You Might Have An Allergy If You’re Coughing Wheezing And Experiencing Other Asthma Symptoms
“People may not realize asthma symptoms can be a sign of a reaction, too,” says Dr. Parikh. “If you have itchy skin, and you’re also wheezing or coughing, this could be a sign that you’re having not only a reaction to a particular food, but a more serious one.”
You may associate wheezing with allergic rhinitis symptoms, which aren’t life-threatening. These allergies occur in an estimated 78% of people who are asthma patients.
But this type of reaction doesn’t only happen with allergies you inhale like pollen, dust mites, or dander. In fact, you can have asthmatic symptoms within minutes of eating foods you might be allergic to or after being bitten by an insect. Sometimes it can even be a sign of anaphylaxis.
“People who already have underlying asthma whether it’s caused by pollen or exercise-induced asthma are at risk for having more deadly reactions to foods,” Dr. Parikh told Insider. “There have been food allergy-related deaths because people didn’t know their asthma was a sign to use their epinephrine auto-injector.”
This is why it’s critical to get an allergy test if you already have asthma, regardless of how severe your condition is.
Is That Cough Covid
As those of us who are accustomed to sniffling, coughing and sneezing our way through spring and summer already know, its allergy season. But during a respiratory pandemic, those coughs could signal something more than a high pollen count.
According to allergist and immunologist Dr. Juanita Mora of the Chicago Allergy Center, the only symptom seasonal allergies and COVID-19 have in common is cough.
Is There A Seasonal Pattern To The Congestion
- The cold and the flu tend to hit in the fall and winter.
- Recurring nasal congestion in the spring, summer or fall, especially if it happens every year, could indicate allergies to pollen from trees, grass or weeds.
- Chronic year-round nasal congestion could be a sign of allergy to dust mites or pets.
- Chronic nasal congestion can also be seen in children with enlarged tonsils and adenoids.
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How To Tell If The Cough Is Due To Cold Or Allergies
Do allergies make you cough? Or is it just the common cold? There are several ways to tell. A cold typically lasts for a few days or even a few weeks and then it’s over an allergy will last all season, or for as long as you are in contact with the allergens. Colds typically happen during the winter, while allergies tend to happen anytime. Colds also take some time to get worse, while allergies get bad almost immediately.
Colds and allergies often come along with other distinct symptoms as well. For instance, a cold will often be accompanied by a sore throat or runny nose, and sometimes you will also experience aches and fatigue. With allergies, you often have a stuffy nose and itchy, watery eyes. You might also have a sore throat, but will never have aches or a fever with an allergy which usually come along with a cold.
Can I Prevent Allergy Symptoms
If youre suffering from allergy symptoms you can try to limit your exposure to the allergens whenever possible. Some suggestions include:
- Stay away from cigarette smoke and pets
- If you have seasonal allergies, you can also keep your windows closed during the peak months when your symptoms flare-up
- If you do go outside, wear a mask to protect yourself
- Delegate allergy triggers such as mowing the grass
- Keep your home or office as clean as possible if you know dust mites are a problem
- If you have food allergies, avoid those foods
- Use over-the-counter allergy medications to help control your symptoms
- Use air conditioning in the car or home
- Use a dehumidifier to keep the indoor air dry in your house
- Select a high-efficiency filter for your HVAC unit and follow recommended maintenance to care for these units
- Clean your home with a vacuum that has a HEPA filter
There are all kinds of over-the-counter medications that you can try. They could potentially help for a time. Nonprescription medications could include:
- Antihistamines or decongestants
- Nasal sprays
- Saline or nasal irrigation
However, you cant always avoid or limit your exposure to the things that cause your allergies, such as pollen, pet dander, or mold. Over-the-counter medications may not alleviate your symptoms. Fortunately, your doctor can help with medications to alleviate your symptoms.
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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.
Just Like Their Owners Allergies Can Cause Dog Coughing
An allergy cough can sound something like a goose honking, interspersed with gagging. Allergies are luckily not contagious, but allergens can be picked up and brought into the home, resulting in an allergic reaction.
Most likely, your dog was born with allergies. In some cases, they can be developed from overexposure to an allergen.
The body seeing a particular foreign body as a threat then results in the histamine response to defend the body, one of these defenses is a cough.
This will last a lifetime but can be managed once you determine which allergen is causing the issue. Certain breeds are known to be more likely to suffer from allergies.
They include flat-faced breeds and some Setters, Retrievers, and Terriers.
It can be difficult to prevent allergies other than by avoiding the allergen that your dog reacts to.
Benadryl for a dog coughing
Benadryl is usually recommended by vets to treat allergy symptoms. If your dog is experiencing allergy coughing, Benadryl is a good way for starters.
However, it’s best to still consult with your vet to make sure that you can give your pup the proper medication he needs.
Benadryl is also used to treat anxiety, hives, and motion sickness. But be careful, a common side-effect of Benadryl is drowsiness.
- food Ingredients
- non-natural cleaning products
Your dog may also benefit from allergy injections, which can help him build up a resistance to an allergen.
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No : A Cough Is A Defense Mechanism
A cough is the bodys way of defending itself, Dr. Cameron explains. If you have a runny nose and some congestion, you might get post-nasal drip, which can irritate the bronchioles and cause coughing, she says. Coughing is a way to clear the lungs and expel mucus.
Carl R. Baum, MD, a pediatric emergency physician, agrees. Coughing is good, he says. Parents get freaked out when their kid has a really bad cough, but it’s the bodys normal way of protecting itself. It keeps our lungs clear.
Dr. Cameron reads a book to her patient to put her at ease.
How To Avoid Contact With Allergens
When you know the allergen thats causing your cough, the best thing you can do is avoid it. However, this can be incredibly difficult so here are a few ideas to help you out.
Animal dander if you have pets, avoid this allergen by having pet-free zones within your home. As you spend a lot of time in your bedroom this is a good place to start.
Dust mites these little allergens hide in bed sheets and carpets so to help keep them at bay, make sure you wash these things twice a week. You could also use allergy-proof bedding to lessen your contact with them.
Mould spores to prevent the growth of mould make sure you use extractor fans when cooking and washing.
Pollen use pollen counts to gain some control over you allergic rhinitis symptoms. When counts are high, stay indoors and when levels are low, its safe to go outside!
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What Allergies Cause A Cough
Allergies that may cause or contribute to an allergic cough are as follows:
- Second-hand cigarette smoking
- Incense stick
Dr Mayank said, Factors like air pollution, dust, pollen and such may set off a response from your immune system in the form of an allergic cough.
You may also be prone to an allergic cough if you have:
- Upper airway cough syndrome
- Nonasthmatic eosinophilic bronchitis and Atopic cough
Dr Mayank continued, Apart from allergies, disorders like Hay fever, asthma also make you more prone and sensitive to allergy-triggering elements like animal fur, dust and such.
When To Call Your Primary Care Provider
If your child is 3 months old or younger, call your primary care provider whenever your child has nasal or chest congestion.
If your child is more than 4 months old, call your primary care provider if your child:
- Has had thick nasal discharge lasting more than 10 days
- Has a barking cough
- Coughs with exercise
- Has a wheezing cough
- Is coughing up thick greenish-yellow phlegm
- Has a fever that rises repeatedly to 104 degrees Fahrenheit or higher
- Has a fever with temperature higher than 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit for more than three days
- Has ear pain
- Has swelling or dark circles around the eyes
- Is having trouble sleeping
- Has symptoms of allergies that are interfering with daily activities and you want to know if a specialist might be able to help
Seek emergency care if your child:
- Is having trouble breathing or is taking short, rapid breaths
- Has bluish lips or fingernails
Treatments are different depending on the cause of the congestion. Your childs primary care provider can tell you what steps to take to relieve symptoms and help your child get better.
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No : Skip The Cough Medicine
Over-the-counter cough and cold medications are not recommended for children under the age of 6, according to newly revised guidelines from the American Academy of Pediatrics. That, Dr. Cameron explains, is because they usually dont workand they are sometimes linked to serious side effects.
A lot of the over-the-counter medications have decongestants and antihistamines. Decongestants are associated with cardiac arrhythmias, and antihistamines have an increased risk of drowsiness and depression of breathing, she says. So those medications, if not dosed according to weight or given at the proper intervals, can be dangerous.
Instead, Dr. Cameron says just a teaspoon or so of honey can go a long way. “It’s amazing how well honey can soothe the irritated throat and make the cough stop,” she says. But because of a risk of botulism, this approach shouldn’t be used for kids under the age of 1, she cautions.
Dr. Cameron also suggests using a humidifier, saline drops and a bulb syringe to suction out the nose. Gargling with a little bit of water might help, too. And if there is any pain, acetaminophen or ibuprofen may also be used.
Diagnosing A Hay Fever Cough
When you have an infection, the mucus in your body starts to thicken due to the presence of a virus or bacteria. The type of mucus youre producing can help your doctor tell the difference between a hay fever cough and an infection. If you have thin mucus, as opposed to thick mucus that is difficult to cough up, allergies are usually to blame.
Your doctor will likely ask you about your symptoms as well as what makes them worse or better and when you started noticing them.
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What Specialists Can Help
Your childs pediatrician can refer you to an appropriate specialist if necessary, depending on how serious your childs condition is and what is causing the health problems. Depending on the condition, your child may need to see more than one specialist. Specialists who help with medical issues related to congestion include:
- Allergists, who identify the causes of allergic reactions, advise on ways to eliminate those triggers, and advise on or prescribe treatments. Allergists diagnose and treat asthma.
Recovery After Allergic Cough
After a course of anti-allergy medicines and following the prevention tips, Priyanka noticed a massive improvement in her condition.
In a follow-up visit Priyanka said, People dont understand how irritating can persistent cough be especially, when it is triggered by factors that arent in your control
Now that I know whats causing this reaction, I can take the right preventive steps along with anti-allergy medicines. As soon as the pollen-heavy season starts, I start wearing a mask when I go out and take my anti-allergy medicines when needed.
I feel much better now and I can finally enjoy the changing seasons and not dread them.
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Do Allergies Make You Cough
When you have a serious cough, you might start to worry about what the underlying cause might be. That becomes even more troublesome when your cough seems to never go away. A chronic cough is defined as one that lasts for at least eight weeks in adults and four weeks in kids. Strangely enough, up to 40% of those in the United States have reported a chronic cough at some point in time . It’s such a common reason to go see the doctor. But sometimes a chronic cough might mean something much less sinister than your fears. Do allergies make you cough? You might be surprised by what can tickle your throat and make you cough on a regular basis.
What Kind Of Congestion Is It
- A runny or stuffy nose with thin, clear fluid, accompanied by sneezing are common symptoms of a cold.
- A clear runny or stuffy nose and sneezing can also be seen in environmental allergies, which often also cause an itchy nose and itchy, watery, red or swollen eyes.
- Thick, green nasal discharge and a cough are typically signs of a cold or other infection such as sinusitis.
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Prevention Tips For Allergic Cough
Priyanka was advised the following tips to limit exposure to allergens and prevent allergic coughs:
- Avoid the triggering factor as much as possible.
- Wear a mask preferably, N-95 or N-99 masks in pollen-heavy seasons. This will help filter pollen and prevent its entry into your respiratory system.
- Clean your surrounding areas with a wet cloth or mop. This will ensure that the dust mites dont settle around you.
Similarities And Differences In Symptoms
- Loss of taste and loss of smell are common in COVID-19 infections, while very rare for seasonal allergies.
- Stomach symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea can come with COVID-19 but are unlikely to occur with seasonal allergies.
- Seasonal allergies do not cause fever.
- Hives may occur with allergies, but are atypical for a COVID-19 infection.
- Itchy eyes, nose, and ears are common with seasonal allergies but unlikely with a COVID-19 infection.
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When Should I Be Concerned About My Dog’s Cough
If your pup has the occasional cough, you don’t need to worry. However, if your dog’s coughing is more frequent, you should take him to the vet.
Take your furry friend to the cough if the dog’s cough worsens over time. It would help if you also had the vet check any dog cough that comes with the loss of appetite.
You also want to be aware of other symptoms, such as your dog seeming generally unwell.
Your vet will examine your dog and possibly run tests to get a definitive diagnosis. He may take fluid samples and ask questions.
Expect him to ask when did your dog start coughing and if anything makes him stop coughing. He will also likely ask about other pets in your house.
Because of how many potential causes there are for a dog cough, you can’t determine your cause. The exception would be something obvious, like a foreign object he’s choking on.
The vet may check for chronic bronchitis, congestive heart failure, bacterial infection, heartworm disease, the canine influenza virus, or other causes.
Can Allergies Cause A Cough With Mucus
Indeed they can. When the nasal passages are irritated by allergies, the inflamed membranes of the nasal passages may create an excess of fluid. Once this fluid builds up, it begins to fall down the back of the throat, causing a condition called post-nasal drip. Post-nasal drip irritates the back of the throat which, in turn, causes a cough with mucus.
Other symptoms of coughing include:
- Sore throat
- Fractured ribs
- Coughing up blood
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How Does A Doctor Diagnose The Cause Of Wheezing
If you visit your doctor with wheezing symptoms, theyll likely begin by giving you a physical exam to rule out possible health conditions. If your doctor finds abnormalities with your lungs and airways, theyll measure how much air moves in and out as you breathe with lung function tests.
Before and after performing pulmonary tests, your doctor will have you take a medication called a bronchodilator that opens up your airways. Theyll use special medical devices that you breathe into to perform the following tests:
- Spirometry. This measures how well your lungs function compared to healthy lungs.
- Peak flow. This test that measures how hard you can breathe out. If your airways are narrowing, this number will be lower than expected.
Additional tests to diagnose the cause of wheezing include:
Your doctor will analyze the results of your tests to arrive at the appropriate diagnosis.
If they suspect you have allergies, your doctor may ask you to keep a detailed diary of the foods you eat, symptoms, and possible allergy triggers other than food. If diagnostic tests suggest you have asthma, your doctor will classify its severity using a symptom-based scale:
