From hayfever & headaches to stings & skin rashes, we tell you more about allergies & pain
Sneezing, runny nose, sickness… and pain? Allergies can come with a whole range of symptoms and, yes, sometimes this can also include pain in certain areas of the body depending on which allergy you’re experiencing.
Read on to find out what types of body pain can be caused by allergies and tips for managing allergy symptoms.
What are allergies?
An allergy is when your body’s immune system reacts negatively to something that’s normally a harmless substance. This can include things like pollen, dust, certain foods and more, which we discuss later on.
For many people, these substances won’t cause any problems, but for some people their body will identify them as an ‘allergen’ or a threat, causing an allergic reaction. Sometimes, this can be mild, but in other cases, an allergic reaction can be serious.
What are the most common types of allergens?
Some of the most common allergens include:
- Pollen from trees and grass – this is known as having hayfever or seasonal allergic rhinitis
- Indoor allergens including house dust mites, mould spores or pet hair, such as from cats or dogs – this is known as having perennial (year-long) allergic rhinitis
- Foods such as nuts, milk or eggs – this is known as having a food allergy
- Insect bites and stings
You can learn more about the different types of allergies on our Allergies Health Hub page.
What types of pain can allergies cause & how can you manage allergies?
During an allergic reaction, your body produces different chemicals, including histamines, that can cause a variety of symptoms.
Symptoms are different for everyone, but it’s possible that the following allergies can cause certain types of pain:
Allergic rhinitis (hayfever & indoor allergens)
For some people, allergic rhinitis causes:
- Pain around the forehead and side of the head (sinus pain)
- Headache
Other symptoms can include:
- Sneezing
- Coughing
- A stuffy, runny and/or itchy nose
- Itchy or red and watery eyes
- An itchy throat
- Itchy ears
- Tiredness
As mentioned before, allergic rhinitis can be seasonal hayfever that’s triggered by pollen, or perennial (year-long) and caused by indoor allergens like dust mites and pet hair.
Knowing what’s triggering your allergic rhinitis is the first step in helping to manage symptoms.
Some ways to help reduce symptoms include:
- Checking pollen count and spending less time outdoors when it’s high
- Wearing wraparound sunglasses to help protect from pollen
- Keeping your home clean, dry and free of damp
- Washing pets, and bedding and furniture they’ve touched, regularly
You can also speak to a Boots pharmacist who can advise on over-the-counter medicines that could help to treat your symptoms, including:
- Antihistamines
- Eye drops
- Nasal sprays
If symptoms are severe, they’re affecting your sleep and everyday life, they’re getting worse or if treatments from the pharmacy aren’t working, you should speak to your GP who may be able to provide prescription medicines or further advice and support.
For hayfever, we offer treatments through the Boots Online Doctor Hayfever Treatment* service, if suitable for you, to help ease symptoms.
Learn more about hayfever and its treatment options on our Hayfever Health Hub page.
Food allergies
If you have an allergy to a certain food, it’s possible to experience:
- Stomach pain
- A raised rash on your skin (hives) which can be itchy and sometimes cause pain in the form of stinging or burning
Other symptoms of food allergies can include:
- Dizziness and light-headedness
- A swollen face, lips and eyes
- Sneezing
- A blocked or runny nose, that can be itchy
- Coughing or wheezing
- Breathlessness or noisy breathing
- A hoarse voice
- Diarrhoea
- Sickness, including feeling or being sick
If you have a food allergy, you will need to avoid eating the food you’re allergic to, including when it’s present as an ingredient in other foods and meals.
Your GP or a specialist should give you an allergy management plan along with medicines to use in the case of an emergency, which can include:
- Taking antihistamines for mild allergic reactions
- Using emergency medicines called adrenaline auto-injectors, which are injected during severe allergic reactions
Tips for managing and preventing allergic reactions to food include:
- Checking food labels of your grocery shopping
- Checking menus in restaurants and cafes and telling their staff about your allergies
- Telling airlines and cabin staff about your allergies before you fly
- Telling your friends, family and workplace, or your child’s nursery or school
- Wiping down surfaces in public places before you eat
- Carrying two adrenaline auto-injectors, with you at all times, if suitable for you
Read more about food allergies and how to manage them, including what to do in the case of an anaphylactic reaction.
Insect bites & stings
Insect bites and stings are quite common and often get better in a few days without causing serious side effects. It’s common to experience:
- A small, swollen lump on the skin
- Pain in the area where you were stung or bitten
In some cases, bites and stings can cause an allergic reaction making the skin around the area raised and itchy.
It can become more painful and swollen if the bite or sting gets infected.
Bites and stings can often be treated at home by:
- Washing the affected area with soap and water
- Removing stings by brushing or scraping them sideways with your fingernail or a bank card
- Removing ticks using tweezers or specially-designed tick removers
- Applying an ice pack or flannel soaked in cold water to any swelling for at least 20 minutes
- Raising the affected area above the level of your heart to help reduce swelling
- Avoiding scratching the affected area or using home remedies like bicarbonate of soda
Learn more about how to treat bites and stings.
You can also speak to a Boots pharmacist for help treating bites and stings. They can advise on medicine that could help, such as:
- Antihistamines
- Pain relief medicines, such as ibuprofen or paracetamol, if suitable for you
- Steroid creams
You can learn more about how a Boots pharmacist can help with bites and stings and other common conditions on our Pharmacy First page.
When to call 999 for allergies
Sometimes an allergic reaction can be severe and fatal if not treated immediately.
If you or somebody you’re with has a serious allergic reaction and has an adrenaline auto-injector, it should be used immediately. If you forget how to use the injector or you’re giving it to somebody else, you can refer to the instructions. Call 999 after using it, even if it seems to be working.
You should call 999 if you experience:
- Sudden swelling of the lips, mouth, throat or tongue
- Very fast breathing or difficulty breathing (including being very wheezy or choking or gasping for air)
- A tight throat or difficulty swallowing
- Blue, grey or pale lips, tongue or skin (on black or brown skin, this may be easier to see on the palms of hands or soles of feet)
- Confusion, drowsiness or dizziness
You should also call 999 if:
- Someone around you faints and you’re unable to wake them up
- A child goes limp, floppy or doesn’t respond like they usually do (their head may fall to the side, backwards or forwards, or they may find it difficult to lift their head or focus on your face)
Someone who is having an allergic reaction may also have a rash that’s swollen, raised or itchy.
FAQs
What should you not mix with antihistamines?
Antihistamines shouldn’t be taken with certain types of medicines, including:
- Antidepressant
- Stomach ulcer or indigestion medicines
- Cough and cold medicines that also contain antihistamines
You should check with a pharmacist or GP before taking antihistamines if you’re taking any other medicine.
It’s also best not to drink alcohol while taking antihistamines, especially types that make you feel drowsy, because alcohol can increase the chances of feeling sleepy. Just make sure to check the information leaflet that comes with your medicine for more information.
Can allergies make you feel sick?
If you have a food allergy, one of the possible symptoms is nausea, including feeling or being sick. But symptoms are different for everyone, so you may not experience this.
What are 7 types of allergies?
If you have an allergy, it means your body responds negatively to certain substances that are normally harmless. These substances are known as allergens, and seven of the most common ones include:
- Pollen from trees and grass
- House dust mites
- Mould spores
- Pet hair
- Foods, such as nuts, eggs and milk
- Insect bites and stings
- Certain medicines
Do allergies cause inflammation in your body?
During an allergic reaction, cells in the body respond negatively to allergens which are perceived as a threat. Chemicals, including histamines, are released and cause swelling, inflammation and itching in the surrounding tissue.
Can allergies cause chest pain?
Food allergies can cause wheezing and/or breathlessness which can create an uncomfortable feeling around the chest area.
If you have asthma, this can be triggered by allergies to pollen (hayfever) and indoor allergens such as mould or pet hair, which can lead to chest tightness, wheezing and shortness of breath.
You should speak to your GP if you have chest pain that comes and goes, or if it goes away quickly but you’re still worried. It’s better to get medical advice to make sure it’s nothing to worry about.
You should call 999 if you experience the following, which could be a sign of a heart attack:
- You have sudden pain or discomfort in your chest that doesn’t go away – this can feel like burning, indigestion, squeezing or pressure inside your chest
- Your chest pain spreads to your left or right arm, your neck, jaw, stomach or back
- Your chest pain is accompanied by feeling sweaty, sick, light-headed or short of breath
Can allergies make you tired?
If you have allergic rhinitis, which can include being allergic to pollen (having hayfever) or indoor allergens such as house dust mites, mould and pet hair, this can cause tiredness. But symptoms are different for everyone, so you may not experience this.
Some types of antihistamines, which are taken to help manage allergy symptoms, can also make you feel drowsy. Learn more about the different types of antihistamines.
Can hayfever give you a headache?
Yes, hayfever symptoms include headache and pain around the forehead and side of the head (sinus pain). But symptoms are different for everyone, so you may not experience this.
Can hayfever cause body aches?
While certain aches and pains are common with hayfever, including headache and pain around the forehead and side of the head (sinus pain), it’s not common to experience body aches all over. Similarly, allergies and joint pain are not usually linked.
If you have symptoms of hayfever such as a stuffy and/or runny nose, sneezing and coughing alongside an aching body, this could be a sign you have a viral infection, like a cold. Read more about how to tell the difference between a cold and allergies.
