What Allergy Can Cause Coughing

How To Treat An Allergy Cough

Oral antihistamines are the first-line treatment for allergy symptoms, blocking the underlying mechanisms that can lead to an allergy cough.

Second-generation antihistamines are the preferred option because they are less likely to cause drowsiness. With that said, first-generation antihistamines like Benadryl may be a good option before bedtime if allergy symptoms are interfering with sleep.

To treat the cough itself, you can consider the following options:

• Take an over-the-counter expectorant like Mucinex to loosen phlegm.
• Use an over-the-counter decongestant Sudafed to open nasal passages.
• Use a nasal steroid spray like Nasacort to relieve inflammation and ease breathing,
• Suck on a cough lozenge, especially ones containing eucalyptus.
• Use a saline nasal spray or irrigation, like a neti pot, to clear nasal passages.
• Use a humidifier or vaporizer to help moisturize the air.
• Inhale steam either with a commercial inhaler or a heated pot of water to loosen mucus and ease throat irritation.

About Author: David Pruitt

David Pruitt is a writer for the Marketing & Communications division of OSF HealthCare. He has a bachelors of journalism from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville and worked as a reporter before joining OSF HealthCare in 2014. An avid golfer and fisherman, David was born and raised Alton, Illinois, which is where he currently resides with his son, James.

Control Your Allergies So You Can Stop Throwing Coughing Fits

There you have it, the guide that fully addresses your question, can allergies cause a cough? Now that you know they can, its time to address those allergens and limit your exposure to them. The less contact you have with these triggers, the lower your risks of having coughing fits.

Are you interested in learning more about how to purify the air in your home? If so, then please know that our team here at Airfree is more than happy to help! Ring us up or drop us a line, and well get back to you as soon as we can.

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Is It Allergies Or A Cold

Sometimes it can be hard to tell the difference between allergies and the common cold. There are more than a hundred strains of cold viruses. Each tends to become widespread at certain times of the year, which is why you may mistake a cold for a seasonal allergy. Allergies occur at the same time every year and last as long as the allergen is in the air . Allergies cause itching of the nose and eyes along with other nasal symptoms. Colds last about one week and have less itching of the nose and eyes.

Natural Home Cough Remedies

If youd like to avoid taking medication, you can try the following natural remedies:

WaterStaying hydrated by drinking plenty of water helps thin the mucus that might be causing your cough.

Honeyis a go-to remedy for soothing sore throats and can decrease the frequency and severity of coughs. You can keep it simple and swallow a spoonful of honey on its own to coat your throat, or try two teaspoons in a cup of tea or warm water.

Gargling with salt watercan help with pain and offer temporary relief. Add a quarter to a half teaspoon of salt to 8 ounces of warm water and gargle over a sink.

Cough dropsoffer a quick and easy way to keep coughing under control by moistening your throat.Cough dropscome in many flavors and can ease that scratchy feeling that sets off a dry cough.

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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.

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

What Should Be The Treatment For Allergic Cough

The treatment for allergic cough depends on the root cause behind the allergic reactions.

Priyanka wanted to know, How to get rid of a cough from allergies?

Dr Mayank emphasises, The only way to get rid of allergic cough is to identify the allergy

Your doctor may advise skin test or blood tests to identify the allergy you have. If needed, a lung-function test, chest x-ray or bronchoscopy may also be required to rule out other causes of persistent cough.

The best way to treat or limit allergic cough is to avoid the allergy-triggering factor.

Priyanka was advised a skin test to figure out the cause behind allergic cough. According to her test results, she was allergic to pollens as she had suspected.

People with allergic cough may require long-term maintenance therapy with an anti-inflammatory agent. Besides this, the right protection from allergy-triggering element is also very helpful.

In rare cases where anti-allergy medicines arent as helpful, steroids may be advised.

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Get Your Allergies Under Control

Schedule an appointment with your doctor if youre experiencing persistent coughing that you suspect may be related to allergies. Your doctor will perform a physical examination, ask questions about your medical history and may recommend allergy testing to determine what substances are triggering your cough.

Take the medications your doctor prescribes. Your treatment plan may include an antihistamine to reduce stuffiness, a decongestant to help dry up mucus and possibly a prescription or over-the-counter cough medicine. If you have allergic asthma, take your asthma medicines as prescribed.

Follow up with your doctor if she recommends immunotherapy, commonly called allergy shots. This treatment decreases your sensitivity to allergy triggers and, over time, can reduce your symptoms, including persistent coughing.

• Schedule an appointment with your doctor if youre experiencing persistent coughing that you suspect may be related to allergies.
• This treatment decreases your sensitivity to allergy triggers and, over time, can reduce your symptoms, including persistent coughing.

How To Spot An Allergy Cough

Certain characteristics can help tell allergy related coughs apart from coughing for other reasons. This is what to look out for:

• Usually a dry cough no clearing mucus from airways or lungs

• Often with postnasal drip
• Often worse at night
• Typically lasts longer than three weeks

A tell-tale sign can be if you have other hay fever symptoms at the same time. For instance, a runny nose or maybe a stuffy nose, sneezing, itchy eyes or dark circles under your eyes. You might also get lower respiratory symptoms like shortness of breath, chest tightness and wheezing.

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How Do You Stop An Allergy Cough

The next question is how do you get rid of a cough from allergies. Those who have had their cough for a long time might be asking Can allergies cause a cough that wont go away? If so, is there any kind of Allergy cough treatment?

Many coughs caused by allergies can be taken care of with OTC medicine. However, for those with allergies that cause chronic sinusitis , a different, more long-term approach might be needed.

If sinusitis caused by allergies is creating the additional frustrating symptom of coughing, Dr. Kaplan and Kaplan Sinus Relief may be able to help. Kaplan Sinus Relief specializes in providing the city Houston with sinus and allergy attack relief via balloon sinuplasty treatment. Balloon sinuplasty is a quick and minimally-invasive procedure that clears your blocked sinuses and allows you to breathe easier and cough less.

Whether you want to know how to stop a post-nasal drip cough or simply want your allergies and sinuses assessed, call Kaplan Sinus Relief at 766-1818 and to get on the road to relief today.

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Diagnosing An Allergy Cough

Only your healthcare provider will be able to say for certain if you have a hay fever cough or an allergy cough triggered by dust mites, pet dander or mold. Try to remember when and where it first developed. You may find it useful to keep an allergy diary. Jot down if its worse at a certain time of the year , inside or outdoors.

Your healthcare provider will look at your medical history. They may give you a physical exam and listen to your chest. Whistling sounds when you breathe out is one of the tell-tale signs of lower respiratory symptoms. A skin prick or blood test may help make the diagnosis. If it is allergy, your healthcare provider will discuss ways to avoid your trigger and your treatment options.

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What Allergies Cause A Cough

Allergies that may cause or contribute to an allergic cough are as follows:

• Second-hand cigarette smoking

Dr Mayank said, Factors like air pollution, dust, pollen and such may set off a response from your immune system in the form of an allergic cough.

You may also be prone to an allergic cough if you have:

• Upper airway cough syndrome

• Nonasthmatic eosinophilic bronchitis and Atopic cough

Dr Mayank continued, Apart from allergies, disorders like Hay fever, asthma also make you more prone and sensitive to allergy-triggering elements like animal fur, dust and such.

Recovery After Allergic Cough

After a course of anti-allergy medicines and following the prevention tips, Priyanka noticed a massive improvement in her condition.

In a follow-up visit Priyanka said, People dont understand how irritating can persistent cough be especially, when it is triggered by factors that arent in your control

Now that I know whats causing this reaction, I can take the right preventive steps along with anti-allergy medicines. As soon as the pollen-heavy season starts, I start wearing a mask when I go out and take my anti-allergy medicines when needed.

I feel much better now and I can finally enjoy the changing seasons and not dread them.

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Monitor Your Areas Air Quality

In the US alone, almost half of the population lives in places with unhealthy air. If youre one of these individuals, its best to stay on top of your locations air quality reports. This way, you can better map out your plans for the day and avoid going out if theres a spike in outdoor air pollution.

What Are The Types Of Rhinitis

There are several types of rhinitis:

• Allergic rhinitis is caused by allergies to substances called allergens.
• Seasonal allergic rhinitis is sometimes called hay fever. But, people with seasonal allergic rhinitis do not have to have a fever and do not have to be exposed to hay to develop this condition. It is an allergic reaction to pollen from trees, grasses and weeds. This type of rhinitis occurs mainly in the spring and fall, when pollen from trees, grasses and weeds are in the air.
• Perennial allergic rhinitis is caused by allergens that are present all year long. The primary causes of this type of rhinitis are allergies to dust mites, mold, animal dander and cockroach debris.
• Non-allergic rhinitis is not caused by allergens. Smoke, chemicals or other irritating environmental conditions may provoke non-allergic rhinitis. Hormonal changes, physical defects of the nose and the overuse of nose sprays may also cause it. Sometimes medications cause it. Often, the cause of this type of rhinitis is not well understood. But it is common in patients with non-allergic asthma. The symptoms are similar to allergy symptoms.
• Infectious rhinitis is possibly the most common type of rhinitis. It is also known as the common cold or upper respiratory infection . Colds occur when a cold virus settles into the mucous membranes of the nose and sinus cavities and causes an infection.

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Can Allergies Cause Fever

The short answer is allergies dont cause fever. But, allergy symptoms can make you more vulnerable to a viral or bacterial infection, which can lead to a fever. So, its common to blame a fever on your allergies, even though technically that isnt the cause.

Allergies are caused when your immune system overreacts to common things in the environment such as tree and grass pollen of common dust mites in your home. The typical allergy symptoms most people experience include:

• Diarrhea or nausea are common if you have food allergies
• Headache or sinus pain
• Wheezing or asthma

If you have a fever, body aches, and a sore throat, its likely caused by a viral infection from a cold or flu.

What Are The Symptoms Of Gerd

• This may cause you to have acid reflux at least twice a week.
• nausea or vomiting
• Laryngopharyngeal reflux

LPR is sometimes called silent reflux. It is not related to traditional reflux. It is the type of reflux that passes from your stomach acid through your esophagus and into your larynx or even your nose. You can have reflux like that of LPR with or without the symptoms of GERD. LPR can be the reason for coughing after eating meals. It can irritate your throat while walking, laughing, or talking.

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How To Treat An Allergy Cough At Home

Some ways to treat an allergy cough at home include:

• Taking over-the-counter medications: Allergy medicines, such as antihistamines, nasal sprays, and decongestants, can help reduce the inflammation and mucus production that can lead to a cough.
• Using a humidifier or inhaling steam from a shower:Humidifiers can help clear congestion and soothe throat irritation.
• Using an air purifier: A high-quality air purifier can help reduce the number of allergens and irritants in the air inside a persons home or office space.
• Taking prescription medications: Nasal sprays and antihistamines can help alleviate an allergic cough affecting the upper respiratory tract. Inhalers are usually needed to treat an allergic cough affecting the lower airways.

Can Allergies Cause A Cough Cold And Allergies

Since cold and allergies have been mistaken for each other every time someone starts coughing, then we certainly need to clear up what exactly cold and allergies are. The first thing we need to focus on is their causes. Both have different causes, you can only get a cold when a living organism such as a virus gets into your body. This way your body activates its immune system to counterattack which leads to you having cold-like symptoms such as a fever or stuffed up nose. Viruses that have the ability to give you a cold is contagious so you can get them from people who are infected through a cough or sneeze etc.

Allergies are a little different. People who are allergic to things have an overactive immune system. Your body keeps on mistaking things like dust or pollen as a virus. Due to this, they release a chemical called histamine that swells up your noses passageway resulting in you getting symptoms like sneezing or coughing.

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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.

Inflammation Of The Airways

When the body detects an allergen, it tries to reject it by producing antibodies and chemicals, such as histamine. Histamine causes the airways to become inflamed and constricted, and it also causes the body to produce mucus to help expel the allergen.

As a result, the airways become narrower. When a person breathes through narrowed airways, the air is forced through a smaller-than-usual space, and a whistling sound can result. This sound is wheezing.

Some causes of wheezing result in short-lived symptoms. Others can cause symptoms that are more serious or longer lasting.

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Prevention Tips For Allergic Cough

Priyanka was advised the following tips to limit exposure to allergens and prevent allergic coughs:

• Avoid the triggering factor as much as possible.

• Wear a mask preferably, N-95 or N-99 masks in pollen-heavy seasons. This will help filter pollen and prevent its entry into your respiratory system.

• Clean your surrounding areas with a wet cloth or mop. This will ensure that the dust mites dont settle around you.

An Introduction To Cough And Seasonal Allergies

A persistent cough can be one of the most irritating symptoms of seasonal allergies, particularly if it is persistent. These coughs are usually dry and caused by pollen irritating the back of the throat or air passages, triggering the natural body reaction of coughing to clear the irritant.

Coughs associated with seasonal allergies may also be caused by what is known as the postnasal drip. When pollen irritates the nasal passages, excessive fluid is produced by the inflamed membranes. This builds up and drops down the throat, irritating it, giving rise to a dry cough.

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