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Allergies can cause sore throats, often due to environmental irritants like pollen or mold, which can lead to nasal congestion and post-nasal drip. Food allergies can also cause sore throats due to the body’s allergic reaction. Mouth breathing and excess mucus can also contribute to sore throats.
Sore throat is a common symptom of allergies. Many people will experience a painful, itchy, swollen throat while having an allergic reaction, although the connection between allergies and sore throats varies. The source of the reaction can be environmental irritants, such as pollen or mold; in these cases, the sore throat is often a byproduct of the nasal congestion associated with the attack. Food allergies can also trigger a response in the body that leads to a sore throat; this type of reaction is typically a direct result of the allergic reaction itself.
Allergies and sore throats are often linked to the congestion that accompanies a reaction to environmental allergens. Many times these are seasonal allergies such as hay fever, although other irritants such as animal dander, cigarette smoke or pollution can have the same effect. People with these types of allergies typically experience nasal congestion, which in turn leads to the sinuses draining into the back of the throat. The constant presence of this post-nasal drip irritates and inflames the lining of the throat. As long as nasal congestion persists, the patient will typically continue to have a sore throat; if left untreated, chronic congestion can progress to infection, which can make the situation even worse.
Along with post-nasal drip, other effects of sinus congestion can result from allergies, and a sore throat can be the result. If the person is unable to breathe through their nose, they may be forced to breathe through their mouth, particularly while sleeping. Inhaling air in this way can dry out the throat, making it sore. Excess mucus can also lead to coughing, which can further aggravate the throat.
Food allergies and sore throats also often go hand in hand, although unlike environmental agents, it is the allergic reaction itself that usually directly causes the pain. When a person eats a food they are allergic to, antibodies develop in the body and attach themselves to cells called mast cells. The next time the food is eaten, it interacts with antibodies on the mast cells, which in turn stimulate the mast cells to release substances such as histamine to attack the perceived threat. Because mast cells are common in throat tissue, and the cells are exposed to food there when it’s ingested, sore throats are often the result of this type of reaction.
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