Spring allergy symptoms can lead to a pain flare if I’m not careful
These seasonal troubles can end up affecting my hips, back, and shoulder
This spring, my allergies have been terrible. I’ve had seasonal allergies for as long as I can remember, but the past few weeks have been some of the worst I’ve experienced in years. I was hoping that the long cold snap we had this past winter would’ve led to fewer allergies this spring, but unfortunately it seems like that was wishful thinking. I heard that a local meteorologist said we’re having our worst allergy season in years!
And while my allergies themselves have nothing to do with my Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS), some of the reactions I have when they flare up certainly are.
I get a runny nose, sneezing, and other usual allergy symptoms, but I also tend to get significant sinus pressure under my eyes and in the back of my head. That can cause a headache, and while I tend to have a pretty high pain tolerance for most things, headaches aren’t one of them. A brief headache isn’t a problem, but repetitive sinus headaches because of high pollen counts can create an issue.
Where sinus headaches lead
When I have a headache, that pain can cause stress. In turn, that stress can cause tightness, and lastly, the tightness often causes pain, so a vicious cycle can develop pretty quickly. Like most people, I tend to carry stress in my neck and shoulders, so when I have a headache that spirals into stress, tightness, and pain, it often winds up involving my shoulders pretty quickly.
Once my damaged right shoulder is in on the game, I’m in trouble. If my shoulder is tight and inflamed, it pulls on muscles in my back that can cause a vertebra to get tweaked out of alignment. When that happens, other muscles in my back get tight, which then affects my hips, which can in turn aggravate muscles in my side. It can feel like the song “The Skeleton Dance” playing out in real life. You know the one: “The leg bone’s connected to the knee bone. The knee bone’s connected to the thigh bone …”
The body is so interconnected that an issue beginning in one small area can quickly become bodywide, especially with my EDS. Sometimes it’s hard to believe that a simple seasonal allergy response can become shoulder, back, and hip pain within a few days, all because a reaction to pollen gave me a headache.
While I’m good at taking my everyday medications, I’m terrible at taking meds for acute issues, such as pain medication or additional allergy meds. I think I’m so used to just plowing ahead through discomfort that I just don’t think of it. But I’ve found that when I have a sinus headache, if I can remember to take either Tylenol for the pain or a short-acting Sudafed to reduce my allergies (both approved by my doctor for occasional use when necessary), I can sometimes prevent it from spiraling into a full-body reaction.
The past few weeks I’ve definitely been trying to be better about staying on top of my allergies. I have enough trouble with chronic pain without making it worse for myself by forgetting to take medicine that could be helpful! Every season comes with its own hiccups to handle — cold winter weather, spring allergies, extreme heat in the summer, and the extra-busy start to the school year each fall — so handling what I can helps to minimize the impact of things that I can’t!
Note: Ehlers-Danlos News is strictly a news and information website about the disease. It does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or another qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. The opinions expressed in this column are not those of Ehlers-Danlos News or its parent company, Bionews, and are intended to spark discussion about issues pertaining to Ehlers-Danlos.
About the Author
Kathi Roisen
I often experience very bad gastrointestinal symptoms in late spring and I think it’s related to cross-reactivity as I have environmental allergies as well. My stomach is complete
mess and really impacts quality of liife
Cynthia Willner
There's an old saying, "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure". I have horrible allergies also. I'm on monthly shots, singular and during spring and summer also on Allegra and zyrtec. My point is if you know you have allergies get your mediset container, fill weekly start taking at beginning of season and check allergy report on weather channel app every day. This regime is similar to me having to remember to put on my back brace before gardening, so I now have a back brace at front and back door. I'm trying to be humorous because we with EDS having different problems need to be thinking before we have an issue, esp when we know we're going to have that particular issue😕😂. I just wish we could remember. Forgive yourself but get those allergy pills and maybe a mask😂
Patty Fogertey
Karen,
Thanks for the Spring Sinus Trouble reminder- it's also a big one for me.
Stay well!
Patty
sohaibaleem
Wow, this was super helpful — I’ve always been confused about the difference between a food allergy and an intolerance. You explained it in such a clear way! The part about the immune system being involved in allergies really clicked for me.
One thing I’ve always wondered though — can someone have both an allergy and an intolerance to the same food? Like, could someone react to dairy both ways? Or is it usually just one or the other?
Thanks again for breaking this down — I’m definitely more mindful now about how I describe food reactions. Curious to hear your thoughts!
Maureen Le Blanc
I sometimes skip my allergy meds because it increases my dry mouth. I always pay! I get frequent sinus infections,
and headaches.