Anyone who’s ever dealt with hay fever knows that the name is misleading— it’s not typically caused by hay, and it doesn’t give you a fever. But if you’ve ever had a fever after experiencing seasonal allergy symptoms, you’re probably wondering, can allergies cause fever?
Even though they share some symptoms, allergic rhinitis, better known as seasonal allergies, isn’t the same as being sick with a bug like the common cold or the flu.
We’ve already written an article about how to tell if you’ve got allergies or a cold, so we recommend checking that one out once you’re done here!
So let’s answer the question you’re here for: can allergies cause fever?
Can Allergies Cause Fever?
No, your allergy symptoms cannot cause a fever. [1]
A fever is typically caused by a virus like the flu or the common cold, while your allergy symptoms are caused by exposure (and allergic reactions to) offending irritants like pollen, dust mites, and pet dander.
A virus can only be cured by allowing nature to take its course and letting your immune system do its job to fight the infection. Bacterial infections are similar, but they also require specific treatments like antibiotics to stop the infection and help you recover.
On the other hand, your allergy symptoms can be treated (or even prevented) by avoiding the allergens that cause your symptoms to flare up.
Common symptoms shared by viral infections and seasonal allergies include:
- Nasal congestion (also known as a stuffy nose)
- Runny nose
- Sore throat
- Watery, itchy eyes
- Body aches
Your hay fever symptoms will be pretty similar whether you have pollen allergies (typically tree, weed, or grass pollen) or other allergens like dust, mold, or pet dander.
Have a Fever After Your Hay Fever? It’s Probably Sinusitis
If you develop a fever after experiencing what feels like your normal allergy symptoms, it may actually be sinusitis (also known as a sinus infection).
Fevers are a common symptom of a sinus infection, and a sinus infection can be caused by both viral infections like the common cold, as well as by your allergies. Sinus infections don’t develop on their own.
Sinus infections aren’t contagious, but if they were caused by a viral or bacterial infection, then the earlier infection that caused the sinusitis can be passed on to others.
However, if you think you have sinusitis, it’s important to see your doctor as soon as possible. Swift intervention can aid in your speedy recovery, restoring your well-being and averting any exacerbation of your sinusitis.
However, it's far more convenient to prevent allergies from escalating into sinusitis, rather than dealing with the complications and discomfort of a full-blown infection!
How to Prevent Allergy Symptoms that Can Cause a Sinus Infection (and a Fever)
As the adage goes, prevention is the best cure. So the best way to prevent a sinus infection that can cause a fever is to prevent or treat the common allergy symptoms that drive you crazy.
1. Understand Your Allergy Triggers
This may seem like a given, but understanding what triggers your allergy symptoms is the first major step to keeping your symptoms under control, or even preventing them.
2. Use SinuSonic to Relieve Your Nasal Symptoms
SinuSonic combines gentle acoustic vibrations and positive expiratory pressure (PEP) to gently decongest your sinuses without drugs or messy irrigation. Continued use of SinuSonic can also help you breathe more efficiently over time! All you need is two minutes twice daily to breathe better and congestion-free.
3. Keep an Eye on the Daily Pollen Count
The most common allergen that‘s probably driving you crazy is pollen. During pollen season, keeping an eye on the pollen count is the best way to make sure that your symptoms don’t make you miserable.
We recommend checking Pollen.com to see the pollen levels in your area each day. You can also see which kinds of pollen are most numerous that day, so if you’re allergic to grass pollen but not weed pollen, you can better prepare for the day.
4. Don’t Overuse Nasal Spray
Overuse of nasal spray can actually make your symptoms worse, and even cause a condition called rhinitis medicamentosa. Rhinitis medicamentosa occurs when your nasal mucosa become inflamed after you overuse nasal spray. When this happens, the nasal spray makes your nasal symptoms worse instead of making them better.
It’s also possible to develop a dependency on nasal sprays if you overuse them. This can create a vicious cycle of using more and more nasal spray to treat frustrating symptoms that won’t go away.
To prevent this, only use nasal spray as directed or avoid it entirely. There are a lot of natural remedies available (like SinuSonic!) that can decongest your sinuses without the risk of dependency or reduced effectiveness.
5. Allergy-Proof Your Home
Whether you experience indoor allergies or seasonal allergies, you’d be amazed at the number of allergens lurking in your home. Cleaning your house from top to bottom and taking extra care during allergy season can go a long way toward preventing your symptoms.
Here are a few steps you can take towards an allergy-free home:
- Use a vacuum cleaner with a HEPA filter to remove allergens from the ground and the air.
- Dust hard surfaces frequently to prevent dust and dust mites from accumulating.
- Wash linens, bedsheets, and blankets in hot water to kill dust mites and remove allergens from fabric.
- Keep windows and doors closed on high-pollen days. If the weather is warm, use fans or air conditioning to keep your home cool.
Keep pets off the furniture and give them a dedicated place to sleep. For more tips on how to keep pet allergies under control, check out our article on the topic!
Have a Fever? The Only Cure Is More… Prevention?
Getting a fever is a common symptom of bacterial or viral infections, but your allergies can’t cause a fever. However, if you get a fever after experiencing your allergy symptoms, it’s probably caused by a sinus infection.
It’s possible to treat a sinus infection or a fever when you get them, but preventing them ensures that you never have to deal with those symptoms in the first place.
Seasonal allergies driving you crazy? Try SinuSonic!
Citations
- “Fever.” The American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, 14 Apr. 2022, acaai.org/allergies/symptoms/fever/.