Hoarseness from an allergy

introduction

Hoarseness can be triggered by various internal and external influences, often loud talking, smoking or a cold are the cause.
One speaks also of a voice disorder or dysphonia; the voice sounds busy, rough or impure and the usual volume cannot be reached or the voice (temporarily) remains completely absent.

causes

Hoarseness can also occur in the context of an allergy.
In the case of an allergy, the body's immune system reacts in some people to actually harmless substances such as pollen or animal hair as if they were attackers. This leads to an immune reaction in which various immune cells and inflammatory substances are released, which lead to the typical symptoms of an allergy:

Formation of edema (i.e. retention of water)
Production of nasal secretions
Widening of the blood vessels
Irritation of the nerve vessels in the mucous membranes.

Read more on the topic:

Sore throat from an allergy
Pet hair allergy

Hoarseness with a pollen allergy

The pollen season varies from year to year and depends on the weather. Once the main flowering period is reached, it is often very stressful for people with a pollen allergy. The symptoms that occur are diverse:

Urge to sneeze
itchy and red eyes
runny or stuffy nose
Sinus infection.

The combination of the stress on the mucous membranes in the oropharynx caused by the allergy and the additional dehydration caused by breathing through the open mouth can lead to hoarseness.

That it is hoarseness caused by a pollen allergy and not any other allergy can be seen when the symptoms are better at the lake or in the mountains, when they occur during the hay fever season, or when the symptoms are worse outdoors.

A pulmonologist, dermatologist or allergist can provide a final result with the help of an allergy test.

Hoarseness from coughing

Often times, hoarseness and coughing occur together as part of an upper respiratory infection. These are symptoms that can occur in various diseases.

They usually come in combination with colds and are caused by viruses. These are usually harmless and can be treated with simple home remedies. Adequate hydration, physical rest and the use of inhalations and neck wraps usually bring relief. If, despite this treatment, there is no improvement within a week, the symptoms worsen or other symptoms such as heart problems, fever, nausea, vomiting, breathing difficulties or pain in the ears, cheeks and forehead occur, a doctor should be consulted.

However, allergy is rarely the cause of concurrent coughing and hoarseness.

More on this: Wisdom and cough

Symptoms

In the case of a pollen, mold or house dust mite allergy, the mucous membranes of the eyes and mouth, nose and throat are particularly affected. The consequences are

watery or itchy eyes,
Sneeze,
Hoarseness,
Sniff,
to a sinus infection.

The hoarseness can also be exacerbated if a blocked nose prevents breathing through the nose and breathes more through the open mouth, which leads to the drying out of the mucous membranes.

A strong allergic reaction (Anaphylaxis), as it occurs, for example, with an insect venom or food allergy and can lead to allergic shock, takes place in two phases.

In the first phase, there is nausea, vomiting, localized rashes, and difficulty breathing due to allergic asthma.
In the second phase, the airways narrow, there is shortness of breath and hoarseness, the rashes spread to the entire body, the circulation collapses and, in the worst case, cardiovascular arrest. If these other symptoms occur in addition to the hoarseness, a doctor must be called urgently.

Read more on the topic: Symptoms of an allergy

diagnosis

Hoarseness and impaired voice are also more common in the context of allergic asthma from other causes. If the hoarseness persists for more than two to three weeks, or if swallowing problems or fever are added, a doctor should be consulted to rule out other causes.

The medical history often gives the first clues as to the cause of the hoarseness, with the help of a Laryngoscope, a device to look at the larynx, the reason for the hoarseness can usually be determined. A specialist (dermatologist, allergist, pulmonologist) can use an allergy test to determine whether an allergy is present.

Read more on the topic: Allergy diagnostics

therapy

If it is hoarseness due to an allergy, the hoarseness is often improved by giving an antihistamine or antiallergic drug, which alleviates the symptoms of the allergy.

Other home remedies such as teas with a little honey, gargling with salt water, sweets with sage or Icelandic moss and, above all, sparing the voice can improve the hoarseness. This also includes giving up tobacco products, alcohol or spicy foods.

There are also special sucking preparations for hoarseness in combination with an allergy.

Read more on the topic: Therapy for an allergy

Homeopathy for hoarseness

Depending on what the reason for the hoarseness is, different homeopathic remedies can be used:

If the problem lies in overloading the vocal cords and warm drinks and neck wraps are felt to be helpful, Arnica montana is a suitable remedy.

For hoarseness and voice failure due to nervousness and improvement from cold drinks, Argentum nitricum or Gelsemium sempervirens can be used.

If the hoarseness occurs as part of a cold, hypothermia, flu or fever and there is pain when swallowing, Aconitum napellus or Hepar sulfuris can help.

Belladonna or Apis mellifica are used for very dry throats and throat.

It is advisable to carry out the therapy with a trained homeopath who can find the right remedy for the symptoms.

Read more on the topic: Homeopathy for hoarseness

prophylaxis

There are several ways to successfully treat the allergy.
It can be treated symptomatically with the above-mentioned antiallergic drugs, but also causally by desensitization. The immune system gets used to the allergen through regular injections, drops or tablets, so that if there is renewed contact with the allergen there is no excessive situation and the body does not sound the alarm.

Differentiate between an allergy and a cold

Sometimes it is difficult to determine whether the hoarseness could not have been caused by a cold. Other symptoms such as:

a moderate general condition
Sore throat
possibly increased temperature
chills
to cough
tough, yellowish or greenish mucus when blowing the nose.

A hoarseness due to a pollen allergy is also very unlikely in the autumn and winter months. Symptoms such as watery eyes or itching are usually absent with a common cold. However, allergies can also cause a sore throat.
If the family already has allergies, asthma or neurodermatitis, if the symptoms worsen early in the morning and at night or outdoors, these can be further signs of an allergic cause. An allergy test by a specialist can confirm a possible allergy.

Read more on the topic: Symptoms of a cold

Duration of a hoarseness from an allergy

The Heiserkreit lasts as long as the allergy-triggering substance comes into contact with the body. It is particularly important to bear in mind that the airways are stressed by the allergen, as this is likely to irritate the vocal cords and the resulting hoarseness.

A good indication of whether the allergen is currently still stressing the body is the occurrence of other allergic symptoms. If these subside, the hoarseness should also soon disappear. Since the mucous membrane needs some time to regenerate, you should be a little more patient here and give it around 24 hours after the remaining symptoms have subsided.