Allergy sufferers spend several weeks during the spring and fall, dealing with nasal allergy symptoms and coughing. Their symptoms vary from runny noses and congestion to sore throats and chronic coughing. These allergy symptoms can force some sufferers to cancel recreational plans and miss school or work, necessitating a visit to their doctors so they can begin dealing with their symptoms.
Nasal Allergies
Chronic coughing can develop from postnasal drip caused by allergies. If you have what seems like a stubborn cold that won’t go away, it may not be a cold, especially if it happens at the same time every year. If your coughing lasts for more than two weeks, this is classified as a chronic cough. Ask your doctor for a referral to an allergist so he can discuss your health history, examine you and determine whether you are suffering from allergies. If your allergies and coughing are severe enough, they may interfere with your ability to participate fully in the activities around you, such as work, school, sports or hobbies.
About Coughing
When you cough, this is your body’s way of protecting itself from irritating, foreign or dangerous substances from your lungs and airways. If you have a nasal allergy that becomes an upper respiratory infection, you can develop a cough as your body works to rid itself of the additional phlegm and mucus in your throat and airways. As you deal with your allergies and respiratory infection, you may cough several times during the day, including while you are sleeping at night. Monitor your allergy and cough symptoms so you report accurately to your doctor.
Immune System Overreaction
When you are allergic to a substance, such as pollen, dust, cigarette smoke or pet dander, your immune system overreacts. In someone who does not have allergies, these substances don’t cause an overreaction. You may have seasonal allergic rhinitis, which is caused by pollens, or perennial rhinitis, caused by indoor allergens, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center.
Your immune system floods IgE and histamines into your nasal passages, causing your sinuses and eyes to become itchy and congested. As this happens, you develop a runny or stuffy nose, your eyes water and you develop postnasal drip. If the postnasal drip goes on for long enough, your throat becomes irritated and sore, leading to coughing as your body tries to rid itself of the irritants it has encountered.
Treatment
Over-the-counter or prescription medications can control, but not cure allergy symptoms. These medications include decongestants, nasal corticosteroid sprays and antihistamines. If your doctor knows what you are allergic to, allergy shots, or immunotherapy, may help relieve your symptoms. Immunotherapy is a long-term treatment, with successively larger doses of the allergen being injected into your body. If you are an adult, throat lozenges can help keep your throat moist and soothe any soreness. Do not give young children – under the age of 3 – hard candy or lozenges because of the danger of choking.
Prevention
Try to avoid known allergens. On days when the pollen count is high, stay inside, if possible. If you can’t avoid going outside, keep your car windows closed and use your vehicle air conditioner. At home, do the same – close windows and turn your air conditioner on. Shower and wash your hair to remove offending allergens so you don’t react as strongly. Change clothing. If you have a clothes dryer, use this to dry your laundry instead of hanging the clothing on an outside clothesline. While “air-dried” laundry can smell good, it also has allergy-causing pollens attached to it, which can cause your system to go into overdrive.
