Can A Sinus Infection Cause Shortness Of Breath
Typically, a sinus infection can cause sinus congestion, runny nose, sore throat, headaches, sinus pressure, cough, phlegm production, fatigue, trouble sleeping, and fevers.
Some people have shortness of breathing when they get a cold. Others have trouble breathing because of occasional periods of acute sinus infection.
This infection can make it difficult to breathe through your nose for a week or more until the inflammation subsides and the blocked sinuses begin to drain.
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About High Blood Pressure:
According to the National Health Statistics Reports for the United States, the single most frequent diagnosis given out by doctors is Hypertension, commonly known as high blood pressure.
In 2006, the most recent year for these statistics, over 35 million visits to doctors resulted in a diagnosis of high blood pressure .
In simple terms, high blood pressure is an increase in the pressure within your arteries over 140/90. This increase in pressure is much like an increase in the pressure within a pipe. The higher the pressure, the harder the pump has to work, and the harder it is to contain that pressure within the pipe.
Therefore high blood pressure is well known to increase your risk for heart disease and heart attack , and to increase the risk of stroke . An increase in blood pressure is well recognized to be related to weight gain.
However, there are many other causes, and not everyone who is overweight develops high blood pressure. One of the more interesting and certainly overlooked causes of high blood pressure may be food allergies.
Can A Sinus Infection Cause High Blood Pressure Body Aches And Shortness Of Breath
Sinus infection is an inflammation of the air cavities in the passages of the nose.
This infection can cause by allergies and chemical or particulate irritation of the sinuses. However, most people do not spread sinus infections to other people.
It can be classified as acute sinus infection, subacute sinus infection, chronic sinus infection, infected sinusitis, and noninfectious sinusitis.
I have already shared a post related to this topic What Is Sinus Problem? I hope you read this post.
Symptoms of a bacterial sinus infection include:
- Facial pain,
Sinus infection is generally diagnosed by physical examination based on the patients history.
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What Are The Side Effects Of Otc Allergy Medications
There can be many side effects when taking allergy medications, and they may vary from person to person. Some common side effects are:
- Higher blood pressure
- Fast pulse rate, rapid heart rate
- Sleeplessness or drowsiness
If youre taking any kind of heart medication, talk with your doctor or pharmacist before using an OTC allergy medicine. Your doctor or pharmacist can recommend the appropriate medication that will provide allergy relief without negatively impacting your blood pressure or pulse rate.
Treatment For My Almost Deadly Allergic Reaction
I was immediately taken off my blood pressure medication for my body to become free from this drug. Was prescribed an EpiPen for just in case I had another allergic reaction, Prednisone and told to take Allegra in the AM and Zyrtec in the PM.
Taken off every blood pressure medication for a period time also came with consequences, I developed migraines. Thats another story.
I am blessed and lucky that my swollen tongue did not completely block my airways. Even after a week of taking these treatments my tongue was still slightly swollen. My Cardiologist sent me to an Allergy & Asthma Doctor for further review. Now I am fully recovered.
Do not wait as long as I did to get help, from your body changes its normal behavior tell your Doctor whats happening, it might not be what you think. So get to know these high blood pressure dangers for yourself.
Also review your list of high blood pressure medications, and, from time to time re-read your Patient Prescription Information given to you by your pharmacy. You might have missed something the first time you read it.
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What Are Different Types Of Allergy Medicines
Today, multiple products are available to treat several allergy symptoms. Antihistamines are used for relief of runny nose, sneezing, itching, and watery eyes. Second-generation antihistamines are used more often for seasonal allergies because they do not cause as much drowsiness as older antihistamines, and their effects last longer. Medications in this category include the following:
Oral decongestants, such as the following, are available for relief of congestion or stuffy nose:
Steroid nasal sprays, such as the following, are also effective at relieving nasal congestion:
Antihistamine nasal sprays, such as the following, can target allergy symptoms directly in the nose and sinuses:
Saline nasal sprays and rinses are also effective at clearing nasal passages and relieving congestion. Common names for saline nasal sprays and rinses include the following:
- Ocean
- Simply Saline
- Neti Pot
Antihistamine eye drops can be beneficial for treating itchy and watery eyes. The following products are commonly used for long-lasting relief:
Are Nasal Sprays Harmful For People With Hypertension
Nasal sprays are actually an option that is less impactful to use on the rest of your body. Nasal sprays act directly on the nose’s blood vessels and have less impact anywhere else in the body.
If your allergy symptoms include nasal congestion, here are some options that are generally safe to use as decongestants:
- steroid nasal sprays , Nasacort, and Rhinocort )
- antihistamine nasal sprays and Patanase )
- saline nasal sprays or rinses, such as Ayr, Ocean, SimplySaline, or Neti Pot
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How Are Antihistamines Classified
Antihistamines are divided into two major subtypes. The first subtype is called H-1 receptor antagonists or H-1 blockers. This subtype of antihistamines is used to treat allergy symptoms. The second subtype is called H-2 receptor antagonists or H-2 blockers. They are used to treat gastrointestinal conditions, including gastroesophageal reflux disease , peptic ulcers, gastritis, motion sickness, nausea and vomiting. The naming structure tells doctors and scientists the cell type the location of the histamine receptor that the antihistamine medication blocks.
The H-1 blocker subtype is further broken down into two groups first-generation antihistamines and second-generation antihistamines.
Why High Blood Pressure And Cold Meds Dont Mix
Cold medicines are not off-limits if you have heart disease, but patients with high blood pressure, or hypertension, should check the label carefully when choosing a cold or allergy medicine.
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Thats because decongestants such as pseudoephedrine, ephedrine, phenylephrine, naphazoline and oxymetazoline can increase your blood pressure and heart rate. Make sure the cold or allergy medication you plan to take is free of those ingredients.
For allergy sufferers with heart disease, medicines such as Allegra, Zyrtec or Claritin should be safe. However, medicines containing decongestants including Allegra-D, Zyrtec-D and Claritin-D could increase your blood pressure and heart rate or interfere with your heart medication.
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How Are Allergies Treated
Although avoiding the allergen is an important treatment approach, it usually doesnt completely end the allergic reaction.
Medications such as antihistamines , decongestants , or a combination of over-the-counter and prescription medications, are used to treat your allergy symptoms. Nasal sprays such as topical nasal steroids , cromolyn sodium, and topical nasal antihistamines also can be used to treat allergy symptoms.
Asthma medications, which reduce allergy symptoms, include:
- Inhaled bronchodilators.
- Oral anti-leukotrienes .
- Injected medications, such as omalizumab , dupilumab , reslizumab , benralizumab , or Mepolizumab .
Immunotherapy or allergy oral immunotherapy is recommended if your symptoms arent adequately controlled with a combination of avoidance measures and regular medication use. This shot has been shown to be effective in properly selected patients with allergic rhinitis and/or allergic asthma.
Another treatment option is saline irrigation using a sinus rinse kit. These rinse kits are sold over-the-counter or can be made at home. To make your own rinse, combine one-half teaspoon non-iodinated salt with one-half teaspoon baking soda in eight ounces of distilled or boiled water. This mixture rinses out allergens and decreases the amount of inflammation they cause.
My Allergic Reaction Symptoms
One winter my tongue started feeling heavy as usual – this happened every winter. My acupuncturist said I had dampness within my body and an acupuncture treatment always cleared it right up.
But this time I did not go for my acupuncture treatment due to the weather. It was snowing every other day, the weather was bad, and the evenings were unusually dark.
My tongue kept getting heavier. With my mouth getting so dry even when I drank water it was still dry. At nights I would wake up struggling to breathe, shaking my head to get some air in and drinking even more water.
With all this happening, I still didnt realize that I was having a life-threatening experience.
My tongue was choking me, I am struggling to take deep breaths and not paying attention until my heart started racing, and my blood pressure spiking. That was when it hit me that something was really wrong.
Oh, I am still taking my blood pressure medication completely unaware of the danger that was brewing. All this happened over a week and half period. This was a life-threatening allergic reaction which I did not know I was having.
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Which Allergy Meds Are Safe For Your Heart
There are three major classes of allergy medications:
- anti-inflammatories
“In general, antihistamines are safe in patients with high blood pressure and other forms of heart disease,” explains Richard Krasuski, MD, director of adult congenital heart disease services at the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio, but an antihistamine may elevate blood pressure or increase heart rate, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration .
Antihistamines for allergies include common OTC allergy drugs such as loratadine , fexofenadine , and cetirizine . However, if the drug also has a D after the name, be aware that it contains an added decongestant that can cause problems.
The combination of decongestants and blood pressure problems can be big trouble, according to the American Heart Association. Dr. Krasuski says it’s important that people with high blood pressure and other heart problems avoid decongestants, especially pseudoephedrine . “They can raise the blood pressure and increase the pulse, neither of which is ideal in either problem,” he says. “They can also increase the risk for heart rhythm disturbances such as atrial fibrillation.”
“This can reduce the antihypertensive effects of blood pressure medications and lead to loss of blood pressure control,” adds Dr. Campbell.
What Is An Allergic Reaction
An allergic reaction is the way your body responds to the allergen. A chain of events occur that result in an allergic reaction.
If you are prone to allergies, the first time youre exposed to a specific allergen , your body responds by producing allergic antibodies. The job of these antibodies is to find the allergens and help remove them from your system. As a result, a chemical called histamine is released and causes symptoms of allergies.
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How To Calm A Sinusitis Infection
For addressing the risk, it is necessary to take steps in taming chronic inflammation in the nasal passages, especially in people with hypertension and stroke risk.
In case of a situation, if the sinus irritation would last longer than a week in any person, then he/she must visit a doctor.
The antibiotics can be given to the patient if the diagnosis of bacterial infection is there or as a precaution to avoid disease progression.
For typical inflammation sinus problems, over-the-counter sprays can have good effectiveness. These sprays are usually made of salt water or saline and are then sold over the counter. They help in the drainage process for any patient suffering from a sinus infection.
Secondly, the decongestant sprays can be either a prescription or over the counter they need to help in opening the nose from breathing. It can prove useful for the reduction in congestion and draining as well.
Steroid sprays are mainly given via a prescription. They can reduce inflammation along with swelling. They can also promote drainage in helping to clear the infection.
Nasal saline irrigation can prove valuable in relieving symptoms.
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Allergy Medicines And Hypertension
Allergy season is in full swing in many parts of the country. For some, that means battling symptoms, such as sneezing, congestion, runny nose, itching, and watery eyes. If you are among the over 50 million Americans who suffer from allergies each year, you may be headed to a pharmacy near you for relief of your allergy symptoms. Choosing allergy medication that is right for you may be tricky if you have hypertension . Read on to learn how some allergy medicines may affect your blood pressure and your blood pressure medication.
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Allergies Inflammation And Blood Pressure
When your body is exposed to an allergen, like pollen or dust, your immune system tries to protect the body by producing antibodies to fight the allergen. This process, called inflammation, is what causes the allergic reaction you experience.
An inflammatory response to allergens increases blood flow to the affected area. Inflammation can also constrict blood vessels and arteries that lead to major organs like the heart and kidneys. This stiffening of the arteries can lead to elevated blood pressure, and is harmful if left untreated.
Food Sensitivities And Other Symptoms
When you have food sensitivity and you eat small amounts of that food frequently, you will likely be plagued by various chronic symptoms that your doctor either cant figure out, or tries to attribute to other conditions.
Get yourself tested or keep a log of your menu. Foods that you love or eat daily should be your biggest suspects. Be especially vigilant with processed foods. They can contain a wide range of ingredients you may not even be aware of.
Food sensitivities is just one example of hidden causes behind low blood pressure. For more eye-opening discoveries consult Revived! a great source of information on causes and natural solutions.
Health troubles are seldom random
Do your beliefs support your health goals?
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Allergies And High Blood Pressure
So can allergies cause high blood pressure? No, allergies cannot directly . However, they can indirectly increase the blood pressure. Firstly, certain allergy relieving medications constrict the nasal blood vessels. This is helpful in soothing allergic symptoms, but is not helpful for blooding pressure because they can also tighten the blood vessels elsewhere in the body. This constriction of blood vessels makes the heart work harder, that is, it pumps more blood, consequently increasing the blood pressure. Secondly, some allergies can cause breathing problems, especially when one is asleep. This can cause which can eventually lead to hypertension.
In some cases, allergies may cause muscle spasms or cramps. And these spasms do not go away till the allergen remains in the body. Arterial walls are also made of muscles and just in case they have spasms as well, their circumference may reduce. At the same time, the amount of blood being pumped by the heart does not go down and therefore, this raises the blood pressure. Once the body is rid of the allergens, the muscle spasms also stop and the arteries go back to their original size and the blood pressure drops automatically.
Neither an allergy, not blood pressure can be ignored, both may lead to serious complications. It is best to discuss treatment options for both conditions with your doctor to prevent further health
Can Allergies Raise Your Blood Pressure
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Dangers Of Allergy Meds For Your Heart
Have high blood pressure, heart rhythm problems, or another heart condition? Heres what you need to know about allergy drugs.
Allergy medications might seem harmless enough they’re sold over the counter , so that makes them safe, right?
Not necessarily.
Though allergy drugs can stop the misery of seasonal bouts with pollen, hay fever, and grasses, some can aggravate a heart condition, or be downright dangerous when mixed with blood pressure drugs and certain heart medicines.
“If a patient has allergies or a cold and is considering OTC medications, it is always recommended to talk with the pharmacist on site, or to ask your physician for recommendations in the context of the other medications that are prescribed,” says L. Kristin Newby, MD, MHS, a cardiology professor at Duke Medicine in Durham, North Carolina.
“Some OTC medications for example, those containing pseudoephedrine or similar components may cause increases in heart rate or blood pressure that could exacerbate some cardiac conditions,” explains Dr. Newby.
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Apart from a headache, the sinus infection can even sometimes create congestion that can exist for around a week. It can result in a thick, discoloured mucus along with tooth or facial pain.
Tip: Did you know infections such as sinusitis can cause body muscle aches? Follow the tips in the article to get rid of such muscle aches.
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