Knowing what's causing nasal allergy symptoms can help you determine how to treat and prevent future reactions. Drinking alcohol may cause common nasal allergy symptoms for various reasons, such as a genuine allergic reaction, alcohol intolerance or histamine intolerance. If you develop nasal allergy symptoms from drinking alcohol, avoid consuming alcohol until you can see your doctor.
Alcohol Allergy
What is commonly referred to as an alcohol allergy is actually the result of intolerance. Alcohol intolerance is a condition where your body is unable to metabolize the alcohol content of alcoholic beverages, according to MayoClinic.com. The intolerance causes common symptoms of an allergic reaction, which makes it easy to confuse with an allergic reaction. If you have an allergy to certain grains used to make alcoholic beverages, such as wheat and barely, you may develop an allergic reaction after consuming certain alcoholic beverages. A genuine allergy is determined through allergy tests that identify the presence of immunoglobulin E antibodies.
Histamine Intolerance
Histamine is one of the main chemicals in the body that causes allergy symptoms. Histamine is also found in certain foods and beverages that can trigger allergy-like symptoms after consuming wine or beer. Wine and beer are considered by the Michigan Allergy, Sinus and Asthma Specialists to be histamine-rich beverages. The increased histamine in the body can cause the tissues in your sinuses to become inflamed and swollen. Histamine causes blood vessels to dilate, increasing blood flow and producing inflammation. Sinus congestion is a common symptom of histamine intolerance.
Nasal Allergy Symptoms
Nasal allergies, also called allergic rhinitis, cause various symptoms to develop as a result of inflammation in the sinus cavity. Within minutes of ingesting alcohol, you may develop congestion, post-nasal drip, sinus pressure and headaches. Congestion prevents you from breathing normally through your nostrils. Post-nasal drip occurs when excess discharge drips down your throat continually. Sinus pressure and headaches commonly develop together. The inflammation places pressure on your cheekbones, forehead, inner ears and upper teeth. Continual nasal congestion can lead to a sinus infection caused by growth of bacteria in the nasal passages.
Treatment
Identifying the exact cause of your nasal allergies after drinking alcohol will determine which beverages you need to avoid. If you accidentally ingest alcohol that causes sinus allergy symptoms, talk with your doctor about using decongestants, antihistamines and pain relievers to alleviate your symptoms.
References
- MayoClinic.com; Alcohol Intolerance; March 11, 2010
- Michigan Allergy, Sinus & Asthma Specialists; Foods That Contain Histamine; Jeffrey Tulin-Silver, M.D., Suchetha Kinhal, M.D.
- MayoClinic.com; Wheat Allergy; July 7, 2011
- MedlinePlus: Allergic Rhinitis
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Sinus Headache
