Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsHow Allergies Cause Sore ThroatsTreatmentAllergies or Infection?COVID-19 or Allergies?
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
How Allergies Cause Sore Throats
Treatment
Allergies or Infection?
COVID-19 or Allergies?
It’s common to mistake signs of allergies for a cold. However, there are some clear signs when allergies are to blame. Fortunately, several treatment options are available.
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When you’re allergic to something, your body’simmune systemmistakes it for something dangerous and starts making a specific antibody against it known as Immunoglobin E (IgE). IgE antibodies trigger other cells involved in the allergic process to release chemicals (e.g., histamine) that cause symptoms of an allergic reaction.
When you breathe in an allergy, your respiratory tissues can swell, resulting in a stuffy nose and often a runny nose due to mucus production.
Mucus is usually helpful since it traps substances that enter the nose so they can be removed. However, excess mucus production can cause nasal andsinus congestion. That congestion can then drain into the throat, causing soreness, inflammation, and other symptoms.
Common allergens that can cause a sore throat from postnatal drip include:
When to Go to the ER
Seek immediate medical care if your sore throat:
Medications can help taper down the immune response, reducing your risk of developing a sore throat due to allergies or helping reduce the congestion that leads tothroat pain. Home remedies may also help ease your discomfort.
Medications
There are manyover-the-counter (OTC)and prescription medications that can help manage a sore throat and other allergy symptoms.
Medications are especially effective for treating nasal congestion that contributes to a sore throat from allergies:
Natural Remedies
Rest and hydration can also help.
Avoiding Allergens
One of the best ways to prevent allergy symptoms, including sore throats, is to avoid exposure to allergens when possible.This may also reduce the amount of medication needed.
Ways to avoid allergens that could cause a sore throat include:
Allergy Shots
Allergy shots are different from other medications for allergies. Instead of managing symptoms like a sore throat, they address the underlying cause to prevent reactions to an allergen.
Healthcare providers give allergy shots in their offices. Allergy shots are a long-term treatment option, lasting three to five years. For the first few months, you get injections one to three times a week. After that, you’ll get them less often—around every four to six weeks.
Allergy shots are an option for people who do not want to take allergy medication or for whom medications haven’t helped. They’re also appealing to people who want to resolve their allergies rather than treat them.
Symptoms of Allergies vs. Infections
While there is a lot of overlap between symptoms, the main takeaway is that you probably have an illness if you have a fever and body aches.
Additionally, allergies tend to last longer during allergy season or return whenever you are exposed to an allergen. This is in contrast to an illness that will typically begin to resolve in a few days.
Keep an eye out for these additionalsigns of infection. Contact your healthcare provider if you experience:
Severe throat pain and white patches could indicate an infection like strep throat. Note that any difficulty with breathing is a medical emergency.
Summary
Over-the-counter medications such as antihistamines, prescription drugs such as corticosteroids, and home remedies like lozenges can ease symptoms and/or help keep the allergic response causing the sore throat away.
Additional symptoms like fever and body aches indicate that the sore throat is likely due to an infection rather than allergies.
11 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology.Allergic reactions.NIH News in Health.Cold, flu, or allergy?U.S. National Library of Medicine.Allergen.Sore throat — know when to go to the er.American College of Emergency Physicians.Allergy and Asthma Foundation of America.Rhinitis (nasal allergies).Tran N, Vickery J, Blaiss M.Management of rhinitis: Allergic and non-Allergic.Allergy, Asthma and Immunology Research. 2011;3(3):148. doi:10.4168/aair.2011.3.3.148Allergy and Asthma Foundation of America.Allergy treatment.U.S. National Library of Medicine.Allergy shots.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Sore throat basics.Rai DK, Sharma P, Karmakar S, et al.Approach to post COVID-19 persistent cough: A narrative review.Lung India : Official Organ of Indian Chest Society. 2023;40(2):149.American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology.Cough.
11 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology.Allergic reactions.NIH News in Health.Cold, flu, or allergy?U.S. National Library of Medicine.Allergen.Sore throat — know when to go to the er.American College of Emergency Physicians.Allergy and Asthma Foundation of America.Rhinitis (nasal allergies).Tran N, Vickery J, Blaiss M.Management of rhinitis: Allergic and non-Allergic.Allergy, Asthma and Immunology Research. 2011;3(3):148. doi:10.4168/aair.2011.3.3.148Allergy and Asthma Foundation of America.Allergy treatment.U.S. National Library of Medicine.Allergy shots.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Sore throat basics.Rai DK, Sharma P, Karmakar S, et al.Approach to post COVID-19 persistent cough: A narrative review.Lung India : Official Organ of Indian Chest Society. 2023;40(2):149.American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology.Cough.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology.Allergic reactions.NIH News in Health.Cold, flu, or allergy?U.S. National Library of Medicine.Allergen.Sore throat — know when to go to the er.American College of Emergency Physicians.Allergy and Asthma Foundation of America.Rhinitis (nasal allergies).Tran N, Vickery J, Blaiss M.Management of rhinitis: Allergic and non-Allergic.Allergy, Asthma and Immunology Research. 2011;3(3):148. doi:10.4168/aair.2011.3.3.148Allergy and Asthma Foundation of America.Allergy treatment.U.S. National Library of Medicine.Allergy shots.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Sore throat basics.Rai DK, Sharma P, Karmakar S, et al.Approach to post COVID-19 persistent cough: A narrative review.Lung India : Official Organ of Indian Chest Society. 2023;40(2):149.American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology.Cough.
American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology.Allergic reactions.
NIH News in Health.Cold, flu, or allergy?
U.S. National Library of Medicine.Allergen.
Sore throat — know when to go to the er.American College of Emergency Physicians.
Allergy and Asthma Foundation of America.Rhinitis (nasal allergies).
Tran N, Vickery J, Blaiss M.Management of rhinitis: Allergic and non-Allergic.Allergy, Asthma and Immunology Research. 2011;3(3):148. doi:10.4168/aair.2011.3.3.148
Allergy and Asthma Foundation of America.Allergy treatment.
U.S. National Library of Medicine.Allergy shots.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Sore throat basics.
Rai DK, Sharma P, Karmakar S, et al.Approach to post COVID-19 persistent cough: A narrative review.Lung India : Official Organ of Indian Chest Society. 2023;40(2):149.
American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology.Cough.
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