The Best Treatments For Allergies With Sore Throat
Inhalant allergies are common and cause allergy symptoms such as a runny or itchy nose, sneezing, watery eyes, and itchy skin. Allergies can also lead to a sore throat, which can be confused for strep pharyngitis, tonsillitis, COVID-19, and other infections. The difference between allergy-related sore throats and infectious sore throats can be difficult to diagnose without a healthcare professionals expertise. Many treatments are effective at relieving sore throat caused by allergies. One of the most effective treatments for either condition is antihistamine medications. These medications work by blocking H1 receptors on mast cells and basophils in the nasal passages and mouth thereby reducing histamine release from these areas and relieving your symptoms. But how do you know your sore throat is caused by allergies, and what treatment is best for treating allergies with sore throat? In this blog post, we answer those questions and more to help you find a way to relieve your symptoms.
What Is Allergy Sore Throat Treatment
Allergy sore throat treatment is a type of treatment that combined antihistamines and pain relievers to relieve your symptoms. The best part is that many of these medicines are available over-the-counter. You may ask yourself:
- What if there are any side effects associated with these medications?
- What if these treatments help your symptoms only temporarily?
- What if these treatments will cause other problems in the future?
If you’re asking yourself any of these questions, then you probably need to see an allergy specialist, like one of the otolaryngologists at ENT Care Centers in Louisville, KY.
What Causes A Sore Throat
The most common cause of a sore throat is a virus like a cold or the flu, COVID-19 or glandular fever.
Less than 1 in 3 sore throats is caused by a bacterial infection. Some sore throats are caused by the bacteria Strepococcus pyogenes. This is sometimes called a strep throat. If bacteria are the cause, you tend to become very unwell and your infection seems to get much worse. If the sore throat is caused by bacteria, you may benefit from antibiotics.
Sometimes a sore throat can be caused by tonsillitis , mouth ulcers or allergies.
Read Also: Can Allergies Cause All Over Body Itching
How To Tell A Sore Throat From Allergies Heres What Can Help
Even in mild cases, seasonal allergies are uncomfortable. For those with allergies, a stuffy nose, watery eyes, and constant sneezing are not symptoms to take lightly. But when a sore throat is added to the mix, seasonal allergies can become downright unbearable.
Of course, many people associate a sore throat with an illness, like the common cold. So, you might not put two-and-two together when they start to feel a tickle at the back of your throat. However, seasonal allergies can â and often do â cause a sore and scratchy throat.
Read on to tackle this annoying symptom of seasonal allergies. Weâll explain why allergies cause a sore throat, how to tell it apart from another illness, and some common methods people use to get relief.
Allergens And Their Effects
Postnasal drip is the main culprit in cases of allergy-induced sore throat.
Its the result of exposure to an allergen and occurs when congestion in the nose and sinuses drains down to the throat. This causes tickling or scratchy pain.
The drainage also can cause:
If you have a sore throat with fever and body aches, its likely the result of a viral infection, such as the cold or flu.
Scratchiness is another way to determine if you have an allergy-induced sore throat.
In addition to the raw feeling that results from postnasal drainage, particles that directly enter the respiratory system can cause an itchy or scratchy feeling.
Don’t Miss: Can You Outgrow A Peanut Allergy
Best Sore Throat Remedies To Make You Feel Better Fast According To Doctors
Some home remedies only mask painbut these solutions can help you get rid of your sore throat completely.
Sore throat symptoms can be rough. Your saliva goes down like sandpaper, every cough makes you wince, and the only thing you can think about is making that lump in the back of your throat go away.
But to ease the pain, you need to understand whats causing your sore throat in the first place: dry air, smoking, acid reflux, viral infections like the flu or common cold, and bacterial infections like strep can all lead to a sore throat.
In general, a viral infection usually comes with other symptoms, like muscle aches and fatigue, along with your sore throat, says Chester Griffiths MD, an otolaryngologist at Providence Saint Johns Health Center in Santa Monica, Calif. With a bacterial infection, on the other hand, the pain is usually more focused on your throat and the soreness tends to be pretty severe, Dr. Griffiths says. You may also have intense pain when you swallow, along with a high fever.
Exposure to smoke, breathing in dry air, and having acid reflux tends to feel very different from an infection, says Jason Abramowitz, MD, an ear, nose, and throat specialist at ENT and Allergy Associates. Usually patients do not feel as sick overall the pain is also usually not as severe, he says.
When To Seek Medical Care
Talk to your doctor if you or your child have symptoms of sore throat. They may need to test you or your child for strep throat.
Also see a doctor if you or your child have any of the following:
- Difficulty breathing
Since bacteria cause strep throat, antibiotics are needed to treat the infection and prevent rheumatic fever and other complications. A doctor cannot tell if someone has strep throat just by looking in the throat. If your doctor thinks you might have strep throat, they can test you to determine if it is causing your illness.
Anyone with strep throat should stay home from work, school, or daycare until they no longer have fever AND have taken antibiotics for at least 12 hours.
If a virus causes a sore throat, antibiotics will not help. Most sore throats will get better on their own within one week. Your doctor may prescribe other medicine or give you tips to help you feel better.
More aboutC. diff
When antibiotics arent needed, they wont help you, and their side effects could still cause harm. Side effects can range from mild reactions, like a rash, to more serious health problems. These problems can include severe allergic reactions, antibiotic-resistant infections and C. diff infection. C. diff causes diarrhea that can lead to severe colon damage and death.
Recommended Reading: Why Does Your Throat Hurt With Allergies
How Do Allergy Shots Work
Allergy shots are different from other medications in that they don’t work as a form of symptom management. Instead, they work to address the underlying cause.
Healthcare providers give shots in their offices. For the first few months, you receive injections one to three times a week. After that, you’ll get them less often, around every four to six weeks. Allergy shots are a long-term treatment option, lasting three to five years.
Allergy shots tend to be a good idea for people who don’t want to take medication or whose allergy medication is no longer working. It’s also appealing to people who would like to resolve, rather than treat, their allergies.
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.
Recommended Reading: How To Treat Baby Allergy Rash
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.
Remedies For A Sore Throat Caused By Allergies
Allergens cant always be avoided, and sometimes youll end up with a sore throat after exposure. Fortunately, there are home remedies you can try to soothe a sore throat caused by allergies:
- Stay hydrated. Keeping yourself well-hydrated can help thin out excess mucus.
- Drink hot liquids. Tea with honey and soup broths may soothe a sore throat.
- Use a humidifier. Keep a humidifier running in your home. You may wish to add essential oils for their potential therapeutic benefits. One study found that lavender essential oil prevents allergy-related inflammation and mucus production.
- Keep your head elevated. If your allergy-related sore throat and congestion are keeping you up at night, try propping your head up with extra pillows to prevent mucus from collecting in the back of your throat.
- Over-the-counter medications. There are many allergy medications available OTC, including antihistamines and decongestants. These are available in nasal spray, capsule, and liquid forms. Talk with your doctor about the most appropriate medication for your symptoms.
- Gargle with saltwater. Add ¼ to 12 teaspoon of salt in 8 ounces of warm water to gargle as needed. This may reduce inflammation and swelling and remove mucus to relieve your sore throat.
- Throat lozenges. Sucking on soothing lozenges can provide fast relief from allergy-related sore throats caused by excess mucus and coughing.
Also Check: Do Allergies Make You Dizzy
How Can You Treat A Sore Throat Caused By Allergies
Allergy medications are usually the best place to start if pollen or other irritants are causing your sore, scratchy throat. Antihistamines, including Claritin, Zyrtec, or Benadryl, can help tame inflammation and ease your symptoms overall, Dr. Mehdizadeh explains. Nasal sprays and nasal glucocorticoids are ideal for easing post-nasal drip, too.
Natural remedies could also make a difference, the experts say. Gargling with warm salt water can help get rid of irritating mucus, and drinking plenty of water or inhaling steam may soothe scratchiness.
Of course, prevention might be the most effective tactic of all. Minimizing your exposure to allergenssay, by keeping your windows closed and showering as soon as you come inside after being outdoorscan keep your symptoms from flaring up and help stop that sore throat before it starts.
What Are The Symptoms Of A Sore Throat
If someone has a sore throat, there wonât be any doubt in their mind that itâs what theyâre experiencing.
In mild cases, they might have slight irritation that can be accompanied by a scratchy sensation in the back of the throat.
However, in most moderate to severe cases, the symptoms might be worse. People can feel significant inflammation and irritation in the throat, which can cause pain when talking or swallowing food or drink. They may also experience a hoarse voice that gets worse the more they speak.
Depending on what caused their sore throat, people may experience swollen lymph nodes, inflamed tonsils, and even a fever. However, if the sore throat is caused by allergens , then this collection of additional symptoms likely wonât be the case.
Recommended Reading: What Allergies Are High In Austin Tx
What Is The Best Allergy Treatment
If you have allergies with sore throat, treatments include nasal corticosteroid sprays and antihistamine medications. Nasal corticosteroid is able to block multiple inflammatory mediators while antihistamine medication works by blocking H1 receptors on mast cells and basophils in the nasal passages and mouth thereby reducing histamine release from these areas and relieving your symptoms. Pain medicine, such as acetaminophen, can be helpful too. You will find that many of the combination medications at your local drug store will have both antihistamines and acetaminophen to treatment allergies with sore throat. If you have ongoing allergies, you may benefit from allergy shots or allergy drops . The best therapy for allergy sore throat is still dependent on how tolerant one is of various medicines.
How Organizing Your Home Can Cause A Sore Throat And Runny Nose
In the past year, a lot of us spent a good amount of time indoors due to the pandemic. Many used this time to catch up on sleep, entertainment, and even quality time with family. Others saw the opportunity to become better cooks or to pick up a hobby. For many of us, though, it was the chance to organize and clean our homes. Unfortunately, this led to a sore throat and runny nose. Wondered if it was COVID-19? You wouldnt be alone.
More than likely, if this was your first time organizing or cleaning in a while , that runny nose and sore throat came from indoor allergies dust, mold, or even pet dander.
Lets use dust as the most obvious example.
You move old boxes around the closet and find a blanket of dust behind them. As you move things, the settled dust moves around. The same goes for the other allergens too.
So, what are you supposed to do? Just let your home get cluttered and disorganized, all in the name of staying symptom-free?
Maybe. Im not a doctor and am no expert. But heres what the experts have to say:
Also Check: Can A Shellfish Allergy Go Away
Cleaning Up To Prevent Sore Throat And Runny Nose
Obviously, if we leave our homes and living spaces cluttered and dirty, were going to experience those allergy symptoms like a runny nose and sore throat much more frequently. It may be painful to start the cleaning up process, but on the other side of it, youll be glad you took that step.
Here are a few tricks to help you clean with allergies in mind:
As said before, even as you clean, youre going to stir up some dust and other allergens so prepare yourself for symptoms.
If that happens, heres what you can do to relieve a sore throat and runny nose.
How To Treat The Sore Throat Caused By Allergies
Fortunately, sore throat allergies can be treated very well, through either over-the-counter remedies or home-based cures. But always remember that the best way to avoid sore throat allergies is to prevent allergies altogether.
1. Prevent Allergies
Start by avoiding the allergens if you can. For instance, if you wind up with sore throat allergies after being around a smoker, make sure to avoid cigarette smoke. Not sure what you are allergic to? You can see your doctor to get an allergen test and figure out what makes your body react. Once you know what you are allergic to, you might be able to get a regimen of shots that will keep you from having symptoms from those irritants.
2. Take Medications
Sometimes you cant prevent allergies. In that case, turn to the great over-the-counter medications that are designed to treat all the symptoms, including sore throat. Allergies are often relieved by antihistamines such as Zyrtec and Claritin, as well as some others that treat only very specific symptoms, like Benadryl.
3. Try Home Remedies
Though these home remedies below might not get rid of the problem, they do decrease the symptoms and make allergies more tolerable.
Read Also: What Does An Egg Allergy Look Like
Can Allergies Cause A Sore Throat
A sore throat is a common complaint of people with allergies. Research shows that about 20% of people with allergies report a sore throat as a primary symptom.
The primary culprit of an allergy-related sore throat is postnasal drip. This occurs when congestion in your nose runs down the back of your throat.
When you have allergies, being exposed to an allergen such as animals or pollen can lead to sinus congestion. The congestion from your sinuses drains into the throat, causing pain, itchiness, tickling, and scratching sensations.
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.
Recommended Reading: Can Leaky Gut Cause Allergies
