HEADACHE

Allergies cause fluid to build up in the sinuses, putting pressure on the nerves in the area. This can lead to a headache directly above the eyes. The pain is different for each person, and can come on suddenly or gradually.

SLEEPINESS

Fluid in the sinuses puts pressure on the brain, sometimes resulting in fatigue, says Dr. Paul Ehrlich, a pediatric allergist based in New York. Other  reasons for daytime fatigue? A lack of nighttime sleep, caused either by your congested nose which makes it difficult to breathe or a decongestant medication containing pseudoephedrine, which is a stimulant and can keep you awake. Some antihistamines have a sedative effect and can make you feel tired during the day. Finally, hay fever sufferers can become overtired from constantly fighting the body-wide reaction.

IRRITABILITY

Usually caused by that lack of sleep, irritability is an under-recognized but very real
symptom of hay fever, says Vancouver allergist Dr. Donald Stark. Another cause: times of high stress often coincide with the different allergy seasons – and the convergence of the two would make anyone grouchy. For example, students’ final exams in June are at the height of grass pollen season, and back to school in September coincides with the start of ragweed season.

Next page: Aggravated eyes, nose, ears and cheeks

Simons, who is the current President of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (AAAAI), a past president of the CSACI and a professor in the Departments of Pediatrics and Immunology at the University of Manitoba, says this is not only a problem for lay people – but also for medical professionals. Symptoms of anaphylaxis can include hives and itching; breathing problems (throat closure, wheezing or coughing); gastrointestinal distress (stomach cramps, vomiting or diarrhea); as well as faintness and passing out due to low blood pressure.

But not all symptoms occur in every attack, and they may vary from one attack to another, even in the same person. Hives, for instance, are an obvious clue that someone might be reacting to a food or insect sting. But 10 per cent of people with anaphylaxis don’t get hives, says Simons. She notes that breathing problems can cause confusion over whether a person is suffering from anaphylaxis or an asthma attack. In an infant, they might be mistaken for choking.

If someone is having their very first allergic reaction, he or she might not have a clue what’s happening to them. “With anaphylaxis, we are now where we were with asthma 30 years ago,” says Simons. “Lack of recognition is a major issue for our patients and their families.” She stresses the need for greater public awareness, and urges physicians to tell patients about helpful resources such as Anaphylaxis Canada and the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network.

“We need to get the message out,” she says. “It should be public policy to teach people that anaphylaxis can be fatal and that lives can be saved by prompt injection of epinephrine.”

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