Soreness, itching, and constriction all can be throat symptoms that result from allergies. People who suffer from food allergies can experience such throat problems when they swallow food that triggers allergies in their bodies. Breathing in airborne allergens can cause throat problems, as well, in people who are allergic to substances such as mold, dust, or pollen.
Food Allergies
When people eat food that contains substances they're allergic to, their throats can tighten or constrict, which in extreme cases can lead to a condition called anaphylaxis that cuts off their air supply, warns the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. Peanuts and tree nuts most often cause anaphylaxis, and other foods that often cause less-serious allergic reactions include eggs, milk, fish, and shellfish such as lobster and shrimp. While children sometimes outgrow their food allergies, adults usually are stuck with their existing food allergies for the rest of their lives.
Mold Allergies
Breathing in mold can trigger allergic reactions that cause the throat to become itchy or sore from either the allergens in the mold itself or from mucus dripping down from the sinuses into the throat, notes MedlinePlus, a publication of the National Institutes of Health. Indoors, mold is often found in damp places like bathrooms and basements, but it can also be located on items such as stuffed animals, wallpaper, rugs, fabric, and books. Outdoors, mold can be found in damp vegetation, in compost piles, and in the soil.
Dust Allergies
Insects called dust mites that are too tiny to be seen except under a microscope live inside dust because they eat the flakes of shed skin that dust often contains. Breathing in both living and dead dust mites can trigger allergies that cause the throat to itch, MedlinePlus says. The highest concentrations of dust mites are found in people's bedrooms, living on their mattresses, box springs, pillows, and bed linens such as sheets, blankets, and pillowcases.
Pollen Allergies
Airborne pollen from plants such as ragweed, grasses, and trees can be a contributing factor in hay fever allergies that cause the throat to become sore or itchy. When the weather outside is dry, hot, and windy, pollen counts in the air are likely to be highest, while rainy and cool days often bring lower pollen counts, MedlinePlus notes.
