If you suffer from allergies, you’re probably all too familiar with the most common allergy symptoms: sneezing, itchy, watery eyes and a runny nose, for example. But there are other symptoms that may plague you that you don’t realize are associated with allergies. Here are a few of them.
Histamines and What They Do
When you have an allergy to a certain substance, it means your immune system mistakenly believes that substance is a threat to the body and attacks it whenever you come into contact with it. It attacks by releasing chemicals called histamines, which regulate a number of bodily functions, including inflammation and mucus production. This is where your runny nose and itchy eyes come from.
Sore Throat
A sore throat is also tied to histamines, but more indirectly. If histamines trigger mucus production in the nose and excess mucus builds up, some of the excess may drip down into the throat, carrying potential irritants with it. When this happens, it’s known as postnasal drip. Mucus naturally occurs in the throat, too, so this accumulation with the extra irritants causes irritation in the throat, leading to a scratchy feeling.
Sleep Disruption
Some people have trouble falling asleep during allergy season, and that’s because symptoms like postnasal drip, as described above, or severe congestion can make it hard to fall asleep and keep you up at night. Moreover, histamines regulate your sleep-wake cycle, so they can disrupt your sleep cycle on a chemical level.
Even if you do manage to fall asleep, congestion may continue to affect your sleep quality by causing snoring, sleep apnea (when you briefly stop breathing while sleeping due to an obstruction in the throat or soft palate) or coughing, all of which might wake you up in the middle of the night. If you manage to stay asleep through these disruptions, your overall sleep quality may still suffer, leaving you still feeling tired when you wake up.
Non-Visible Skin Symptoms
When you think of skin allergic reactions, you probably think of hives or eczema: visible, red and raised patches of skin that itch terribly. But not all allergic skin reactions are visual. Some people experience sensations on their skin with no redness or swelling, such as tingling, stinging, itchiness or warmth. The skin may seem dry, as well. In these cases, the histamines are still triggering inflammation, but it’s under the top layer of the skin.
Dizziness
Inflammation triggered by histamines can also affect your ears. The inner ear is the seat of the balance system, also called the vestibular system. If inflammation related to allergies is occurring near your inner ear (such as in your paranasal sinuses or eyes), it may impact the vestibular system. When this happens, the organs of the vestibular system may struggle to read balance signals from gravity or the movement of your head, leading to confusion on situational awareness or dizziness.
Getting Help
Because these symptoms aren’t commonly associated with allergies, you may not think you’re having an allergic reaction when you’re experiencing them. It’s easy to have a sore throat and difficulty sleeping and mistakenly believe you’re coming down with a cold.
Confirm that you have allergies with an allergy test and make sure you’re treating the root cause of your issues. Contact Lakelands ENT today to schedule an appointment.
