Can Allergies Cause High Blood Pressure?

Allergies happen when your body overreacts to things like pollen or pet fur, causing sneezing or itching. High blood pressure is when your blood pushes too hard against your blood vessels, which can lead to serious problems.

Allergies are caused by your body’s reactions, while high blood pressure is often linked to what you eat, stress, or family history.

But could allergies and high blood pressure be connected? Some people wonder if allergies might play a role in raising blood pressure or if it’s just a coincidence. In this article, we’ll explore the possible link between the two and what research says.

Can Allergies Cause High Blood Pressure?

Allergies have the potential to increase blood pressure through inflammation and increased cortisol. Medications used to treat allergies, such as decongestants, may also raise blood pressure. Finally, sleep apnea due to nasal congestion can further impact blood pressure.

Research shows that inflammation may link allergies to high blood pressure. When you have an allergic reaction, your body gets inflamed, which can affect more than your breathing. Inflammation can weaken blood vessels. This in turn increases the risk of heart attacks and strokes. Some studies suggest that pollen allergies may even raise this risk [*].

Allergic reactions can also increase cortisol, the body's stress hormone. Studies show that people with allergies release more cortisol during stressful situations. This rise in cortisol could raise blood pressure, making people with allergies more likely to have high blood pressure [*].

Some individuals manage allergies by taking pseudoephedrine (Sudafed) and phenylephrine (Sudafed PE). These decongestants work by shrinking blood vessels to clear a stuffy nose, but they also shrink blood vessels in other parts of the body. This makes the heart work harder and can raise blood pressure. Some older allergy medicines also have these ingredients and can cause the same problem.

Allergies also cause nasal congestion, which can make it harder to breathe at night. When your nose is blocked, it may lead to sleep apnea. This puts extra strain on your heart because your body has to work harder to get enough oxygen. Over time, this stress can increase your blood pressure [*].

Managing Allergies Without Raising Blood Pressure

Now that we know how allergies could affect blood pressure, here are tips to manage allergies without making things worse. These tips can reduce allergy symptoms while keeping your blood pressure in check. 

Use nasal spray instead of oral decongestants

Nasal sprays can be a better choice than oral decongestants because they work directly on the blood vessels in your nose. Unlike oral medications, which affect blood vessels all over your body, nasal sprays target just the nose. This helps clear congestion without raising blood pressure as much.

Just be sure to follow the instructions. Using nasal sprays like over-the-counter dosages of oxymetazoline  for too long  can cause your congestion to come back worse.

One great option is the Allermi combination nasal spray. It contains the right ingredients in the right amounts to target symptoms, all in one bottle. Plus, you can use it long-term to help manage your allergies.

Avoid allergy medications with pseudoephedrine and phenylephrine

Many allergy medicines have ingredients like pseudoephedrine (in Sudafed) or phenylephrine (in Nyquil). These can raise your blood pressure.

To be safe, check the label and choose allergy meds without these ingredients.

Manage sleep apnea

Managing nasal congestion helps prevent sleep apnea, which affects your breathing during sleep. Try simple steps to help clear your nose, like using a saline rinse, which is a gentle solution that helps wash out mucus and allergens.

For an all-natural option, Allermi Salinity Spray is a great choice. This spray helps to clear congestion and improve airflow.

Using an air purifier in your bedroom can clean the air, helping you breathe better. Also, sleeping with your head elevated can improve airflow and reduce congestion. If these methods don't work, a sleep or ENT doctor might suggest a CPAP machine to keep your airways open while you sleep.

Allergy shots

Allergy shots, also called immunotherapy, help your body get used to allergens by giving you small doses of the things you're allergic to. Over time, this helps reduce your allergy symptoms.

Unlike other treatments, allergy shots don't affect your blood vessels, so they are safer for people with high blood pressure. However, they don’t work right away. It can take several months before you start feeling the full benefits.

Allergy shots are a long-term solution and are usually given regularly once a week for 6 months and then once a month, depending on your doctor’s plan. While they might take time, they can help you feel better in the long run by reducing your allergy symptoms [*].

The Bottom Line

Allergies could possibly raise your blood pressure by causing inflammation, increasing stress hormones, and through some medications.

Use nasal sprays instead of oral decongestants, pick meds without ingredients like pseudoephedrine, and clear nasal congestion to prevent sleep problems. If allergies are severe, talk to your doctor about allergy shots for long-term relief.

References:

1. Bürgler, A., Luyten, A., Glick, S., Kwiatkowski, M., Gehrig, R., Beigi, M., Hartmann, K., & Eeftens, M. (2024). Association between short-term pollen exposure and blood pressure in adults: A repeated-measures study. Environmental Research, 256, 119224. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2024.119224
2. Glenk, L. M., Kothgassner, O. D., Felnhofer, A., Gotovina, J., Pranger, C. L., Jensen, A. N., Mothes-Luksch, N., Goreis, A., Palme, R., & Jensen-Jarolim, E. (2019). Salivary cortisol responses to acute stress vary between allergic and healthy individuals: The role of plasma oxytocin, emotion regulation strategies, reported stress and anxiety. Stress (Amsterdam, Netherlands), 23(3), 275. https://doi.org/10.1080/10253890.2019.1675629
3. Guo, Y., Wu, H., & Wei, Y. (2022). Nocturnal nasal congestion is associated with uncontrolled blood pressure in patients with hypertension comorbid obstructive sleep apnea. European Archives of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology, 279(11), 5215–5221. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00405-022-07352-4
4. Allergy shots (Immunotherapy) | AAAAI. (n.d.). https://www.aaaai.org/tools-for-the-public/conditions-library/allergies/allergy-shots-(immunotherapy)