Can Seasonal Allergies Cause Sore Throat

Allergies Usually Do Not Cause Wet Coughs

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

Allergies can cause a cough that feels 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. This is referred to as post-nasal drip.

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
• 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.

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.

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Treatment For Seasonal Allergies

There are several ways you can treat your seasonal allergies on your own.

Avoid outdoor triggers. If possible, Dr. Hemphill recommends staying away from environments where your allergens might be present, and staying indoors with your windows closed on days with high pollen counts .

Protect yourself from pollen. If you must go outside, you can wear a mask covering your mouth and nose and wraparound glasses to keep pollen out of your eyes. You can also save outdoor activities for late afternoon. If you have a lawn, keep your grass cut short. Once you get back inside, rinse off to remove pollen from your skin and hair.

Keep your home triggers clean. Dr. Hemphill also recommends controlling what you can, such as keeping your pets regularly groomed to avoid pet dander. Brushing pets immediately after theyve been outside can also prevent pollen from entering your home. Regularly cleaning your home and repairing any leaks can help you avoid dust mites and mold.

Take medication. Several over-the-counter antihistamines can alleviate your seasonal allergies symptoms. These can come as pills, chewable tablets, capsules, liquids and eye drops. Common OTC antihistamines include cetirizine , fexofenadine and loratadine .

These medications are most effective when you take them before pollen season begins. That way, your body wont release histamine once the season starts and you can reduce or prevent your symptoms.

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Soothing A Sore Throat At Home

Here are several home remedies that may help soothe a sore throat from allergies, according to Harvard Medical School:

• Stay well-hydrated to help to thin the mucus.
• Consume more hot liquids, such as chicken soup.
• Use a humidifier or inhale steam.
• Prop yourself up with a few extra pillows at night, since mucus can collect in the back of your throat when you lie flat.

There are also many over-the-counter medications available, including oral decongestants and antihistamines. Nasal decongestants may also be helpful, though Harvard Medical School cautions that they shouldn’t be used for more than one to two days. For help choosing the most appropriate product, talk to your doctor or a pharmacist.

While these steps can help soothe a sore throat from allergies, they won’t prevent future allergy symptoms. Pollen, whether from grass, trees or ragweed, is a common culprit of seasonal allergies, according to the American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, so avoiding exposure to it can help. The Mayo Clinic recommends staying indoors on dry, windy days and, if possible, keeping your doors and windows closed on days with high pollen counts. If you need to do outdoor chores, such as lawn mowing or weed pulling, wear a pollen mask.

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How To Tell If Its An Infection Or Allergies

There are a few ways to distinguish between seasonal allergy reactions and an infection.

In some cases, seasonal allergies may lead to a sinus infection or allergic rhinitis, which has symptoms similar to the common cold.

Some differences between seasonal allergies and an infection include:

• Seasonal allergies: May include symptoms like sore throat, congestion, sneezing, and headache. Red, itchy, irritated eyes are also common symptoms associated with seasonal allergies.

• Infection: If your symptoms include a fever, it is an infection. Seasonal allergies never cause fevers, though they may increase the chance of developing a sinus infection.

If your symptoms are confusing, and you cant tell if its allergies or a sinus infection, the flu, a cold, or COVID-19, contact your healthcare provider.

They can run basic tests to rule out influenza, COVID-19, and other types of bacterial infections.

How Long Is Too Long To Have A Sore Throat

When not taking antibiotics, bacterial infections and the sore throats they cause may last anywhere from 7 to 10 days. In some cases, a sore throat from a bacterial infection may be due to a more serious illness. Be sure to follow up with your doctor if you have a sore throat lasting longer than 10 days.

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Other Causes Of A Sore Throat

There are many causes of a sore throat, ranging from bacterial infections, flu, and causes as serious as throat cancer. If you are uncertain about the cause of your sore throat, or the symptoms do not ease after a couple of weeks, it is worth seeking the advice of a doctor.

If the pain and irritation in your throat is severe and accompanied by difficulty in breathing or swallowing, seek medical attention immediately. This is because in rare circumstances, allergies can give rise to swelling in the back of the throat to the extent that it becomes a medical emergency.

How Do Allergies Cause A Sore Throat

In order to understand how allergies cause a sore throat, its important to understand how an allergic response happens.

The immune system works to protect your body from diseases, viruses and infections. But for people with allergies, the immune system mistakes harmless substances such as pollen, pet dander, dust mites, certain foods, mold and insect stings as a dangerous intruder. An allergic reaction occurs when your body is exposed to one of these harmless substances, known as an allergen, and the immune system overreacts.

In order to fight off the intruder, the immune system releases antibodies called Immunoglobulin E , which causes the cells to release histamine. Histamine increases mucus production and causes swelling and itching.

The excess mucus can result in postnasal drip, which is when mucus drains down the back of the throat, making it feel raw and irritated. In addition, inflammation can occur in the throat, adding to the discomfort.

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How Can I Prevent Colds And Allergies

To avoid catching a virus and spreading colds:

• Wash your hands frequently or use hand sanitizer.
• Cover your coughs and sneezes.
• Keep your hands away from your eyes, nose, and mouth, which are the areas of your body most vulnerable to germs.

To avoid seasonal allergies:

• Try to limit your contact with the allergens you react to.
• If your allergies bother you a lot, immunotherapy may help reduce or even completely prevent irritating symptoms.

How Is Allergic Rhinitis Treated

Several allergy medications can improve symptoms and help you live with hay fever. These treatments come in many forms, including liquids, pills, eye drops, nasal sprays and injections. Talk to your provider before taking any medication, especially if youre pregnant or have other health concerns. Your provider may suggest:

Antihistamines: Antihistamine medications are available with a prescription or over the counter. They work by blocking the histamine that your body releases during an allergic response. Antihistamines come as pills, liquids, eye drops, nasal sprays and inhalers. They include:

• Levocetirizine .

Antihistamines can cause drowsiness. Avoid alcohol when taking antihistamines, especially if youre going to drive.

These medications relieve congestion in the nose and sinuses. You can take decongestants by mouth or use a nasal spray. They include:

• Afrin® nasal spray.
• Phenylephrine nasal spray .

• Pseudoephedrine .

Corticosteroid nasal sprays: These sprays and inhalers reduce inflammation and relieve symptoms of hay fever. The most common nasal sprays are Flonase®, Nasacort® and Rhinocort®. Side effects include headaches, nasal irritation, nosebleeds and cough.

Your provider might recommend immunotherapy in the form of a pill that you place under your tongue.

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How Do I Know If I Have Allergies Or A Cold

Because there is considerable overlap between the symptoms caused by allergies and the symptoms caused by a cold, it can be challenging to know which is causing you to feel under the weather.

There is also some overlap between the symptoms of allergies, colds, and the flu.

One significant difference between the symptoms of allergies compared to colds and the flu is that allergies never cause a fever. If you are experiencing a fever, your symptoms are not the result of allergies and are likely to result from some type of infection.

To determine whether you have a cold or a more significant infection, check the temperature of your fever.

Colds may sometimes result in a low grade fever , while the flu typically causes a high fever that can last between three and four days.

Allergies also do not cause body aches. While some colds can cause mild body aches, body aches are more commonly associated with the flu.

Headaches are also not usually a symptom of colds or allergies but may occur with the flu.

However, there are some symptoms that are unique to allergies, such as itchy, watery eyes, hives, and skin rash and irritation. Colds or the flu will not cause these symptoms, but allergies will.

Regardless of what condition is causing your symptoms, its important to seek medical attention if you find that your symptoms last for an extended period of time or start to get worse.

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.

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Sore Throat It May Be Allergies

You know the telltale signs of allergies: itchy eyes, runny nose, congestion and sneezing. But did you know that allergies can also cause a sore throat? Below we review how allergies can result in a sore throat, how to treat a sore throat caused by allergies and how to tell the difference between a sore throat caused by allergies and one caused by a cold.

How To Prevent A Sore Throat From Allergies

To prevent a sore throat from allergies, youll want to take steps to limit your exposure to the substances you are allergic to.

Do your best to avoid known irritants, such as pet dander and cigarette smoke. If you have seasonal allergies hay fever caused by pollen when trees and flowers are in bloom, there are a few things you can do:

• Keep your doors and windows closed
• Wear a pollen mask outside during allergy season to protect yourself from airborne allergens
• Shower after coming in from outdoors
• Wash any clothing you wore outside

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What Causes A Sore Throat

Seasonal allergies can cause a wide range of uncomfortable symptoms including sinus congestion, runny nose, watery eyes, and a sore throat. When the body releases histamine, it also produces excessive fluid and mucus to help flush out the allergens that are causing the problem. What the body doesnt expel through the nose or by coughing drains down into the throat causing it to become sore and irritated. The more sinus drainage you have, the more severe your sore throat will be.

Enjoy The Fragrant Scent Of Eucalyptus

The 2010 study, Immune-modifying and antimicrobial effects of Eucalyptus oil and simple inhalation devices, found the scent of eucalyptus could help soothe respiratory problems. It can be introduced through incents. You may consider rubbing some eucalyptus oil on your chest. Or you might want to take a small bit of eucalyptus oil into your steamy shower.

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How Can I Treat It

The best way to treat a sore throat caused by other seasonal allergy symptoms is to control those symptoms. Once you know what causes your allergy symptoms, you have several options available to you. You can use over the counter medications that are formulated to handle the symptoms youre experiencing and provide you with short-term relief. You can also learn about immunotherapy which helps your body to create the antibodies it needs to fight off the effects of the allergens.

If you dont want to worry about the side effects that certain medications cause, you can also try herbal supplements and teas that formulated to soothe your symptoms and help you get the rest you need.

When you start to experience the first signs of your seasonal allergies, start to strengthen your immune system. Begin eating healthier foods and using herbal supplements that contain antibacterials and antivirals. This will reduce your risk of coming down with a cold. It may also reduce the severity of your allergy symptoms as well. Contact our team at Backfit Health + Spine for a complimentary allergy assessment. We look forward to putting together a treatment plan customized for each individual patient!

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Sip Apple Cider Vinegar

Its easy for hay fever to cause your nasal passages to become clogged. Drinking apple cider vinegar can help increase your bodys potassium levels naturally. Potassium encourages the mucus to break up and leave the body, providing spring allergy relief so you can breathe normally again.

But dont just grab a big bottle from the store and drink it straight. Youll want to dilute it with water and a bit of lemon juice. Not only will this make it more palatable, itll be easier on your digestive system.

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