Allergies can include various symptoms and can make other sinus problems worse. | Wikimedia Commons/Tina Franklin
Allergies can include various symptoms and can make other sinus problems worse. | Wikimedia Commons/Tina Franklin
- Allergy symptoms include sneezing, a stuffy or runny nose, watery eyes and an itchy nose, eyes or mouth.
- Allergy symptoms can be caused by inflammation.
- Some treatment options include over-the-counter medications, nasal sprays and immunotherapy.
"Allergies can present themselves in various forms, such as runny or blocked nose, itchy eyes, watery eyes, sneezing, etc.," Dr. John Stewart of Arizona Breathe Free Sinus & Allergy Centers told Grand Canyon Times. "If allergies are not addressed and managed appropriately, this may lead to sinus disease or may be amplifying the sinus disease already present. Allergies can be a constant struggle, especially out here in the Arizona desert and mountains. We offer two types of testing here: blood tests known as RAST and a skin-scratch test. With the scratch test, you get instant results and a treatment plan can be coordinated immediately based on your individual test results."
In adults, chronic sinusitis is often linked to nasal swelling caused by allergies, especially allergies to inhaled dust, mold, pollen or the spores of fungi, according to Harvard Medical School.
Allergy symptoms, such as itchy eyes, can be caused by inflammation, which is a result of the body's attempt to protect itself from allergens, according to MBG Health. When someone is exposed to an allergen, the body's natural stress response is to secrete hormones such as cortisol and chemicals like histamine, but studies have shown that those secretions can lead to inflammation, which in turn makes allergy symptoms, as well as asthma, even worse.
Readers experiencing sinus issues are invited to take a Sinus Self-Assessment Quiz from Arizona Breathe Free.
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