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Take the test now!When you think of hayfever, it is likely that excessive sweating will not be the first thing that springs to mind. The affliction is not normally associated with seasonal allergies but it can occur when a burst of adrenalin triggers your sweat glands, such as when you are under stress, in pain or suffering from adrenal fatigue.
Here, our hayfever advisor Louise Baillie explains how excessive sweating can occur during hayfever, and what natural solutions and self-help techniques can reduce the unpleasant condition.
Excessive sweating can be considered an unusual hayfever symptom and one that is not often discussed. Abnormal perspiration can occur when your sweat glands become inflamed or are activated by hormones such as adrenalin.
This can happen during hayfever, especially when you consider the toll that hayfever symptoms can exact on your adrenal glands and nervous system.
For example, symptoms such as earache can cause acute pain, stimulating your sympathetic nervous system - the part of your body responsible for your 'flight or fight' instincts- triggering a rush of inflammatory chemicals like adrenalin which ultimately causes you to sweat more.
This is because adrenalin is a type of catecholamine hormone produced in the adrenal glands and when your sympathetic nervous system is activated, adrenalin causes blood to be redirected towards all your major organs. When this happens, you start to sweat more as your body is anticipating that you are about to engage in physical activity.
In fact, often excessive sweating can be caused by stress, pain or when your immune system is vulnerable - all factors which can occur in hayfever.
People with hayfever may experience acute earache or sore throats. Pain is somewhat of a red flag for our immune system and so adrenaline is produced to help us cope with our discomfort, which can lead to us sweating excessively.
Another cause of sweating can be blocked sinuses leading to sinus headaches. Blocked sinuses can become infected and one way our immune system fights infection is by increasing our body temperature. This can lead to hot sweats, dizziness and exhaustion.
If you become feverish while suffering from hayfever then it is important that you seek medical attention as soon as possible.
Another common cause triggering a rush of adrenalin into your systems is stress.
The relationship between stress and hayfever can be described as a vicious cycle, and it is not always apparent whether the physical symptoms precede the psychological condition. What is known is that stress can exacerbate your hayfever symptoms, and that it is a common occurrence in hayfever sufferers, with an estimated 71% of patients with severe symptoms reporting higher stress levels.1
This is not surprising when you think about it. Hayfever symptoms can disrupt your sleeping patterns, making you feel fatigued, dizzy and generally unable to cope with the stresses of everyday life.
It is also possible that you could become so anxious about your hayfever symptoms that it could trigger a chemical reaction, releasing a wave of adrenalin that ccould make you feel jittery, more on edge, and sweatier. Symptoms such as chest tightness can also instigate a rush of adrenalin as any tightness in the chest can make you more conscious of your breathing.
If it is the case that stress exaggerates persisting hayfever symptoms, then this can make you feel even more anxious, erupting into a cycle of stress and sweat.
1 http://www.webmd.boots.com/allergies/news/20100401/stress-makes-hayfever-symptoms-worse
The adrenal glands are another important factor to consider when discussing the causes of excessive sweating in hayfever. During hayfever, your system is often flooded with the chemical histamine, which acts as an inflammatory agent. To counter this chemical, the adrenal glands release the hormone cortisol, which counteracts the inflammatory effects of histamine.
However, sometimes the adrenal glands simply cannot keep up with the body’s production of histamine, causing them to become fatigued. When your adrenals become fatigued this can lead to a whole host of problems, from sleep disruption to mild depression to perspiring excessively without having exercised.
Despite the many triggers that are present when you are suffering from allergic rhinitis, excessive sweating still remains a rare symptom of hayfever. If you find that you are sweating abnormally, it is worth considering whether or not you are suffering from another medical condition.
When treating excessive sweating it is important to consider what is causing the condition. In hayfever, the triggers of excessive sweating are often linked with persistent symptoms that can cause pain or stress, such as ear ache, sinus headaches, fatigue, and coughing. The best course might be to first address the hayfever symptoms that are causing abnormal perspiration.
There are also some helpful dietary tips that can help you restore life to your adrenals, relieving any symptoms of adrenal fatigue.
There are a number of herbal remedies specifically aimed at reducing the symptoms of hayfever.
If you decide to go to your doctor about your excessive sweating then it is likely that they will also look at treating your hayfever symptoms first.
Finally, your doctor might prescribe you a strong antiperspirant deodorant which might potentially irritate the sensitive skin under your arms.
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