For the past several weeks I have been experiencing quite a bit of joint pain, particularly in my hands, knees, and hips. At the same time, spring has arrived and I am suffering my usual allergy symptoms, such as hives, swollen glands, ear aches and itchy eyes. Is there possibly a link between my immune system getting all worked up over various allergens and the joint pain? Or is it just coincidence?
A google search turns up some controversy over food allergies and arthritis, but even if there were a link, I am fairly sure (after an elimination diet and scratch tests) that I do not have much in the way of food allergies, with the possible exception of strawberries. Mold and pollen are more my problem.
Are you sure all your symptoms are due to allergies? Swollen glands and earaches could indicate a viral or bacterial infection, another symptom of which is joint pain.
Yeah, what Irishgirl said.
I recall the last time I had the flu, I had horrible joint pain (I am only 27 and not prone to joint pain and there’s no arthritis in my family).
Allergies are the body’simmune system malfunctioning: putting up a strong defense to neutralize a benign substance as if it were a dangerous pathogen.
IIRC, Rheumatoid arthritis is a body’s allergic reaction to the body’s own cartilage.
Hmm… if it is flu, it’s rather mild and long-lasting compared to what I’ve had in the past, which really laid me flat but for a shorter period of time. But perhaps I should explore if it is another sort of infection.
I’m not really looking for medical advice, so much as fulfilling my curiousity. Like Enola Straight noted, both allergies and arthritis involve an inappropriate immune response to something benign, but I’m wondering if what triggers the reaction, or the mechanisms involved, are related or not.