How do you know you have airborne allergies? Maybe a friend asks about your nagging cough, or you happen to notice an annual “cold” every time the trees are blooming. The good news: while airborne allergies can be irritating, the symptoms are controllable.

Mold and mildew spores are common culprits, but pollen is the number one airborne allergen. An estimated 35 million Americans have an allergic reaction to pollen, according to the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. How can you tell if you are one of them? Take a look at this list of the most common eye, nose, throat, and respiratory symptoms:

• Sneezing
• Coughing and post-nasal drip
• Itchy nose, eyes, and throat
• Watery eyes, sometimes with dark circles under them
• Shortness of breath
• Wheezing

If you’ve mistaken allergic symptoms for recurring or lingering colds and flu, you’re not alone. Half of those diagnosed with airborne allergies fail to report their condition right away, first treating symptoms with over-the-counter cold or flu medications. A better solution: work with your health care provider to pinpoint allergy triggers. Armed with this knowledge, you can minimize the effect of allergies.

Related physical symptoms

People who have allergies report a range of unpleasant physical problems. While they may not always be symptoms in a clinical sense, they can have a big impact on your overall health and well-being. For instance, coughing and sneezing episodes can lead to sore, aching muscles and fatigue. And because beds and bedrooms often harbor dust mites and their waste (a common allergen), symptoms may be worse at night.

All this adds up over time. People with allergies can find themselves in a downward spiral of sleeplessness or insomnia during “allergy season.” This, in turn, leads to daytime fatigue, lethargy, reduced productivity, and an inability to concentrate. It’s no surprise that 3.4 million U.S. workdays are lost each year as a result of allergies.

Related mental health symptoms

Allergy symptoms can go beyond the merely physical. Ask people with allergies to describe their symptoms, and you’ll hear words like “depressed,” “stressed out,” “anxious,” and “helpless.”

The medical community is only now beginning to study the relationship between allergies and mental health. According to a study published in the British Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, children who have severe allergies often show telltale signs of depression.

We’re a long way from fully understanding the relationship between allergies and mental health. What’s important to know: people with allergies often experience feelings of helplessness, nervousness, irritability, tension, anxiety, and depression. These mental health issues could be related to allergies. Report them to your health care provider, just as you would a chronic cough.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, February 12th, 2008 at 6:42 am and is filed under Allergies. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.