Do Different Allergies Cause Different Symptoms
Substances which cause an immediate release of allergy chemicals such as histamine into the bloodstream cause generalised symptoms . However, some substances cause a local reaction, depending on which part of the body they first come into contact with.
Some people, for example, have a type of allergic reaction to certain foods that only causes symptoms in the mouth and throat. This involves itching, tingling, and swelling of the mouth, lips and throat. Fresh fruit, vegetables and nuts commonly cause this. It can be confused with anaphylaxis. It has the potential to be serious, as swelling in the mouth and throat can affect the ability to breathe, but this is rare. The symptoms start within minutes of eating and tend to settle completely within an hour. An ambulance should be called immediately if you feel faint, have difficulty breathing or feel like your throat is closing up.
Another example is pollen, which may cause localised symptoms such as stuffy nose, itchy eyes and wheezing.
What Is The Main Cause Of Heart Palpitations
Stress and anxiety are probably the most common causes, as well as caffeine, nicotine, or alcohol as reasons for getting low. In addition, a woman can experience them when shes pregnant. It is rare for palpitations to be symptomful of a heart condition, which is known as more serious heart failure. In case you have palpitations in the heart, see your doctor quickly.
Whats Cooking Up This Worsening Pollen Brew
Weather Channel experts highlight these factors as producing a harsher pollen season:
- Climate change
- The priming effect
- City planning decisions
The priming effect always gets lots of attention in social media, but not so much in terms of pollen reactions. The priming effect is when outdoor temperatures change rapidly in a relatively short period of time . The bodys immune system revs up for these temperature changes when they are frequent, the immune system can become hypersensitive to the pollen produced.
City planners unintentionally cause more pollen if they plant more male trees in parks and green spaces. Often they do this because male trees create less mess than female trees, which drop more seeds. More male trees result in more pollen, according to Weather Channel experts. To keep pollen to a minimum, it is better to plant male and female trees equally.
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What To Do If Foods Cause You Heart Palpitations
First off, take note if you feel any additional symptoms, because those could signal that youre experiencing more than simple palpitations. Seek emergency medical help if at any point you also have:
- Shortness of breath
- Pain or discomfort in the upper back, arms, neck, or jaw
- Feeling of impending doom
If its the first time youve ever noticed heart palpitations, make a follow-up appointment with your doctor. Its likely nothing is wrong, but its always best to err on the side of caution and make sure that the food-related episode isnt the first sign of a bigger issue.
Next, start a log and record times when the palpitations recur. Note what you ate or drank and what sort of emotional state you were in. If specific foods or beverages tend to cause recurrences, take that as a sign you should reduce or eliminate those foods from your diet. Your body and your heart couldnt be telling you any more clearly that those substances are doing you harm.
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Can Heart Palpitations Be Caused By Seasonal Changes And/ Or Anxiety
over a year ago
Hi there.
I was not in this site for a while because I had some family issues. To cut long story short, my husband had car accident and he was in bed. Now he is fine. We are trying to find out why he had car accident because he bumped into the wall. Doctors did some tests and they find out that he had heart palpitations. Because of it he had that ugly anxiety for a while.
Now I want to know can heart palpitations be caused by seasonal changes or anxiety? Maybe that is the reason because he lost control…
Loading…
over a year ago
Hello Aurora,
It is quite likely that someone would have heart palpitations because of stress rather than anxiety. I mean, anxiety can come from stress as well so I guess that it can also be the cause of heart palpitations.
When it comes so seasonal changes, heart palpitations don’t happen because of them. Instead, they happen prior to seasonal allergies which can be quite nasty. If someone knows that he has trouble with allergies and that he has heart palpitations, he should be taking some medicines for allergies.
The good thing is that heart palpitations aren’t really dangerous so I don’t think that it is what caused your husband to crash.
over a year ago
Hi guys,
It is actually possible, Health n joy, that heart palpitations caused her husband to pass out while he was driving. If his seasonal allergies were that strong, he could have passed out, no doubt about that.
over a year ago
Hi again,
Hey Health n joy,
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Can Allergies Increase Heart Disease Risk Dr
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You Have A Cold Or Fever
If your pounding heart is accompanied by typical signs of a cold or fever, like an elevated temperature, coughing, and sneezing, this is likely the culprit. Battling an infection requires your body to work harder than usual, and that includes making your heart beat faster in order to fight for homeostasis and kick the infection to the curb, Dr. Mills-Frazier says.
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When Should I Use My Epinephrine Injector
If you think youre having an anaphylactic reaction, dont wait to use your injector. And dont take an antihistamine instead to see if that helps. Use your injector immediately. Your life depends on taking quick action. You also need to call 911 or get to a hospital. Even after you inject yourself, you need medical evaluation and treatment.
If youre not sure youre having an anaphylactic reaction, its better to inject yourself. The risk of an unnecessary injection is less than the risk of not getting the medicine in time.
If you inject yourself without needing to, you may increase your blood pressure and heartbeat for a few hours. Call your provider or get medical help if that happens.
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Youre Taking Some Kind Of Medication That Affects Your Heart
If youve ever read a list of possible medication side effects, you probably know tons of them out there cause an elevated heart rate. Whether its related to osteoporosis, allergies, ADHD, or another condition, a lot of medications will increase circulating adrenaline and cause someone to feel like their heart is racing, Dr. Doshi says. This happens so often that doctors will often first ask which medications youre taking when you tell them your heart is beating too quickly. Depending on your medication and medical history, a racing heart can be expected or a sign that you might need to try a different option. Only a doctor can tell you for sure.
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What Are The Symptoms Of Seasonal Allergies
Seasonal allergies are among the most common. Often referred to as hay fever, they are the result of molds or pollen from various flowering plants, grasses and trees. Since some plants only grow and flower at a certain time of year and some molds grow better in different weather conditions, these allergies may only affect you during specific seasons.
Common symptoms include:
- Postnasal drip
Is Your Food Allergy Really A Histamine Intolerance
If you have food allergies, you know the drill: Eat so much as one crumb of the offending fare, and it can feel like your immune system is preparing for the apocalypse. Cue symptoms like hives, your stomach literally cramping your style, or even more dangerous signs that your body doesnt appreciate the culinary intruder, like trouble breathing.
But maybe your so-called food allergies arent what they seem. These and other symptoms could instead be a sign of histamine intolerance, a lesser-known condition that is basically a fancy way of saying you might have too much histaminethe chemical that causes allergic reactionsfloating around your body.
Its very easy to mistake symptoms of histamine intolerance for those of a food allergy, Joseph Dizon, M.D., chief of the Department of Allergy and Immunology at Kaiser Permanente West Los Angeles, tells SELF. In both cases, your bodys reacting to a surge of histamine, its just that the underlying mechanism is different. Confused? No worries. Heres everything you need to know about the difference between food allergies and a histamine intolerance.
And, of course, histamine is a critical part of allergic reactions, including those involving food. When you eat a food that your immune system has mislabeled as dangerous, it battens down the hatches by ordering your bodys mast cells to release histamine and other chemicals. This is what causes symptoms like itching, swelling, congestion, hives, and even full-on anaphylaxis .
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How Are Allergies Diagnosed
Allergies are diagnosed by an allergist or by a specialist physician frequently working with allergies . The so-called prick test, the intradermal test, and blood tests are possible methods of diagnosis. The prick and provocation tests are both skin tests which expose the body to certain allergens to test for a reaction. The prick test is performed on the underarmthe skin is pricked with a small amount of an allergen-containing solution. The intradermal test is similar, but it injects a small amount of the solution directly under the skin. If hypersensitivity to a certain allergen is present following a skin test, redness or wheals present in this location after approximately 20 minutes. With the help of blood tests, immunoglobulin-E antibodies can be detected in the blood to help draw conclusions about the specific triggering allergen. This method is often implemented when testing young children.
Getting Help For Allergies
See a GP if you think you or your child might have had an allergic reaction to something.
The symptoms of an allergic reaction can also be caused by other conditions.
A GP can help determine whether it’s likely you have an allergy.
If they think you might have a mild allergy, they can offer advice and treatment to help manage the condition.
If your allergy is particularly severe or it’s not clear what you’re allergic to, they may refer you to an allergy specialist for testing and advice about treatment.
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What Allergy Medicines Can I Safely Take If I Have Heart Disease Or High Blood Pressure
Oklahoma Heart Institute Director of Interventional Laboratories, Dr. Wayne Leimbach, shares insights on allergies, heart disease and high blood pressure on our blog today.
Springtime brings not only beautiful weather and beautiful flowers, but it also brings high pollen counts and suffering to people with allergies. Many people often ask what allergy medicines can I safely take if I have heart disease or high blood pressure. Many allergy medications include decongestants that can raise blood pressure, create palpitations and interfere with some other heart medications.
Medications that often can be safely used by people with significant allergies include nasal corticosteroids. In addition, antihistamines are very effective. The antihistamines include fexofenadine , cetirizine , loratadine and diphenhydramine .
Often manufactures will include a decongestant with the antihistamines in order to provide additional control of the runny nose often seen with allergies. Manufacturers will often indicate which of the antihistamines also contain a decongestant by adding the letter D to the name of the medicine. These decongestants can be phenylephrine or pseudoephedrine or oxymetazoline.
Therefore, advertised medicines such as Allegra, Zyrtec, or Claritin should be safe for most patients with heart disease and allergies however, Allegra-D, Zyrtec-D, Claritin-D could cause problems for patients with allergies and heart disease.
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Controlling Allergies Will Improve Academic Performance
To provide symptomatic relief to children suffering from seasonal allergies, its best to begin with natural methods of prevention and treatment:
- Choose times and places for outdoor activities on the basis of pollen count. Spring vacations and weekend outings should be arranged in locations with fewer flowering trees and grasses, when possible.
- Help children wash their hair and change clothes when they come inside from playing. Launder the clothing to remove any lingering pollen.
- If pets have been playing outdoors, dont let them into the childs bedroom. Keep bedroom windows closed, and use air conditioning if cooling is needed. The relief of an allergy-free space each night can make a big difference during pollen season.
- Natural allergy remedies such as butterbur and astragalus have been found effective against seasonal allergies, according to the U.S. Governments National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. These and other herbal remedies are worth trying before turning to pharmaceutical options.
When working to ease the effects of seasonal allergens, consider the health of the entire body, including the childs brain. Academic success depends on a healthy and well-balanced brain brain health begins with a well-nourished body that isnt struggling against allergy attacks.
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The Heart As A Source Of Mediators Of Anaphylaxis
Studies performed with human hearts obtained from recipients of transplants have shown clearly that cardiac tissue from patients with ischaemic or dilated cardiomyopathies contains a significantly larger number of mast cells compared to hearts from normal individuals who have died accidentally . Consequently, the cardiac tissue from patients with heart diseases contains and releases larger quantities of mast cell-derived mediators upon immunological and non-immunological activation . These observations may contribute to explaining why cardiac manifestations of anaphylaxis are more severe in patients with ischaemic or degenerative heart diseases.
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Carry Epinephrine For Emergencies
Kits containing fast-acting, self-administered epinephrine are commonly prescribed for people who are at risk of anaphylaxis. Make sure that you carry an epinephrine kit with you at all times, and that family and friends know of your condition, your triggers and how to use epinephrine. Consider wearing an emergency medical bracelet or necklace identifying yourself as a person at risk of anaphylaxis. Teachers and other caregivers should be informed of children who are at risk for anaphylaxis and know what to do in an allergic emergency.
This page was reviewed for accuracy 1/29/2018.
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Alternative Methods For Controlling Allergies
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If you continue to suffer from allergy symptoms but can’t take allergy medications because of high blood pressure or other heart problems, there are other ways you can help mitigate the sneezing, sniffling, coughing, and watery eyes that allergies can trigger.
Consider these allergy-control methods:
- Run a dehumidifier, because mold loves moisture.
- Use allergen-reducing bedding such as mattress and pillow protectors.
- Try a saline nasal spray or wash to reduce nasal congestion.
How Allergies Can Cause Shortness Of Breath
Can allergies cause shortness of breath? The answer is âyesâ: an environmental allergy can affect your airway in two distinct ways, potentially resulting in shortness of breath.
Allergic rhinitis, also known as hay fever, affects your nose and sinuses. It can lead to sneezing, congestion, an itchy nose, and itchy eyes. If youâre especially congested, you may find it difficult to breathe through the nose.
Allergic asthma primarily affects the lungs, and can develop among people who have been diagnosed with asthma. It can cause coughing, wheezing, tightness in the chest, and shortness of breath or rapid breathing. In the case of allergic asthma, these symptoms can develop simultaneously.
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Seasonal Allergies Can Affect Your Heart Health
When you think about seasonal allergies , you probably think of the usual suspects: itchy eyes, congestion, runny nose, and post-nasal drip. What Ill bet you dont think about is how all that sneezing, itching, and wheezing can raise your risk for heart disease.
Believe it.
There have been several studies over the years linking both allergic rhinitis and asthma, another condition that can be aggravated by high pollen counts, with the development of heart disease.
The connection? Inflammation.
Allergies are basically an immune response gone awry. When youre allergic to something, your body sees that thingpollen, mold, dust, animal dander, whatever it may bethe same way it sees bacteria and viruses: as threat it needs to get rid of.
So, when you breathe in these things, your body launches an attack. It produces immunoglobulin E antibodies that tell the body to release histamine and initiate an inflammatory response in the respiratory tissue. Thats why seasonal allergies come with a lot of congestion and wheezing, and why having an allergy can be doubly bad if you also have asthma .
Some inflammation is normal. But when allergies are chronic and/or severe, a sustained inflammatory response can have a more systemic impact, and one that directly affects the heart and arteries.
Allergy Medication And Cardiac Risk
Spring is here! You know what that means: beautiful weather, outdoor games andpollen. Every year, thousands of people across the country suffer from allergies. The signature symptoms of seasonal allergies include a runny nose, itchy eyes and sometimes a throbbing headache. Pollen is everywhere, especially in Georgia. A yellow dust coats your cars, homes and pets bringing with it an uncomfortable spring spent coping as best you can. When seasonal allergies strike, many people scramble to find help over the counter at the drugstore.
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