If eating certain foods causes your sinuses to become congested, you may have a food allergy. Food allergies trigger inflammation in soft tissues throughout the body, such as in the sinuses, the lungs and the skin. Most symptoms that develop from a food allergy will affect more than one portion of your body. You may develop symptoms in your sinuses, your digestive system and your airways as a result.
Food Allergies
Food allergies affect about 4 to 8 percent of children in the United States and only affect about 2 percent of the adult population, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. While you can develop an allergy to any food, the most common foods that trigger allergic reactions include fish, peanuts, tree nuts, milk, eggs, wheat and soy, according to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. Most food allergies cause mild to moderate symptoms and in rare cases may cause severe, life-threatening symptoms.
Cause of Sinus Congestion
During a food allergy the immune system overreacts to the proteins found the food attacks them as if they were going to harm the body. This reaction triggers a chemical chain-reaction throughout the body. White blood cells release histamine in soft tissues, which causes irritation, increased blood flow and swelling. Histamine released in the sinus cavity cause the nasal passages to swell, cutting off your ability to breathe through your nose, according to MayoClinic.com. This causes sinus congestion, which can also lead to runny nose, post-nasal drip, sinus headaches and facial pressure.
Identification
Because most food allergies affect various parts of your body, make an appointment with your doctor to confirm a food allergy is the cause of the sinus congestion. Other common symptoms that develop from a food allergy include skin rashes, hives, eczema, diarrhea, vomiting, stomach pain, cramping, nausea, trouble breathing, coughing and chest tightness. Allergy tests performed on your skin and with a sample of your blood can identify which foods trigger an allergic reaction.
Treatment
Once identified, avoid all foods that cause an allergic reaction in your body. There is no cure for food allergies, which means eliminating foods that trigger the reaction is the only effective way to treat the condition. Nasal congestion may be treated with antihistamines, decongestants and pain relievers. Antihistamines prevent the mast cells from producing histamine, decongestants cause your blood vessels in your nasal passages to constrict and pain relievers help reduce any sinus headaches symptoms.
