Sunday, March 17, 2024
HomeMust ReadIs Sore Throat A Sign Of Allergies

Is Sore Throat A Sign Of Allergies



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 can’t 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.

Steps For Managing Your Sore Throat

The first step in managing your allergy-induced sore throats is visiting a professional. From there, we can determine the root cause of your allergy, and help you create a personalized plan for removing the trigger from your life and/or ways to manage your allergies when removing the trigger isn’t a realistic solution. 

Short Term Relief

Providing short-term relief for a sore throat can usually be accomplished through the use of simple but effective home remedies. Drink warm liquids, especially tea with honey or lemon, and chicken broth or bouillon. Cold liquids can also help. Suck on Popsicles, hard candy, or throat lozenges to soothe irritation. Gargle with warm salt water several times a day. Use a humidifier or vaporizer to moisten the air. 

Long Term Relief

More long-term solutions can involve immunotherapy, which is a series of allergy shots designed to build up your body’s immune system against the allergen causing you and your body stress. 

Back Up: Why Do We Cough Anyway

Coughing is a natural response to irritation in your throat or airways. “To put it simply, receptors in the throat, trachea, and lungs respond and lead to activation of the “cough center” in the brain,” explains Clifford Bassett, M.D., founder and medical director of Allergy and Asthma Care of New York.

Coughing is “an essential defense mechanism,” he says, and it’s your body’s way of pushing any unwanted stuff out, including pollen, mucus, and pieces of food, to make more room for air to get through.

Allergies Follow A Pattern And Symptoms Tend To Stick Around Longer

If you have allergies, your symptoms will flare up at certain times throughout the year when the allergens you’re sensitive to are present. For example, if you have a tree pollen allergy, your symptoms will first appear in the early spring.

This also means that your symptoms can last for several weeks until that particular allergy season has ended. To put that into perspective, colds usually only last about a week.

Cold viruses are present all year, so you can catch one at any time. However, the winter cold season is when getting sick is more likely.

About Author: Ken Harris

Sore Throat: Overview and More

Ken Harris is the proudest father and a writing coordinator for the Marketing & Communications division of OSF HealthCare.He has a bachelor’s in journalism from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and worked as a daily newspaper reporter for four years before leaving the field and eventually finding his way to OSF HealthCare.In his free time, Ken likes reading, fly fishing, hanging out with his dog and generally pestering his lovely, patient wife.

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.

Talk With A Doctor Or Clinician To Create A Personalized Treatment Plan

If you aren’t sure if it’s a cold or allergies, or if your symptoms are severe or long-lasting, it’s best to connect with a care provider to get an official diagnosis and treatment plan.

If your allergy symptoms are left untreated, you could become more prone to getting sinus infections or other upper respiratory infections, or may lead to poor asthma control.

Also, a common cold can turn severe. So, if your cold has had you laid up longer than a day or two, get in touch with your doctor.

You have a couple options:

Make an appointment for face-to-face care from a primary care doctor or clinician. Whether you choose a video visit or in-person appointment, your doctor will listen to your symptoms, answer questions and work with you to create a tailored treatment plan – including connecting you with an or an if needed.

Schedule an appointment

Start a virtual visit anytime, anyplace through Virtuwell. With Virtuwell, no appointment is necessary – and treatment is available 24/7. Getting started is easy. We’ll ask you a few questions, and you’ll get your diagnosis and treatment plan from a board-certified nurse practitioner. Each visit is just $59 or less, depending on your insurance.

What Is A Sore Throat Like In Covid

Even though a sore throat is a less well-known symptom of COVID-19, it’s an early sign of the disease and reasonably common in children and adults up to the age of 65. 

People using the app have reported having a sore throat that feels similar to what you might experience during a cold or laryngitis. 

COVID-related sore throats tend to be relatively mild and last no more than five days. A very painful sore throat that lasts more than five days may be something else such as a bacterial infection, so don’t be afraid to contact your GP if the problem persists. 

It’s important to remember that sore throats are common and caused by lots of respiratory illnesses such as normal colds. So although many people with COVID-19 experience sore throats, most people with a sore throat will not have COVID-19. 

Sore Throat Caused By Allergies

Got a sore throat? Allergies might be to blame. Though many sore throats can be caused by viruses, such as the common cold or flu, or bacteria such as strep throat, allergies are an over-overlooked culprit. If you suspect your sore throat might be caused by allergies, here’s what you need to know about treating the problem and alleviating the symptoms.

There Are Various Reasons Why You Could Be Experiencing A Cough Or Sore Throat

Post-nasal drip will also irritate your esophagus and occurs because of sinusitis or the more chronic allergic rhinitis also known as ‘Hay Fever.’ Post-nasal drip occurs when your sinuses become clogged, hence the term ‘plugged up.’ Usually, you’ll experience additional symptoms, such as nasal congestion, sneezing and a runny or itchy nose, similar to symptoms we notice when our are ‘acting up.’

Even food allergies can cause a sore throat. Generally, you’ll notice almost instant swelling and enlarging of the throat, which can quickly advance to anaphylaxis. This is a much more serious allergic reaction than an irritated throat. Often allergy medications , such as Benadryl, can have side effects such as a dry, scratchy throat, along with dry mouth. Consult a doctor before taking any medication and monitor your reactions to these types of allergy medicines.

For those with more serious allergies, symptoms can last an entire season, especially in the springtime. The flu and common cold will generally only have symptoms for a week to two weeks. If it is allergies, you will most likely also experience:

  • tiredness
  • itchy, watery eyes
  • post-nasal drip

It’s important if you are experiencing these symptoms to get tested by your local allergist. Rather than treating the symptoms, it’s best to find and treat the cause.

How Quickly Will I Develop Symptoms Of Covid

Allergy symptoms usually start within 48 hours of being exposed to the allergen. Around late March, allergy-causing plants and molds begin to proliferate in Nebraska and continue to wreak havoc on allergy sufferers through October. According to the Asthma & Allergy Center, tree pollen is currently high in the Omaha metro area.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, COVID-19 has an incubation period of up to 14 days and the average time from infection to becoming symptomatic is five days. While the exact time from infection to the ability to transmit the disease is uncertain, it is believed that the virus can be transmitted to another person approximately two days before symptoms start.

Can You Get A Sore Throat From Allergies And What Causes It

Yep, and how you develop it all comes down to how your body reacts when it’s exposed to an allergen like pollen. If you have allergies, your immune system will react to being exposed to an allergen by releasing histamines, chemicals that cause allergy symptoms.

For many people with seasonal allergies, those histamines can cause a stuffy, runny nose—and that can trigger post-nasal drip, i.e. mucus running down the back of your throat, explains Purvi Parikh, MD, an allergist with Allergy & Asthma Network. And that can cause irritation back there. Cue the sore throat. “Often, first thing in morning it will be worse from laying down all night,” Dr. Parikh says.

Save Your Itchy Eyes With These Allergy Eye Drops

Post-nasal drip isn’t the only reason you might develop a sore throat from allergies, though. Coughing and mouth breathing can also mess with the way your throat feels, says Kara Wada, MD, an allergist at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center.

Of course, not everyone with allergies gets a sore throat. “Allergies can affect each of us differently,” Dr. Wada says. There are some things that might make you more prone to struggling with a sore throat from allergies, Dr. Parikh says, including how severe your allergies are and the anatomy of your nose.

When Should I Seek Medical Advice To Determine If I May Have Covid

Pin on Blog

  • Your allergies are not improving after taking over-the-counter antihistamines, nasal sprays, eye drops and/or allergy prescriptions after three to four days and your symptoms appear to be getting worse
  • You have developed additional symptoms such as a significant headache, fever, cough, decreased sense of taste or smell or gastrointestinal problems such as nausea, diarrhea or vomiting 
  • You are experiencing allergy and /or COVID-19-like symptoms and you’ve been exposed to someone with COVID-19

Can Allergies Cause A Sore Throat

So, the short answer here is yes, Evan Li, MD, an allergist and assistant professor of medicine specializing in immunology, allergy and rheumatology at Baylor College of Medicine, tells Health. A sore throat can be from a direct inflammatory effect of allergens on the back of your throat, from mucus draining down into your throat, or from the irritating effect of coughing.

Sneezing, congestion, itchy eyes and nose, and runny nose are the most common symptoms associated with seasonal allergies, Kelly Simpson, MD, an allergist at Austin Regional Clinic in Austin, Texas, tells Health. But sore throat can also be added to that list, often caused by what’s referred to as “postnasal drip.” This is when increased mucus in the nasal passages drips down the back of the throat. As it drips down, it irritates the throat. 

“Postnasal drip, other than causing sore throat, can also cause the sensation of something getting stuck in your throat, tickling or itching in the back of your throat and also irritation that leads to cough,” Dr. Li says.

No one allergen is more prone to causing sore throat than others, but the more potent the allergen, the more likely it is to cause symptoms of allergies overall, Dr. Li says. Some of the most potent allergens are grasses, ragweed, dust mites and cat dander. 

RELATED: How to Soothe a Sore Throat Fast, According to Experts

Soothing The Sore Throats Of Allergies

Itchy eyes and runny noses are par for the course during spring and fall for those who suffer from seasonal . But if you happen to wake up in the middle of the night with a throat  so sore you can hardly swallow, you might also be dealing with allergy symptoms.

Exposure to allergens causes your body to ramp up mucus production. For some people that causes a runny nose, but in others the extra mucus drains down the throat, a symptom  called postnasal drip which can lead to a tickle in the throat or scratchy pain. Irritants that cause an allergic reaction can include pollen, cigarette smoke, dust mites or pet dander.

Sore throats caused by can be painful. A few ways to help soothe them include:– Avoid irritants. Limit your time outside as much as possible when pollen counts are high, stay away from second hand smoke and avoid coming into close contact with furry pets.– Run a humidifier to keep the air moist in your home, especially in the bedroom while you sleep.– Drink plenty of water to soothe your throat and stay hydrated.– Use cough drops or hard candy to coat your throat and ease the pain.– Over the counter pain relievers can help reduce inflammation, and antihistamines can help control the mucus production.

Here at Piedmont Ear, Nose and Throat Associates, our experienced medical staff can help isolate your symptoms and get you on the right course to feeling better in no time.

Questions? Contact us, or call 768-3361 today to schedule your appointment.

Suspect A Cold Dont Brush It Off

Have COVID-19 questions?

> Arm yourself with more information

According to Brian Curtis, MD, vice president of Clinical Specialty Services for OSF HealthCare, a sore throat by itself is typically not something to worry about. Your throat could be irritated from , air pollution or overuse. It could also be due to smoking, in which case the solution is simple . If a lone sore throat lingers longer than a week, however, you should contact your physician.

And if you develop any other symptoms – even milder symptoms you typically associate with a common cold – you should contact your physician or get tested for COVID-19. The common cold and the virus that causes COVID-19 are both the same type of virus – called a coronavirus – and can cause similar symptoms.

Mild cases of COVID-19 can even look to an average person exactly like a cold. But if you have a mild case of COVID-19, you could spread the coronavirus to someone who suffers a worse infection. You need to be sure you aren’t putting others at risk if you have any possible COVID-19 symptoms.

“We have to be very vigilant with cold symptoms,” Dr. Curtis said. “We as a society used to be kind of dismissive of cold symptoms, but we can’t be dismissive of them now. If you have just a sore throat with no other symptoms, it’s less likely to be COVID-19. But with other symptoms, it is possible you have COVID. Sore throat, cough, fever – I would be worried about COVID.

A Pollen Allergy: Symptoms Of A Sore Throat

A sore throat is discomfort, pain or swelling in the throat, according to MedlinePlus.A pollen allergy causes the hormone, histamine, to be released in the body, causing inflammation and irritation in the throat.Once the throat swells, it becomes increasingly sensitive and agitated. The best treatment for a sore throat from a pollen allergy is to avoid pollen exposure and treat the allergic reaction with an antihistamine, according to National Jewish Health. If a sore throat persists, seek medical advice, as it may be sign of a more serious condition. Begin treating a sore throat at the first signs and symptoms.

If you are experiencing serious medical symptoms, seek emergency treatment immediately.

Can Allergies Cause A Cough

Yes, and you can blame it on your immune system. When your body mistakes a substance like pollen or mold as a harmful invader, it sets off an intense response to try and flush it out, according to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology . During this process, your cells release histamine and other chemicals, which triggers an allergic reaction. Cue the cold-like symptoms, including a sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, sneezing, and coughing.

“Allergy coughs are typically caused by swelling or irritation of the airways,” the AAAI says. And, if you develop post-nasal drip—when the mucus hanging out in your sinuses trickles down the back of your throat—that can also cause a cough, Dr. Bassett says.

How Allergies Can Cause A Sore Throat

The glands in your nose and throat make about one to two quarts of mucus every day, reports the American Academy of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery Foundation. This mucus has many important functions, such as keeping your nose clean and moistening the air you breathe, and you usually swallow it without realizing. Other times, people may notice mucus dripping down the back of their nose or pooling in their throat. This unpleasant sensation is known as postnasal drip, and it can be caused by allergies.

If you have postnasal drip, the trickle of mucus can irritate your throat and cause soreness and other symptoms, such as feeling a lump in the throat or swallowing more frequently. It may also make you feel the need to clear your throat more often.

Sophia L Thomas Dnp Fnp

As seasons change, people may experience seasonal allergies. During the pandemic, however, you may wonder if your stuffy nose or sore throat is an early symptom of your allergies or of COVID-19.

Seasonal allergies are caused by airborne pollen that can lead to allergic rhinitis, affecting the nose and sinuses, and allergic conjunctivitis, which affects your eyes. COVID-19 is caused by the coronavirus and can lead to major health complications. If you are concerned about your health, reach out to your nurse practitioner , who can help diagnose what is making you feel unwell. 

 ?   COVID-19 can cause a fever, which is not a common symptom of seasonal allergies. ?   Seasonal allergies do not usually cause shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, which is a symptom of COVID-19. However, a person with a respiratory condition, such as asthma, may struggle with breathing as a result of exposure to pollen.?   COVID-19 can cause muscle and body aches, which are not common symptoms of allergies.?   Itchy, watering eyes and sneezing are a common sign of allergies and not as common for COVID-19.

Some of the symptoms of COVID-19 and seasonal allergies are similar, and it may be difficult to tell the difference between them. Symptoms also vary from person to person and range from mild to severe. If you are concerned you may be sick or struggling with seasonal allergies, reach out to your NP as soon as possible to help diagnose and treat your illness.

Start With Some Home Remedies For Cold And Allergy Symptoms

How To Tell If A Sore Throat Is From An Allergy Or A Cold ...

When you start feeling icky, some simple home remedies can provide temporary relief. For starters, try to get more rest. Both allergies and colds can cause tiredness, so listen to your body and take it easy.

Also, take advantage of saltwater to soothe irritated nasal passages and scratchy or sore throats.

For your nose, use a neti pot. A neti pot can be picked up at any local drugstore or online, and typically comes with packets to mix with warm, distilled water to create a saltwater solution to pour through your nasal passages.

For your throat, simply mix a quarter or half teaspoon of table salt into an 8-ounce glass of warm water. Take a sip and gargle for a few seconds like you would with mouthwash. Then spit and repeat until the solution is gone. You can do this a couple times a day.

How Can You Tell If Your Sore Throat Is From Allergies

Sore throat, especially during the winter months, can also signal a cold or a virus, making it hard to tell what you’re dealing with. It can be difficult to differentiate between a cold and allergies, but the best way to differentiate between the two would be length of symptoms and past history of allergies, Dr. Li says. 

“Both allergies and the seasonal cold can cause runny nose, stuffy nose, sneezing, watery eyes and cough,” he says. “However, cold symptoms typically last only a few days while allergy symptoms will often last several weeks to months.” 

Allergy symptoms also typically flare up during the spring, summer and fall seasons, while colds usually come during the winter times, Dr. Li says. Allergy symptoms are also more responsive to oral antihistamine and nasal steroids while cold symptoms typically are more resistant to these types of treatments. Lastly, colds or viruses that can cause sore throat will usually will present with more fevers and body aches than allergies will. 

Certain symptoms, such as runny nose or itchy, watery eyes, are more common with allergies than a cold, Dr. Simpson adds. If you’re also experiencing aches and pains or a fever, you most likely have a cold or virus. Thick yellow mucus is often more typical of a cold or virus. 

Ways To Manage Seasonal Allergies At Home

  • Have your child wear a hat and sunglasses to prevent pollen from getting in their eyes.
  • Remove your child’s clothes as soon as they come indoors and wash them to remove allergens.
  • Leave shoes at the door so your family doesn’t track allergens through your home.
  • Wash your child’s hands and face as soon as they come in from the outdoors. 

Allergies Do Not Cause Fevers

People often wonder if allergies can cause a fever. The answer is no. Allergies cannot cause a fever, though you could have an allergy flare at the same time you’re experiencing a fever from another infection.

With a cold, your temperature can run warmer, but typically it will be less than 100 degrees Fahrenheit.

Is There A Link Between Sore Throat And Allergies

Having a sore throat is a common event and is mostly caused as a result of any viral infection like common cold, flu etc. Apart from that, there are various other problems like tonsillitis, GERD, swollen lymph nodes etc. which may cause you to feel the pain and irritation in your throat. However, one major aspect that not many people know about is that your body’s allergy can also cause a sore throat to items like smoke, dust etc. Let us read on to know how allergies can cause you a sore throat and how it can be treated.

Why Do Allergies Cause A Sore Throat

First, allergies 101: If you’re allergic to something, your body sees proteins in that substance as a foreign invader. And when those proteins get into your system—say, by breathing in a whiff of dust or getting pollen blown into your eyes—your immune system launches an inflammatory response in an attempt to protect you.

10 Symptoms of Spring Allergies to Know

Part of that inflammatory response involves producing lots of extra mucus. The mucus helps propel the debris out of your body, but it can give you a runny nose and congestion. And that’s not all. “The ears, nose, and throat are all physically connected, so problems in one area can affect another,” says William Reisacher, M.D., director of allergy services at New York-Presbyterian Hospital and Weill Cornell Medicine in New York.

As a result, that mucus can cause postnasal drip, where the gooky stuff dribbles down the back of your throat and makes it feel raw and irritated. Allergens can also trigger the tissues in the back of your throat to become inflamed, which only adds to the discomfort, says Dr. Mehdizadeh.


RELATED ARTICLES

Most Popular