As we welcome in the spring season, many of us aren’t thrilled about what it brings with it. If you struggle with seasonal allergies, you’re not alone! Over 100 million people in the U.S. have allergies and experience symptoms each year. Yet allergies can be more than a regular annoyance.
It may surprise you to learn that allergies can impact the health of your heart! Keep reading to learn more about how allergies affect your heart and how you can protect yourself from a potentially life-threatening condition.
Do Allergies Impact Your Heart Rate?
In the springtime, many people experience sinus issues due to seasonal allergies, which can sometimes negatively affect their heart rate. Allergic reactions, including hay fever, can cause increased heart rate and blood flow due to the body’s inflammatory response to allergens like pollen.
Research suggests that severe allergic reactions can cause a temporary increase in heart rate due to the body’s response to histamine release. For those already suffering from heart disease or high blood pressure, this effect could cause a heart attack or stroke.
Allergy Season Continues to Worsen
Spring is often considered allergy season, when blooming flowers and trees release pollen. This triggers allergic reactions in susceptible individuals. Global climate shifts have increased the concentration of air pollutants. This is due to increased temperatures and precipitation causing more ground-level ozone and particulate matter.
Allergy season is expected to last longer each year, leading to more pollen exposure. In addition, the longer wildfire seasons have contributed to more smoke inhalation, which can worsen asthma symptoms and other respiratory illnesses.
These indoor and outdoor pollutants have been known to increase the risk of heart disease. However, more research is needed to fully understand the connection.
