How Are Seasonal Allergies Treated
Seasonal allergies are treated in a variety of ways. Most often, over-the-counter or prescription antihistamines help suppress the bodys immune response, providing relief from symptoms. Decongestants can be used to relieve congestion. Over-the-counter cough medications are commonly recommended as well.
For people who need additional relief, antihistamine or steroidal nose sprays can be prescribed by your doctor. These help calm the bodys immune response to seasonal airborne allergens.
If you need more specialized care, your doctor may recommend allergen immunotherapy. This helps your immune system build up a tolerance against an allergen by exposing you to the irritant in small doses. Allergen immunotherapy can be given in two ways:
- Subcutaneous injections: Once your doctor determines what youre allergic to, she administers a series of shots containing those specific allergens. The shots are given in the doctors office over many months or years, usually in the arm.
- Sublingual immunotherapy: As an alternative to injections, you can try prescription tablets or drops that dissolve under the tongue . Sublingual immunotherapy is only available for grass and ragweed allergies, however.
Do Allergic Reactions Make People Tired
All immune responses require energy, says Dr. Haden, especially responses to actual infections and threats against the body.
But in the case of an allergic response, this energy is wasted in an unnecessary endeavor against an allergen incorrectly identified as a threat, he explains.
The constant release of histamines and other chemicals aimed at fighting off the allergens wears the body down, leading to persistent fatigue.
Whether its pollen or bee stings, the source of the allergen is all equally likely to cause fatigue.
People are allergic to different things, so that means that people will have different primary causes for their allergen-induced fatigue, says Dr. Haden, who serves on the staff for 10 Texas-based hospitals.
He says allergy-related fatigue may vary in intensity throughout the year, especially for those who have seasonal allergies, like pollen and ragweed.
Allergies And Body Aches
If you are suffering from joint pain, or any other type of general discomfort or pain, it could be caused by allergies. Remember that allergic reactions can cause inflammation. Inflammation can then cause joint and muscle aches. As a result, you can see that one sign of an immune system reaction can be chronic body aches.
There is often another issue at play as well: Allergies can cause physical symptoms from its symptoms. For example, one symptom is chronic coughing and sneezing. Both of these can lead to soreness if your body is repeatedly put through the paces.
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Can Allergies Make You Tired Top Tips For Managing Allergy Fatigue
If youâre one of the many people who experience allergies, you may have suffered through common symptoms like itchy eyes and skin, nasal congestion, and/or watery eyes. You may have even found yourself feeling tiredâso if youâre wondering if allergies can make you tired, the answer is âyes,â allergies cause fatigue in some cases.
There are many ways that having allergies can impact your energy levels and cause you to feel tired. In fact, thereâs even a name for fatigue caused by allergiesâ”brain fogââwhich can make it difficult to carry out everyday tasks or function at your best.
Looking to learn more about the relationship between allergies and fatigue? Read on or skip to our infographic to understand why your allergies may be making you tired and learn tips for combating sleeplessness.
How Allergies Affect Your Mood And Energy Level
Many studies have shown that people with allergic rhinitis not only suffer from symptoms such as sneezing, nasal congestion, and itchy eyes and nose, but from non-nasal symptoms, such as fatigue and depression as well.
Allergic rhinitis can make it harder to concentrate at work or school and affect your energy level and sleeping habits.
Unfortunately, some of these “extra-nasal” symptoms are more difficult to treat than the allergies themselves. Some of the major ones are:
- Fatigue
- Cognitive Effects
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What Is An Allergy Test
An allergist performs tests to pinpoint the cause of your allergic reactions.
There are two kinds of tests:
- Skin tests: The doctor pricks the surface of the skin, usually on the upper arm, and injects a tiny amount of suspected allergens. If an allergy exists, the skin will react by becoming inflamed, red and swollen, which may cause temporary discomfort. Skin tests give fast resultsusually within a half hour or 24 to 48 hours.
- Blood tests: Blood is drawn and sent to a lab. The disadvantage is that it may take several days for the results to come back. However, more allergens can be tested with blood tests than with skin tests, Blood tests are used to identify seasonal allergies as well as perennial allergies, plus allergies to food, medications, and insect bites or stings. If you have chronic skin conditions such as psoriasis or eczema, blood tests are recommended instead of skin tests to prevent further irritation.
Its important to tell your allergist about any medications you are taking because some can compromise your allergy test results.
What Happens During An Allergic Reaction
When your immune cells encounter an allergen, they produce a type of antibody called gE antibodies. These antibodies activate the mast cells a type of white blood cell to release histamines. Histamines are the mediators of an allergic reaction that cause inflammation.
This exaggerated immune response in allergies brings about many cellular and chemical changes in the body that result in various symptoms.
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So How Do Allergies Make You Tired
When battling with allergies, many chalk up their fatigue and low energy to stress and other factors. But the truth is, allergies contribute to fatigue in more ways than one.
1. Your Long-Term Immune Response is Exhausting You.
When your bodys in healing mode, it prioritizes its resources to bring you back to health. With short-term illnesses like colds or the flu, well typically feel tired for a few days and begin regaining energy as we start feeling better.
But with allergies, our immune system stays active for longer than its meant to, requiring more resources and energy to keep up the disease-fighting histamine and immunoglobulin E activity. As time stretches on, the inflammation meant to heal us can become chronic and lead to long-term fatigue resulting from diversion and depletion of your bodys energy.
2. Youre Breathing in Less Oxygen.
Stuffed noses and congestion make it harder to breathe and reduce your oxygen intake. With less oxygen comes less energy for our cells to refuel our bodies, making the impact of a long-term immune response even more exhausting on our systems.
3. Youre Not Sleeping Well.
Nasal congestion can make it uncomfortable, if not impossible to get a good nights sleep. In addition to our decreased oxygen intake, finding a comfortable position to fall asleep can feel like an infuriating pipedream. Sleep is a restorative process that keeps us healthy our health declines when were deprived of sleep, leaving us more and more fatigued.
How Do Allergic Reactions Work
When an allergen makes contact, B-cells immediately register the allergen as a threat and trigger the production of Immunoglobulin E from Type 2 Helper T Cells . Immunoglobulin E then binds with mast cells and basophils that regulate immune responses, triggering the release of inflammatory mediators like histamine.
As the histamine and other chemicals work to heal the injury and ward off the threat, they produce the allergy symptoms most of us know firsthand. And with environmental allergies like pollen or dust, these symptoms can persist for weeks at a time.
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The Allergy Fatigue Trap
In order to treat your allergy symptoms, you might use over-the-counter allergy medications to counteract your symptoms. Unbeknown to you, many of these medications can cause more sleep problems. Many of these OTC decongestants and some antihistamines, can not only cause, but increase disrupted sleep.
More seriously they may cause other side effects such as daytime drowsiness and reduced hand-eye coordination. This in itself can lead to a greater risk of car accidents, and school & work related injuries. In fact, in many states in the US, the use of some of these medications while driving can be considered a DUI.
Side Effects Of Allergy Shots In Adults
Over the course of my allergy shots , Ive experience 5 side effects. If youre considering allergy shots its important to know the side effects that come with the process.
Your reactions will likely be different than mine, but I hope my experience provides insight as your prepare! After all, the last thing you want is to begin receiving allergy shots and experience reactions or side effect that were unexpected.
Choosing to go through with allergy shots is a long-term health decision that can result in large improvements to your quality of life. They do, however, require patience and a significant amount of time.
If youre really struggling with your allergies more than just a few weeks of the year allergy shots can bring relief.
Below, Ill share my experience with side effects from the beginning until now and Ill share my thoughts on whether allergy shots are effective. I hope you find relief just as I have.
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Allergies Are An Often
Home»Allergy, Asthma, & Immunology»Allergies Are an Often-Overlooked Cause of Fatigue, Body Aches, and Pain
Anyone who suffers from allergies knowns how frustrating they can be to deal with. They can cause all sorts of issues such as constant sneezy, running noses, watering eyes, and itching. What many people dont realize is that allergies can also cause fatigue, body aches, and pain. Not only do people who suffer not realize that allergies are the culprit, but doctors often do not know or diagnose properly.
If you have been dealing with allergies, and have also had body aches, been chronically tired, or had undiagnosed pain, it could all be related. Your first step is to contact Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology Medical Group at 805-658-9500 for comprehensive allergy testing. Once we know what the specific allergy is, we can provide treatment options. In the meantime, read on to learn about the link between fatigue, body aches, pain, and allergies.
Is There A Medication Alternative
Dr. Haden says immunotherapy is the best option to break long-term dependence on medications.
The process involves giving gradually increasing doses of the allergen, either by shots or pills under the tongue, to train the immune system to become less sensitive.
Immunotherapy provides the opportunity to have a lasting true reduction in being allergic, says Dr. Haden. It is the most natural and targeted treatment option with the fewest side effects.
Good candidates for immunotherapy have side effects from allergy medication, or dont want to constantly take medicine.
Both allergy shots and sublingual immunotherapy are effective for treating nasal and respiratory allergies. Sublingual allergy tablets are currently available for ragweed and grass pollens, and dust mites. Allergy shots can also treat for additional pollens, such as trees, as well as pet dander.
Neither method is approved for food allergies, although research is currently underway, according to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America.
The bottom line is allergic reactions have been around for about as long as people have been around. The bodys natural defense against harm, the immune system, developed over the thousands of years of human existence : A study in Frontiers in Microbiology suggests the first allergies may be to parasites, to signal our ancestors not to eat rotten food.
Next, check out how to stop seasonal allergies.
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Allergies And Dizziness: The Cause And The Treatment
If youre feeling dizzy, you might be wondering whats causing it. Dehydration, medications, and a variety of conditions can cause you to feel dizzy and nauseated.
While dizziness might seem like a mild condition, it can actually be very disruptive to daily life. It can even be so severe that it leaves you stuck in bed for hours or days.
Dizziness can sometimes be caused by allergies.
An allergy is the immune systems response to a foreign substance thats not typically harmful to your body. These foreign substances are called allergens. They may include certain foods, pollen, or pet dander.
Allergy-related nasal and sinus congestion can lead to dizziness or a more severe type of dizziness called vertigo.
Can Allergies Cause Fatigue And Body Aches
Allergies can manifest a wide variety of symptoms, some more troublesome than others. Some of these symptoms, such as a runny nose or sneezing may be more obvious as a symptom of allergies, but other symptoms may not be so apparent. Body aches and fatigue are two common symptoms of allergies that often go undiagnosed.
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Can Allergies Make You Tired And Weak
When you hear about an allergic reaction first thing comes in mind is sneezing and runny nose. Apart from these fatigue, asthma and sinus pain are also experienced by hypersensitive people.
Can allergies make you tired and weak?
We all knew that exhausting feeling after coming from work. But, wonder allergic reaction can also make you tired and sleepy.
Allergic substances when enter your body, immune system reacts by releasing IgE antibodies. Within few hours or minutes of ingesting the allergic substance, a chemical reaction is triggered resulting in various allergic symptoms.
Repeated sneezing, dryness in mouth, itchy red eyes and difficulty in breathing can be experienced.
While your body continuously fighting these allergens, you hardly sleep. As a result body becomes tired and weak.
You Suffer From Chronic Headaches And/or Migraines
You have headache pain upon awakening in the morning, several hours after a meal, or even a day after eating certain foods. This is often due to food sensitivities which act as migraine triggers, and/or trigger a hypoglycemic response.
Solution: Keep a food diary and write down everything you eat. Notice patterns of how certain foods affect you. Certain foods and additives are known migraine triggers . Sending off a food allergy profile can be helpful in determining which foods may adversely be affecting you.
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How To Tackle Allergy Fatigue
To fight allergy fatigue, individuals need to remove allergens wherever possible. Dust, pollen, and even pet hair can cause symptoms like breathing issues at night. A bed should be covered throughout the day by a mattress encasement and pillow covers. Likewise, a person should vacuum their homes floors often and keep windows closed. An air purifier that removes allergens can make sense for certain households.
Allergy sufferers can take steps to protect their own body, too. For instance, allergy medications can be purchased over the counter at drug stores. Antihistamines and decongestants are popular options to fight back against allergy symptoms. Individuals can take a nightly bath or shower before bed. In doing so, they wash away allergens and particles on their skin and hair.
Rheumatoid Arthritis And Fatigue
Symptoms: Fatigue, morning stiffness, joint pain, inflamed joints
Rheumatoid arthritis , a type of inflammatory arthritis, is another cause of excessive fatigue. Because joint damage can result in disability, early and aggressive treatment is the best approach for rheumatoid arthritis.
Medications that may be used early in mild RA include:
- Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
- Disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs
Other drugs used in more serious forms of RA include the anti-cytokine therapies , as well as shots and other forms of treatment.
Other autoimmune disorders, such as lupus and Sjogren’s disease, may also cause fatigue.
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Discover The Source Of Your Symptoms
You may already believe that allergies are the root cause of your fatigue and other symptoms, but there may be more to it than that. An ear, nose and throat specialist can fully examine to make sure other issues such as sinusitis or deviated septum arent causing or worsening your issues. They can also conduct an accurate allergy test to find out exactly which allergies you have, and how severe each one may be. Common triggers of allergies include dust mites, mold, pet dander, and pollen.
Can Allergy Shots Make You Sick
Everyone tolerates allergy shots differently. In fact, some people might not tolerate them at all.
Ive never been sick from allergy shots, but I have noticed that if I have a cold or the flu and I get an allergy shot my cold or flu will worsen significantly.
Im not a doctor so I would never answer this question definitively but think about the situation. With allergy shots youre being injected with things your body regards as harmful.
Frequent shots eventually teach your immune system to settle down and stop reacting so strongly.
The tips that Ive used with my allergist:
- Reschedule if youre under stress at work
- Reschedule if youre ill from a cold or flu
- Understand that the shots will exhaust your immune system for a day or two after the shot
- Communicate to your allergist if you feel the shots are too strong
- Communicate to your allergist your reactions
- Keep a journal its useful to look back on and understand if a reaction is normal or out of the ordinary.
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Can Allergies Give You Body Aches
Seasonal allergies put extra stress on the body which can make chronic pain symptoms feel more intense. It can also affect your immune systemand in turncause inflammation in your joints leading to pain. Allergies are a big producer of body aches. Constant coughing and sneezing leads to headaches, neck and back pain.
