time every year, talk with your doctor, who might diagnose an allergy and prescribe medicines, or may refer you to an allergist for allergy tests.

To find the cause of an allergy, allergists usually do skin tests for the most common environmental and food allergens. A skin test can work in one of two ways:

  • A drop of a purified liquid form of the allergen is dropped onto the skin and the area is scratched with a small pricking device.
  • A small amount of allergen is injected just under the skin. This test stings a little but isnt painful.
  • After about 15 minutes, if a lump surrounded by a reddish area appears at the site, the test is positive.

    Blood tests may be done instead for kids with skin conditions, those who are on certain medicines, or those who are very sensitive to a particular allergen.

    Even if testing shows an allergy, a child also must have symptoms to be diagnosed with an allergy. For example, a toddler who has a positive test for dust mites and sneezes a lot while playing on the floor would be considered allergic to dust mites.

    p

    RELATED ARTICLES

    Most Popular