Allergies Can Worsen Sleep Apnea
Allergies can make certain sleeping conditions worse. Symptoms like inflammation and stuffy nose often cause you to breathe improperly, which can cause or worsen snoring and sleep apnea. When your airways are blocked or restricted, the lungs and even the heart struggle to get enough oxygen. The lack of air causes your body to wake itself up, interrupting your sleep sometimes hundreds of times in a given night. This explains the exhaustion that most people experience when suffering from sleep apnea, especially if allergies are making things worse.
Allergies And Chronic Fatigue
It is not uncommon for a person who suffers from allergies to also suffer from chronic fatigue syndrome . Symptoms of CFS include extreme exhaustion that does not have any known cause. The first step is to talk to your doctor so they can assess for potential illnesses. If they cannot find the cause, then your next step should be to take to an allergist.
Why? Because it is often the case that a person with CFS has an over-sensitive immune system. When you consider that allergies can be caused by over-sensitive immune systems, it is easy to see that why the conditions often exist together. It is often the case that by treating allergies, fatigue can be reduced. Other things can affect both fatigue and allergies, such as mold spores and other environmental irritants.
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.
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Supplements For Controlling Seasonal Allergies Naturally
If you are already experiencing allergic symptoms, you want relief fast.
But taking antihistamines wont cure allergies or change the allergic process they merely block its expression.
William E. Berger, MD, one of the nations foremost experts on allergies and asthma, reports that nearly a third of allergy patients dont find their allergy medications to be effective.
Plus, pharmaceutical remedies frequently come with unwanted side effects, such as drowsiness and nasal irritation.
Antihistamines are also one of the groups of drugs known for causing brain fog and memory loss.
Disturbingly, even over-the-counter antihistamines like Benadryl can greatly increase your risk of dementia.
The sedative effects of these drugs can leave you feeling drowsy.
They can impair your judgment and your ability to drive.
Unprocessed, locally produced honey contains minute amounts of pollen unique to your area and can significantly control allergy symptoms.
Dont pick up cheap honey from the grocery store since it wont contain the pollen or the nutrients you need.
Theres an abundance of supplements that act as natural allergy remedies.
Some are proven to work, but for most, there is only anecdotal evidence.
The Mount Sinai Hospitals health library suggests the following natural allergy remedies:
Nutrients
Unfortunately, no single supplement works for everyone, so expect to go through some trial and error.
One of my favorite allergy relief discoveries is apple polyphenols.
Limiting Your Allergen Exposure
The five most common environmental allergens include pollen, mold, dust mites, animal mold, and dead skin flakes. Now, when it comes to pollen, and you know the specific type, you could take measures to eradicate certain plants from your immediate environment. But this is not always possible. Moving to another area could provide a solution but may not always prove practical. You could, however, take other steps to limit your exposure in your home.
Steps to limit your immediate exposure to allergens include:
- Monitor pollen counts in your area and uses air conditioning while keeping windows closed during peak periods
- Dust your whole home regularly
- If you have pets, vacuum regularly and keep pets off your furniture
- To further reduce dancer, brush and bathe pets regularly
- Open windows regularly to encourage the movement of fresh air and avoid dampness and mold formation except during high pollen periods
- Regularly wash bedding, i.e. at least once per week
- Add dust might cover to bed covers, pillows, and mattresses and vacuum and/or wash these regularly
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You Feel Tired After You Eat Certain Foods Is Fatigue A Symptom Of Food Intolerance Or A Food Allergy
We are paying so much more attention to how food affects our health, including our fatigue.
If you have a food allergy, your body creates antibodies when you consume a certain food. Symptoms of a food allergy can range from mild to severe, and the amount of food necessary to trigger a reaction varies from person-to-person. The most severe symptom is anaphylaxis, which is a hyper-reaction of the immune system that can cause restriction of the airways and a severe drop in blood pressure.
However, food sensitivities and food intolerances can also cause mild to severe effects. And included among these is fatigue.
So if you want more energy, you need to identify and remove the foods that trigger your immune system!
Are These Secret Allergy Symptoms Affecting Your Life
Do you know all the different ways your allergies can affect your life?
Many people think that allergies just cause sneezing and itchy eyes. However, seasonal allergies can cause many other symptoms and side effects. Here are some hidden allergy symptoms and side effects that may secretly influence your quality of life.
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When To Contact A Doctor
A person should contact a doctor if they:
- have an ear infection or ear pain that gets worse or does not improve within a few days
- have a headache that lasts longer than a day or have frequent headaches
- have severe allergies
- think that they may have migraine headaches
- have headaches that affect their mental health or daily functioning
A person should go to the emergency room if they experience any of the following:
- a sudden, unexplained, very severe headache that makes it impossible to do anything else, along with other symptoms, such as nausea or tingling
- stroke symptoms, such as numbness on one side of the body or a drooping face
- loss of consciousness, a feeling of being very well, or a worry that their headache is an emergency
Some other symptoms a person might notice with a headache and dizziness include:
When a headache or dizziness lasts for a long time, it is more likely that a person has a chronic or serious condition, such as migraine, head pressure from a tumor or infection, or a brain injury.
A person should avoid self-diagnosing and contact a doctor if they are concerned.
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Why We Get Fatigue
Fatigue can be caused by a variety of different things, including mental health issues, sleep deprivation, hormone imbalances, a virus, and even stress. Some people even report that they get fatigue due to seasonal allergies. If youre experiencing fatigue on a regular basis, you may want to talk with your doctor about possible underlying causes. These could be hormonal imbalances, mental health issues, sleep deprivation, a viral infection, or even stress. Some people even report that they get fatigue due to seasonal allergies. If youre experiencing fatigue on a regular basis, you may want to talk with your doctor about possible underlying causes. These could be hormonal imbalances, mental health issues, sleep deprivation, a viral infection, or even stress.
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How Is A Pots Diagnosis Made
Problems with the autonomic nervous system can be difficult to diagnose. The standard test for POTS is the tilt table test. During the test, you are secured to a table that tilts from being horizontal to almost a 90-degree angle. The test measures your hearts response to switching from laying down to standing up. Some people with POTS faint during this test, even if they rarely faint standing up.
Although the test seems straightforward, many things can interfere with it. Its important that a POTS specialist oversees it. Its best to work with a doctor who has diagnosed and treated patients with POTS. This could be a cardiologist, a neuromuscular specialist or another doctor.
The Link Between Seasonal Allergies And Drowsiness
So why do we feel tired after a seasonal allergy reaction? Whats the link? One reason is that the drowsiness can be brought on by other allergy symptoms. When you have seasonal allergies, you can get swelling and congestion in your nose. This nasal blockage makes breathing at night more difficult, which can cause you to get less sleep or lower quality sleep. Thus, the next day you feel tired and fatigued. You might even experience brain fog.
Another reason for allergy-related fatigue might be attributed to your body working to fight off the perceived threat of the allergen that entered your body. When you have an allergic reaction, your body mistakes a harmless substance for a foreign invader. It then responds with antibodies to fight the threat. This extra work that your body is putting in can also make you feel tired, similar to when your body is dealing with a cold or flu virus.
Finally, if you have seasonal allergies, you might take an over-the-counter antihistamine. While some of these allergy meds are non-drowsy, that cant be said for all of them. Benadryl in particular is known for causing drowsiness. If you take allergy medications and youre feeling tired, check the side effects to see if that could be causing your fatigue.
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Why Do Seasonal Allergies Make Us Tired
Seasonal allergies can do more than just cause a runny nose or coughwhen left untreated, they can lead to drowsiness and poor concentration, too.
Allergy fatigue is the result of your body working hard to fight off a foreign invader. Its similar to the way your body fights a virus like the common cold or the flu, which can also leave you feeling drained.
When you have an allergic response to something like dust, pollen, or pet dander, your body also releases proteins , which can cause inflammation in your nose. Chronic inflammation has been linked to fatigue and depression.
Allergies can also indirectly cause you to feel tired during the day by disrupting your sleep at night. Common allergy symptoms like coughing, sneezing, and congestion can make it hard to get a good nights rest, making it hard to stay focused the next day.
Treating seasonal allergy tiredness isnt always simple, either. Common medications like Benadryl often cause drowsiness as a side effect. Fortunately, there are ways to manage fatigue and stay alert during allergy season.
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.
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Can Allergies Make You Tired
The short answer: yes. But, instead of the actual allergy causing fatigue, there are a number of allergy symptoms that could be making you feel exhausted. In fact, there are actually a few potential reasons why your allergies are wiping you out. And, when combined, they can lead to some serious fatigue.
How Do Allergies Cause Fatigue
Yes, allergies can make you feel tired. Most people with a stuffy nose and head caused by allergies will have some trouble sleeping. But allergic reactions can also release chemicals that cause you to feel tired. These chemicals help fight your allergies but also cause swelling of your nasal tissues that can make your symptoms worse. A lack of sleep and constant nasal congestion can give you a hazy, tired feeling.
Experts call this fatigue caused by allergies a brain fog. Brain fog can make it difficult to concentrate and carry out school, work, and daily activities.
If youre experiencing the effects of brain fog, there are some things you can do to feel less tired. First, youll need to stop the cycle of allergy symptoms and fatigue. You can try:
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How Are Food Allergies/sensitivities Diagnosed
People with food allergies know exactly what food causes their allergy. They eat peanuts or a product with peanuts in it and immediately have a reaction. Their food allergy was diagnosed using either blood tests or skin tests.
In an allergy skin test, a very small drop of a liquid food extract, one for each food, is placed on the skin. The skin is then lightly pricked where the food extract was dropped. This is safe and generally not painful. Within 15 to 20 minutes, a raised bump with redness around it, similar to a mosquito bite, may appear. This shows that you are allergic to that food.
There are two accepted methods in determining a food sensitivity:
Laboratory tests
Lab tests for food sensitivities measure IgG or IgA antibodies to particular food proteins. Ideally, a lab will test both, as you can have a reaction to one but not the other. Once a food allergy is ruled out food sensitivity tests are run. For example, if you suspect you react to peanuts, ruling out a peanut allergy should be your first priority. Should the food allergy test show that you are not allergic to peanuts, your doctor may decide to investigate a peanut or legume sensitivity.
Elimination or reset diets
Your fatigue is different than the fatigue of anyone else you know. Youre a unique snowflake and your nutrition should reflect this. Food might not even be the cause of your fatigue. But the only way to find out is to experiment.
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.
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Consistently Take Your Meds
If youre dealing with allergies, you may choose to take over-the-counter allergy medications to help keep your symptoms at a manageable level. Antihistamines are the most common. Theyre easy to take and will reduce most of the common symptoms. Select a non-drowsy option if youre feeling tired from your allergies.
With that being said, even non-drowsy pills can sometimes make people feel tired. If this is what happens to you, its best to take your allergy pills in the evening. This may even help you get better sleep.
Youll want to take your allergy medications consistently so your body can get used to them. This can help reduce your drowsy feelings and help keep symptoms at bay throughout the day.
Know What Youre Allergic To
To fix your fatigue symptoms, you should find out what exactly is causing your allergies. If you do not know what you are allergic to, you can schedule with one of our board-certified allergists. Our doctors ask about your medical history and perform an allergy test to determine what allergens are bothersome to you. Patients will learn which allergens they tested positive to during their initial visit. Based on the test results of your allergy skin test, our allergists will determine the best treatment options for your allergy symptoms.
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What Are Seasonal Allergies
Seasonal allergies strike at different times of the year. Also known as allergic rhinitis, or hay fever, seasonal allergy symptoms occur when airborne irritants, or allergens, enter the eyes, nose and throat, setting off an allergic reaction.
In the spring, flower and tree pollen are common culprits. Grass pollen starts in late spring and peaks in the summer months. Weed pollen and mold spores plague kids mainly in the late summer and fall.
Since children need to be exposed to an allergen before they can be allergic to it, children under two years of age are less likely to have environmental allergies.
Fighting Back Against Allergies And Fatigue
Given that fatigue is a part of your immune response, it can seem almost impossible to avoid. However, there are ways you can combat your allergies on a daily basis.
The first step is to identify the source. This can be achieved through a comprehensive allergy test. These tests can take three different forms: skin tests, blood tests, and physical examinations. Skin tests are most common and typically involve creating a grid on a patients back, where they are pricked with an infinitesimal sample of an allergen. These tests can help your allergy doctor rule out dozens of options as they try to find what allergens are making you miserable. This is how they build the best treatment plan for you. By contrast, physical examinations are typically reserved for patients with more severe reactions. These include symptoms that manifest on the skin or lead to lasting inflammation.
From there, your allergy doctor will be able to identify your best options for treatment. Dr. Mayank Shukla is a New York pulmonologist who specializes in comprehensive allergy treatment. He breaks allergy treatment options into three major categories:
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