Do Seasonal Allergies Cause Fatigue

Consider Immunotherapy Allergy Drops

How Do Allergies Cause Fatigue?

While allergy medications provide short-term relief from symptoms, and often lose their effectiveness if overused, immunotherapy is a more long-term approach to allergy fatigue treatment. Immunotherapy slowly introduces the body to more and more of the allergen it is allergic to so that it builds up a tolerance and no longer reacts as strongly. Allergy shots are an older form of immunotherapy that are very effective, but this treatment has some associated risks and requires frequent office visits. Allergy drops are just as effective but can be done easily from home with daily drops under the tongue, making this one of the best ways to manage and eliminate allergies causing fatigue.

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How To Get Tested For Allergies Causing Fatigue

As we have discussed above, both seasonal and year-round allergies can cause fatigue. Getting tested is the first step to feeling better if your allergies are triggered by pollens, animal dander, mold, dust mites, cockroaches, weather changes or possibly something else.â

âToday, testing for allergies can be both convenient and accurate. When combined with a detailed medical history, allergy testing can very often identify the specific trigger of your symptoms.âSays Ivor Emanuel, M.D, board certified allergy & otolaryngology specialist.

If your fatigue is caused by allergies, the best treatment is to get your allergies under control. Once you have been tested and have identified your allergies, you can work on avoiding triggers and controlling your environment. There are also other non-pharmaceutical and non drowsy medications available today.

Common allergy tests include:

IgE Blood tests – If you have allergies, your blood will contain certain IgE antibodies that show youâre sensitivity to many possible allergen triggers.
Skin tests – This involves pricking your skin with a needle to expose you to a small amount of an allergen. If youâre allergic, youâll develop a raised bump on the area of the allergen prick you are reacting to.
Physical exam – There are many physical signs of allergies, from skin irritation to nasal and breathing problems. These may help your doctor diagnose your allergies.

How Can Allergies Make You Tired

Allergies are caused by your immune system responding to airborne allergens by releasing chemicals that create inflammation in your nose. As a result, you might experience nasal congestion, sneezing, and an itchy, runny nose. All of these irritating allergy symptoms narrow airways, making it difficult to breathe, especially when youre lying down. These allergy symptoms can make for difficult nights sleep.

While many people suffer from seasonal allergies , many Canadians experience year-round symptoms. The culprit: common indoor allergenssuch as dust mites, pet dander, and mouldall of which can be found in the bedroom. Fortunately, there are actions you can take to minimize your exposure to these allergens so you can enjoy a better nights sleep year-round.

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Why Do Seasonal Allergies Make You Feel Sleepy

As the weather warms and pollen begins its dance across the sky, some people’s bodies hurl them into a storm of watery eyes, runny noses and sneezing fits.

But sometimes the spring and summer months also bring bouts of tiredness. Can people with allergies also blame this on seasonal allergens? The answer is yes there are several ways that seasonal allergies can make us feel low on energy.

An allergy or allergic reaction is, by definition, a fight that the body puts up when it’s faced with a foreign invader, such as pollen, said Dr. Kara Wada, an allergist and immunologist at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center.

“The body expends a lot of energy in making all of the cells, proteins and all of the other substances” that build up during an allergic response, also known as inflammation, she said.

This energy expenditure wears out the body and “some of the same chemical signals in addition to fighting off what it sees as an enemy, makes you feel unwell” and rundown, she said. This effect in seasonal allergies is like a watered-down version of the extreme tiredness that can overtake people who eat something they’re allergic to.

Allergies can also indirectly cause you to feel tired by robbing you of sleep. “It’s not uncommon to hear that people have poorer quality sleep from their allergies,” Wada told Live Science, especially “if their nose is so stuffed up they have to breathe from their mouth or post-nasal drip wakes them up in the middle of the night.”

The Real Cause Of Seasonal Allergies

Most people blame pollen or mold spores for their seasonal allergies, but these arent the real cause at all.

Allergy symptoms are actually caused by an overactive immune system.

Your immune system produces substances known as antibodies that protect you from unwanted invaders that could make you sick or cause an infection.

When you have allergies, your immune system makes antibodies in response to exposure to things like pollen, dust, or pet dander that it perceives as harmful, even though they arent.

Its not the exposure to allergens that are the root cause of your allergies, its your bodys overreaction that causes the cascade of allergic symptoms.

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Why Do Allergies Make Us Tired

In the United States, allergies are the sixth leading cause of chronic illness. Allergens can exist both indoors and outdoors, and it can be a challenge to limit your exposure to them. When it comes to indoor and outdoor allergies, there are a few common culprits that can cause seasonal or recurring allergic reactions such as sinus swelling, nasal congestion or a runny nose, watery eyes, and tiredness. The most common triggers include dust mites, mold, pollen, and pet danderâall of which may cause fatigue.

Tips For Sleeping Better With Allergies

The first step to sleeping better with allergies is to know what youre allergic to, this way you can minimize your exposure to those allergens. You can find out by consulting an allergist. Minimizing exposure to allergens might mean cleaning your bedroom a certain way or keeping an eye on your local allergy forecast.

Come nighttime, you might also consider supplementing your allergy medicine with nasal strips to help open your nasal passages while you sleep. Allergy symptoms can make you tired, but they dont have to. The key is to properly treat your allergy symptoms and reduce allergens in the bedroom. This will help you sleep better so you can do what you need to do during the day.

1. Household Allergens and Sleep Problems | Sleep.org by the National Sleep Foundation. . Retrieved May 1, 2015 from

2. Indoor Allergens | American Academy of Allergy Asthma & Immunology, . Retrieved May 1, 2015, from

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Is There A Virus That Mimics The Flu

Adenoviruses flourish year-round, nursing homes at risk

Bugs known as adenoviruses can cause symptoms similar to influenza: fever, headache, body aches and breathing problems. A virus that mimics the symptoms of the flu and may be just as dangerous, especially to older people, is being misdiagnosed and underreported.

What To Do Next

Why do some people suffer from seasonal allergies but not others?

After youve found the culprit or cause of your allergy symptoms, there are many things you can do to lessen your allergic reactions and get you back to having a good nights sleep.

First, you should limit your exposure to your allergen as much as you possibly can. You may also want to hire a professional cleaner to do a deep clean of your home, as mold and dust are likely culprits.

If pollen in the air is an issue or it simply cant be avoided, your allergy specialist in NYC may provide you with the proper medication to help you cope with your specific allergen. They may also suggest taking a specific over-the-counter allergy medication that you can obtain at your local pharmacy.

In addition to medication, your allergy may require allergy shots. Allergy shots are a form of immunotherapy that desensitize your body to the allergy by introducing the allergen to your body slowly but surely. A certain amount is introduced, but not enough to cause an allergic reaction. This allows your immune system to get used to the allergen, building up an immunity to it altogether.

Another option to maximize good sleep while fighting off allergies is to consider nasal strips before bed. Nasal strips are applied to the outside of the nose and are kept on while you sleep. These strips help to open up your nasal passageways, increasing the airflow and therefore your ability to breathe.

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Food Allergy Food Sensitivity And Fatigue

In anyone with fatigue, understanding food allergies is important as many people with chronic fatigue have significant food allergies and intolerance. In addition to fatigue, symptoms of food intolerance often include digestive complaints like bloating or diarrhea, headaches, muscle pain and brain fog. A common reason for developing food allergy and intolerance is poor gut wall function and other digestive issues. Even irritable bowel syndrome, a common diagnosis with intermittent diarrhea and constipation, can be triggered by food allergy.

The University of York in the U.K. conducted a survey to help understand the benefits of elimination diets based on the results of a food intolerance test. Out of 436 who reported experiencing fatigue, 87% reported a boost to their energy levels having removed their trigger foods, defined as foods which show a positive IgG reaction to antibodies in the blood. Overall in the study, 76% of people who rigorously followed the recommended diet reported a benefit, 68% of which experienced this after 3 weeks. Other improvements included digestive issues 80% headaches, asthma, rhinitis, eczema, joint pain all improved between 70 and 80%

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When To See A Doctor

If you have allergy symptoms but over-the-counter medications arent helping you feel better, then its important to see a doctor.

Your primary care provider or an allergist can help you identify whats causing your allergies, how to avoid triggers, and medication or other treatments that might help.

While mild or moderate allergies arent considered a medical emergency, an allergy may cause a severe reaction called anaphylaxis.

Skin reactions, such as hives, flushing, or itching

Swollen tongue or throat
Weak, rapid pulse

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Allergens Are All Around Us

Allergens exist both indoors and outdoors, so limiting your exposure to them can be challenging. You may be allergic to something and not even know it. The most common allergy triggers include tree pollen, grass pollen, mold, dust mites and pet dander all of which can cause allergy-related fatigue.

Other typical allergy symptoms include:

Sneezing or sniffling

Itchy eyes, nose, or throat
Wheezing or shortness of breath
Hives or rashes

Combine all this with feeling tired and its easy to understand why people search for relief from their allergies, not just in spring but all year round.

What If I Have Body Aches

Health conditions that cause whole body aches include flu, COVID-19, fibromyalgia, and autoimmune disorders. Body aches happen when your muscles, tendons, joints, and other connective tissues hurt. You may also have aches in your fascia, which is the soft tissue between your muscles, bones, and organs.

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Do Allergies Cause Fatigue

Allergy symptoms occur when your bodys immune system reacts to a substance youre allergic to.

As part of the antibody response, your body releases substances called immunoglobulin E and histamine.

These substances create inflammation in your body to fend off the allergens, which may cause you to experience allergy symptoms such as:

Throat irritation

In addition to these classic allergy symptoms, studies suggest this whole-body inflammation caused by an allergic reaction can also make you feel tired.

You may also notice you feel mentally foggy when you have allergies.

Thats because when you experience nasal congestion, you may breathe in less oxygen through your nose.

This can interfere with your ability to concentrate on tasks or remember things, which some people call brain fog.

Allergy symptoms can also cause difficulty sleeping. If youre tossing and turning at night due to a stuffy nose or sneezing, you might feel fatigued the next day.

Lastly, its possible your allergy medication could be making you tired.

For example, diphenhydramine is known to make people sleepy, so its often used as a sleep aid.

Talk to your doctor about the best allergy medication for you if you suspect yours is making you feel tired.

Treating Fatigue Caused By Allergies

1. Limit your exposure to allergens

The best way to fully reduce your allergy symptoms is to decrease your exposure to your known allergy triggers. Once you know which allergens are the cause of your symptoms, you can reduce your exposure to them. For example, if youâre allergic to pollen, you can try to stay indoors on days when pollen counts are high., or if you are very allergic to cats you can try to limit your exposure to them.

You can also check online to find your local pollen report. If you have air-conditioning, you should try to keep your windows closed. The same goes for when you are traveling in a car, keep the air conditioning on. If you do spend a lot of time outside, it is a good idea to change your clothing as soon as you come inside.

There are many examples online on how to reduce your allergen exposure once you have identified your specific trigger.

2. Medication

There are many kinds of allergy medications. Some are targeted at specific allergies while others are more generalized and treat many kinds of allergies. The most common medications are antihistamines, which are generally now found OTC or you can experiment with natural antihistamines.

Your best bet if you want to avoid feeling tired and also reduce other annoying allergy symptoms is to take an antihistamine. â

As mentioned earlier, be aware that many antihistamines themselves can cause fatigue and drowsiness.

3. Allergy Immunotherapy

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Seasonal Allergies Can Make You Tired

Are you struggling to fall asleep at night and experiencing fatigue throughout the day? You may be experiencing seasonal allergies. Depending on your trigger, allergies can make you feel exhausted. By educating yourself on the various triggers and symptoms for allergies, and planning a visit to AFC Urgent Care Toms River, you can find much-needed relief for your seasonal allergies.

How To Prevent Allergy

Can Allergies cause fatigue?

Step one is getting to the source of whats causing your allergies in the first place. An allergist can help you do just that. He or she can perform allergy testing by skin testing or by blood work to help identify any allergy triggers, says Patricia Takach, M.D., an allergist and immunologist with Penn Medicine.

Allergies Can Cause Or Worsen Sleep Apnea

When dealing with allergy symptoms such as congestion, coughing, sneezing, or a runny nose, you may naturally breathe through your mouth instead of your nose. While this can help increase airflow to your lungs, it can also create or exacerbate another condition called sleep apnea. Sleep apnea causes your airways to be blocked while you sleep, which can interrupt sleep throughout per night. This results in less deep sleep and can lead to waking up with feelings of fatigue.

What Are Body Aches Like With Coronavirus

People using the app have reported feeling muscle aches and pains, particularly in their shoulders or legs. COVID-related muscle pains can range from being mild to quite debilitating, especially when they occur alongside fatigue. For some people, this muscle pain stops them from doing day-to-day tasks.

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Can Allergies Cause Headaches And 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.

Talk To Your Allergist Right Away If You Are Suffering From Body Aches And / Or Cfs

You do not have to live with chronic pain and you do not have to live with fatigue. At Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology Medical Group we have helped many patients with allergies, joint pain, and much more. We highly suggest you call us right away at 805-658-9500 for an appointment. We can do through testing to get the most accurate diagnosis which will lead us to the right treatment plan.

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