# Allergies and joint pain -- any link?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/allergies-and-joint-pain-any-link/398708>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [April 4, 2007, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/allergies-and-joint-pain-any-link/398708 "2007-04-04T14:16:50Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![rivulus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/839c29/32.png) [@rivulus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rivulus)\
**Post date:** [April 4, 2007, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/allergies-and-joint-pain-any-link/398708/1 "2007-04-04T14:16:50Z")

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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.

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**Author:** ![irishgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/8edcca/32.png) [@irishgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/irishgirl)\
**Post date:** [April 4, 2007, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/allergies-and-joint-pain-any-link/398708/2 "2007-04-04T14:56:35Z")

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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.

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**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\
**Post date:** [April 4, 2007, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/allergies-and-joint-pain-any-link/398708/3 "2007-04-04T15:09:09Z")

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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).

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**Author:** ![Enola\_Straight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dec6dc/32.png) [@Enola\_Straight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enola_Straight)\
**Post date:** [April 4, 2007, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/allergies-and-joint-pain-any-link/398708/4 "2007-04-04T15:29:34Z")

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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.

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**Author:** ![rivulus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/839c29/32.png) [@rivulus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rivulus)\
**Post date:** [April 4, 2007, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/allergies-and-joint-pain-any-link/398708/5 "2007-04-04T16:17:09Z")

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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.