What Causes Oral Allergy Syndrome
Compounds in certain foods are similar to compounds on the surface of pollen grains. Acting as a local allergen, these compounds can trigger itching in the mouth and throat among sensitized people. Many of these compounds are concentrated near the skin of fruits, so a peeled apple may cause fewer symptoms than the unpeeled fruit.
Many food allergens degrade with cooking and digestion so apple sauce may cause fewer symptoms than fresh apples carrots in a soup may cause fewer symptoms than raw carrots. People on stomach acid blocking medications may experience more gastrointestinal symptoms, as these medications impair gastric digestion.
Should I See A Specialist For Headaches Caused By Allergies
If over-the-counter medications and lifestyle changes do not fix your allergy headaches, this can lead to additional problems associated with nasal allergies, such as chronic sinus infections. When allergies cause congestion over a significant period of time, this can eventually cause sinus blockages, which can lead to a sinus infection.
If your allergy headaches and other allergy symptoms persist, it is important to see an allergy or sinus specialist. This specialist can perform an allergy skin test to evaluate your allergies, and even conduct a sinus CAT scan to evaluate your sinuses. An allergist can also recommend stronger, prescription treatments that may be more effective than over-the-counter medications for relieving your symptoms.
If you are struggling to stay on top of your headaches and other allergy symptoms, the experts at Aspire Allergy & Sinus are ready to help. Contact us to make your first appointment and start feeling better faster!
Symptoms Of Food Allergies
- Hives all over and swelling of the face are the most common symptoms. Hives are raised pink bumps with pale centers . They look like bug bites.
- Mouth itching and swelling
- Runny nose and coughing
- Vomiting and diarrhea
- Life-threatening allergic reactions also must have trouble breathing and/or swallowing. The medical name for this is anaphylaxis. Most of these reactions have a sudden onset within 10 to 20 minutes. All occur within 2 hours of eating a certain food. People who have had this carry an emergency kit like an Epi-Pen.
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How Do You Prevent Allergy Headaches
Avoiding triggers whenever possible is the best way to treat or prevent headaches.
If you arenât sure what is causing your allergy headaches, consider keeping a âheadache journalâ over a few days or weeks. This may help you identify potential causes and triggers for your allergies and headaches.
Once you have a better idea about what is causing your allergies and headaches, you can make any necessary changes to your home, schedule, or behavior. Depending on the triggers, you may need to alter the way you clean your home or the products you use, or make changes to your diet. You may have to remove specific plants or odors that can trigger your symptoms.
If you notice that your allergies and headaches are usually triggered outside, there are some options to limit your exposure.
- Stay indoors when triggers like pollen or mold are at their highest, or when it is windy.
- Keep windows closed, or avoid using window fans that can pull outdoor allergens into the house.
What Things Cause Allergies
Common Airborne Allergens
Some of the most common things people are allergic to are airborne :
Common Food Allergens
Up to 2 million, or 8%, of kids in the United States are affected by food allergies. Eight foods account for most of those: cow’s milk, eggs, fish and shellfish, peanuts and tree nuts, soy, and wheat.
Other Common Allergens
- Insect allergy. For most kids, being stung by an insect means swelling, redness, and itching at the site of the bite. But for those with insect venom allergy, an insect sting can cause more serious symptoms.
- Medicines. Antibiotics are the most common type of medicines that cause allergic reactions. Many other others, including over-the-counter medicines , also can cause allergic reactions.
- Chemicals. Some cosmetics or laundry detergents can make people break out in hives. Usually, this is because someone has a reaction to the chemicals in these products, though it may not always be an allergic reaction. Dyes, household cleaners, and pesticides used on lawns or plants also can cause allergic reactions in some people.
Some kids also have what are called cross-reactions. For example, kids who are allergic to birch pollen might have symptoms when they eat an apple because that apple is made up of a protein similar to one in the pollen. And for reasons that aren’t clear, people with a latex allergy are more likely to be allergic to foods like kiwi, chestnuts, avocados, and bananas.
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Allergy Attacks And Allergic Reactions: Know When To Seek Urgent Care
As the seasons change, combined with other things like pollution and cold & flu season, make it difficult for allergy sufferers. While allergies may cause mildly annoying and bothersome symptoms, some allergic reactions can be life-threatening. Its important to know the difference, and when to seek urgent care for allergies.
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.
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Keeping A Record Of Your Symptoms
Keep a diary that describes your symptoms and when and where they occur. Your diary could include information about whether your symptoms occur:
- inside your home, outside or both
- for a short time or longer
- at night, during the day or when you wake up
- at a particular time of the year
- near animals
- after you have been stung or bitten by an insect
- after you have had a particular food or drink
- after you have taken a particular medication, either prescription or over the counter from a pharmacy or supermarket
- after you have taken a herbal medicine.
Symptoms Of Pollen Allergies
Everyones immune system is different and allergies to pollens can cause diverse signs and symptoms. This means that diagnosing an allergy can be difficult. If you think you may have an allergy, keeping a record of your symptoms can help you and your doctor to understand what is causing your symptoms.
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Seasonal Allergies And Digestive Problems
If you are experiencing digestive symptoms such as gas, bloating, diarrhea, constipation, nausea or heartburn, this is a sign that your imbalanced digestive system is causing your allergies.
Along with your immune system, your gut is home to your microbiome the trillions of organisms, or good bugs. These little guys protect your intestinal lining, which is the barrier controlling what goes into your blood stream. This barrier is responsible for keeping foreign invaders out. If the good bugs are not there doing their job more substances can get in and trigger your immune system to react with inflammation. This is one of the ways we get leaky gut, lack of good bugs .
Without the important barrier, invaders such as toxins and artificial ingredients in processed food, undigested bits of food, common inflammatory foods trigger your immune system again and again. Your immune system starts to thinks everything is an invader. It then mistakes more harmless substances for dangerous invaders. With pollen the response releases histamine causing the common allergy symptoms .
Plus the good bugs work closely with your immune system to help decide between friends from invaders . If your microbiome is out of balance your immune system loses its ability to correctly make the friend or foe decision. It ends up attacking too many things. Food sensitivities are created this way.
Why Are My Allergies So Bad In The Fall
Ragweed allergy is becoming worse each year which may make you feel sick during the Fall months. According to a study by Ziska et. al that compared the length of ragweed seasons from 1995 to 2015, those who suffer from pollen allergies are indeed suffering longer each year, and there seems to be no sign of it slowing down.
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Oas And Nose Allergies Can Be Linked
- Over 50% of people who are allergic to pollen also have OAS. This means 10% of all people.
- Ragweed pollen allergy can cross-react with all melons. Also, sometimes with bananas and tomatoes.
- Birch pollen allergy can cross-react with raw potatoes, carrots, celery and apples.
- Grass pollen allergy can cross-react with tomato and kiwi.
Symptoms Of Fall Allergies:
Fall allergens cause suffering for a lot of people with allergies. Starting in early August, ragweed will release its pollen, causing allergy symptoms for many people through early October. Mold spores also grow during this time and become even more common as trees shed their leaves, leaving them to decay on the ground.
Seasonal allergy symptoms range from mild to severe. Allergens in the air cause your immune system to release histamines, which will cause inflammation, nasal drip, and itchy and watery eyes. One allergy symptom that is present in allergies, but not likely with the novel coronavirus is sneezing. If your symptoms last for more than a couple of weeks and have occurred in the fall months in the past, then you may have allergies.
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Diagnosis Of Pollen Allergies
If you have allergic symptoms that seem to appear at certain times of the year, you should visit your doctor, who will ask some questions about your allergic reactions. You can also discuss your record of your symptoms. To diagnose your allergy, your doctor may refer you to a clinical immunology/allergy specialist.
Clinical immunology/allergy specialists can test for allergies using a number of methods depending on the type of potential allergy. To test for an allergy to pollens, the allergist may use a skin prick test or a blood test for allergies. Information about evidence based allergy testing is available on the Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy website.
Ragweed Season Peaks In Mid
Ragweed starts pollinating as early as July in some states, especially states in the South. But for most of the country, it appears in August and peaks in mid-September. Ragweed pollen can stick around as late as November, depending on where you live.
If you are allergic to ragweed, learn when ragweed pollen starts in your location. Talk to a board-certified allergist about ways to prepare for the season before it begins to make it easier to manage your symptoms when the pollen peaks.
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How Is A Ragweed Allergy Diagnosed
Your doctor can usually diagnose a ragweed allergy. However, they may refer you to an allergist for allergy testing to confirm the diagnosis. An allergist is someone who specializes in diagnosing and treating allergies. The allergist will first ask you about your medical history and your symptoms, including when they started and how long they have persisted. Make sure to tell them if the symptoms are only present or get worse at certain times of the year.
The allergist will then perform a skin prick test to determine the specific allergen thats causing your symptoms. The skin prick procedure typically goes as follows:
- The allergist marks a section of your arm or back with a pen or marker.
- They then place drops of various types of allergens in different areas on the skin.
- The spots of skin containing these drops are lightly pricked or scratched with a needle. This may be slightly painful or uncomfortable, but it only takes a few minutes to complete.
- If youre allergic to any of the substances, youll develop redness, swelling, and itchiness at the site within 15 to 20 minutes. You might also see a raised, round area that looks like a hive.
- The allergist will go over the results with you. You might be allergic to more than one substance.
Having a reaction during a skin prick test doesnt always mean that youre allergic to the substance. The allergist will use the skin prick test results and their own medical evaluation to determine a diagnosis and a treatment plan.
Limit Contact With Ragweed
Avoiding ragweed may be impossible. But there are ways to limit your exposure — and lower your risk of symptoms.
During ragweed season you should:
Track pollen counts. Check them in the newspaper or on the web. Stay inside when they’re high.
Avoid peak ragweed hours. Limit your time outside between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. Counts are lower in the early morning and late afternoon.
Keep windows closed. At home and in the car, donât open the windows. Using central air conditioning with a HEPA filter will keep you cool and help filter out pollen.
Change your clothes and wash your hands after you’ve been outside. Ragweed can stick to skin or clothing.
Watch out for food triggers. Eating foods that contain similar proteins to ragweed pollen proteins can worsen symptoms. Possible triggers are:
- Bananas
- Sunflower seeds
- Chamomile tea
Don’t dry laundry outside. It will pick up ragweed pollen. Dry your laundry in a dryer.
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Cross Reactions With Other Foods
Children with allergies listed below can react to other foods:
- Cow’s milk allergy: 90% also react with goat’s milk and 40% with soy milk
- Egg: 5% react with chicken
- Peanut: 5% react with other legumes . About 30% also react to tree nuts.
- Tree nut: 40% react with other tree nuts
- Fish: 50% react with other fish. Only 10% also react to shellfish.
- Shellfish: 70% react with other shellfish
- Melon: 90% react with banana and avocado
Sometimes Your Allergy Headaches Are Triggered By Indoor Exposure Some Prevention Measures For This Include:
- Properly maintain air conditioning and furnaces, and change air filters regularly.
- Use allergy-friendly covers for pillows, comforters, mattresses, and box springs.
- Keep your homeâs humidity between 30 and 50 percent to discourage mold.
- Clean floors with damp rags or mops, since dry-dusting or sweeping can stir up possible allergens.
- Wash your hands after handling animals and wash your clothes after visiting homes with pets.
- Replace carpeting in your home with hardwood, tile, or linoleum to reduce dust and pet dander collection.
- Avoid using products with strong fragrances, such as scented candles or air fresheners.
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You Popped A Pill On An Empty Stomach
Nausea is a common side effect of many different medications including antidepressants, blood pressure medications, oral contraceptives, pain medications, antibiotics, and many more, says Dr. Hoch. Your gut processes food by releasing stomach acidso when you take a pill before you eat, that acid will still be released, causing irritation or nausea, says Dr. Hoch.
Nix the nausea: First, try taking your meds with food to see if it helps settle your stomach. If the medication itself is actually making you nauseous, talk to your doc about testing out the lowest dose. You may also need to cut out other unnecessary medications or supplements, says Dr. Hoch.
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:
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.
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How To Manage Your Symptoms If You Are Allergic To Tea
If you are suspect that you are allergic to tea, you can try to manage your symptoms and experiment with tea to avoid triggering a response. Try to rotate your tea options from black, green, or white and figure out which works best for you.
If you suspect that you are allergic to caffeine, then try to go for a lighter roast of tea such as green and white. If you have a theanine allergy, steer clear of white and green tea. If you are allergic to a kind of herbal tea, then try a different variant or give up tea from a certain family of trees altogether.
