What is An Allergy? Can Allergies Cause Fever?

For anyone who is suffering from allergies and the painful symptoms, it brings along with them – Welcome to the club!

More than 1 in every 6 people, which makes it a staggering 50 million Americans – have reported being allergic to pollen, food, pets, medications, and a wide array of other things. Everyone who suffers from this health concern, or has a loved one suffering from some allergy should learn as much as they can about their allergies with the inclusion of how to recognize allergic symptoms, avoid their triggers, and mainly, how to get rid of the allergies, prevent yourself, or at the least minimize its symptoms.

What Is An Allergy?

When the immune system of a person recognizes a substance as a danger to the body – something as simple as pollen, bee venom, pet dander, or even some kind of edible food that does not cause any allergic reactions in other people – the immune system is the guardian of the body reacts to fight that foreign substance, that is when allergies occur.

When the body of a person with allergies comes in contact with that specific substance, it starts producing substances that are known as antibodies. These antibodies recognize a particular allergen as a danger to the body, regardless if its actually harmful or not. Once you come in contact with that allergen, these antibodies from your immune system react to it inflaming your skin, sinuses, airways or even digestive system.

The majority of the types of allergies cannot be cured completely, but there are treatments in place that can relieve you of the symptoms it induces. While the severity of the allergy testing may vary for each individual, it can range from being minutely irritating to anaphylaxis i.e. an emergency that can lead you into a life-threatening situation.

Types of Allergies

There are several types of allergies, and people can become allergic to a wide range of substances. The most commonly occurring types of allergies include:

• Latex
• Mold
• Pollen
• Drug allergy i.e medications
• Food allergy
• Allergy from insects – Stinging insects i.e. bees, wasps, fire ants – Biting insects i.e. mosquitoes, ticks – or even household pests i.e.. cockroach and dust mites
• Housepets; such as dog or cat’s urine, saliva, and dander

Can Allergies Make You Feel Tired?

Fatigue is reported as one of the common symptoms, be it a year-round or seasonal allergy. A body that is consistently exposed to allergic substances such as mold, dust mites, or pet dander – this compels the immune system to continuously work tirelessly to continue releasing these chemicals, which leads your body to feel weak and overworked, leaving you body exhausted.

Can Allergies Cause Fever?

No! Allergies themselves do not cause a human body to get a fever in a direct manner – However, since getting a high temperature due to fever happens to be a sign of your body fighting against viral or bacterial infection; there are times when allergies can cause the person to suffer from things like sinus infection, and then that sinus infection can lead to fever. This is how allergies indirectly become a reason for high fever.

Can Allergies Cause Sore Throat?

In instances when people get sore throats due to their allergies, the main culprit to be blamed in this situation is the postnasal drip. Sore throat results when the person is exposed to an allergen, It occurs when the accumulated congestion present within the sinuses and the nose starts to drain down towards the throat, leading to symptoms such as scratchy, ticklish, or even painful throat.

This drainage of congestion to the throat can also cause:

• Irritation and clearing of the throat
• Difficulty with speech
• Coughing
• Excessive swallowing

How Are Allergies Linked With Headaches?

Most people are pretty aware of the things that might trigger headaches for them, these things can be as simple as skipping a meal or not being able to get a sufficient amount of sleep. However, there are two specific types of headaches that are reported to be linked with allergies i.e. migraines and sinus headaches. This problem can be resolved by primary care physicians within a week

Can Allergies Make You Cough?

As explained by the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAI), allergy-induced cough can be blamed on our immune system – since cough is a reaction from our body to try and flush out the substance that is deemed dangerous for our body, by our immune system. This process leads to your cells releasing chemicals such as histamine that trigger a chain of allergic reactions such as a sore throat, a runny or stuffy nose, sneezing, and coughing.

Can Allergies Cause Ear Pain?

There is a high chance for our ears to get affected by our allergies since our nose, throat, and sinuses are connected directly to our ears.

Our allergies can lead to pain in our ears due to instances such as:

• Eustachian tubes are blocked due to inflammation
• Fluid builds up in the middle ear
• Growth of bacteria in this fluid

Can Allergies Cause Swollen Lymph Nodes?

No! Since infections and allergies are very different, allergies do not cause your lymph nodes to be swollen, even seasonal allergies.

However, there are instances where lymph nodes do get swollen as a result of our body fighting against our allergies, but it is very less likely to happen and even when it does, its only common among children.

Can Allergies Cause Body Ache?

Allergies are also seen to commonly cause pain in our joints or even discomfort in our body in general. Since allergic reaction in our body causes inflammation, this leads to pain in joints and muscles. Severe body pain might be a symptom of our immune system reaching the targeted allergen. Repeated coughing or sneezing as a result of your allergies can also cause soreness in your body.

– Disclaimer –
This blog is for informational & educational purposes only, and does not intend to substitute any professional medical advice or consultation. For any health related concerns, please consult with your physician, or call 911.