Is Your Fever From Allergies?
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Medically reviewed by Daniel More, MD
Allergies are abundant everywhere, and you may experience them yourself or know someone who has severe reactions. You might think that a fever is just another dreadful symptom of your seasonal or year-round allergies. Fortunately, you can rest assured that you don't need to fear a fever when your allergies act up, as allergies do not cause a fever. However, having a fever while also experiencing allergy symptoms may indicate something else that could be wrong with you.
Allergies are a common condition that occurs when your body has an overactive immune response to an otherwise unharmful substance, such as pollen, animal dander, or dust. While there are a wide variety of allergies you can experience, they generally cause many of the same symptoms. If you have a fever, it is very likely not due to allergies. However, having a fever while also experiencing allergy symptoms may indicate another health issue.
Allergic rhinitis, also known as “hay fever,” is characterized by inflammation of the inner nose. Including the term “fever” is misleading; fever itself comes from your body fighting an infection, not from allergies alone. A fever is your immune system’s natural response to try and kill off an infection that is trying to harm you.
How Allergy Symptoms Affect Different People
Allergies don't look the same for everyone. However, you can't get a fever from allergies. Around 56% of adults in the United States have environmental allergies, like pollen, though those aren't the only types of allergens out there. However, you may also have food allergies or even be allergic to certain materials or metals. Just like there are several different types of allergies, there are different ways people respond to those allergies.
Some of the most common allergy symptoms include:
Itchy or watery eyes
Sneezing
Runny nose or congestion
Coughing
Hives and other skin rashes
Headache
Nausea
Fatigue
If you don't quite know what you're allergic to, you can find out through an allergy test. Allergy testing can help you introduce measures to protect you from allergens in the future. The prick test is the most well-known type of allergy test, which applies the allergen onto the skin and sits for around 20 minutes to see if a reaction happened. There are other types of allergy tests, like the patch test, which don't require needles.
You may notice that your allergy symptoms are less severe than someone else's in certain circumstances. Alternatively, if you have environmental allergies, you might notice they only flare up on certain days. Certain types of pollen could be more prevalent in the air than others, resulting in an increase in symptoms that can affect you much more strongly on certain days. Can seasonal allergies cause fever, though? They can’t—and a fever might be indicative of a larger problem.
What Does a Fever Mean?
A fever could indicate several things with your body, but on a baseline level, it means your immune system is working to fight against something. Fever doesn’t typically occur with allergies, so when you think you have allergies and fever, the fever is likely due to a separate cause.
Fevers work as defense mechanisms for your body, and they're entirely natural. They exist to create an environment where the bacteria or viruses that exist in your system cannot thrive. Your temperature is typically highest in the evening, so you should check it regularly throughout the day if you're worried about your fever.
While your temperature might seem concerning, you don't often need to worry about having a higher body temperature than you're used to. You should go see a healthcare provider if your symptoms last longer than 10 days or if medications aren't helping to bring them down.4 Other than that, just keep an eye on it and try to relieve it with rest and over-the-counter (OTC) treatments.
Potential Causes of Fever With Allergy-Like Symptoms
Many illnesses mimic what you might feel when you have allergies. As such, it might be difficult for you to know at first whether your allergies are acting up or your body is fighting off an infection. There are a few common reasons you might have acquired a fever at the same time as your allergy symptoms, but sinus allergies cannot cause fever by themselves.
Sinusitis
Sinusitis, or a sinus infection, occurs when the lining of your sinuses becomes inflamed. This can occur due to allergies, bacteria, a virus, or even fungus. You can easily distinguish sinusitis from other illnesses because it causes your face to swell a bit in the sinus area. While allergies can make your face swell, it’s because your body is pushing out the allergens.
Sinusitis is more of an infection caused by allergies or a cold, which can make your mucus thick and trigger painful swelling. You may also have a cough or sore throat. Your healthcare provider can examine you and help you understand which one you have.
Common Cold
Most commonly, you will either have no fever or a low fever with the common cold. A fever typically shows up at the start of a cold, and the cold itself might last up to a week. A cold typically causes symptoms like a sore throat and cough. You may notice your cough lasting much longer than any of your other symptoms.
COVID-19
One of the most well-known symptoms of COVID-19 is having a fever in addition to other common cold-like symptoms. These symptoms include things like chills and muscle aches. If you suspect you might have COVID, try to get tested immediately. A positive result means you should isolate yourself and stay home for around 5 days when you’re most infectious, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
How to Diagnose an Illness vs. Allergies
Having a fever is a telltale sign that you have more than just allergies, as seasonal allergies cannot cause a fever. Sinus allergies also cannot cause fever, but they might lead to sinusitis, which could come with a light fever, depending on your symptoms.
Your healthcare provider will look at all of your symptoms to find an accurate diagnosis. Allergies can typically be managed well at home, so if you find yourself having difficulty treating your symptoms, it could indicate illness. Shortness of breath and nausea are not allergy symptoms, so if you are experiencing them it is most likely due to illness or another cause.
How to Ease Your Allergy Symptoms
To manage allergies, you can help support your immune system naturally or with supplemental medications. Next time you feel under the weather due to allergens and have to fight off a fever at the same time, try to ease your allergy symptoms so your body can help you recover from any other sickness.
Get Plenty of Rest
When you're feeling sick, either with allergy symptoms or with an illness, you need more rest than you usually get. On average, adults need seven or more hours of sleep to function well the next day, and you should ensure that sleep has minimal disruptions. When ill, a person needs even more rest. Getting enough rest consistently can help to keep you from getting sick as often.
Take Over-the-Counter Medication
Sometimes, allergies can feel so severe that only certain medications can help. Some medications treat more topical symptoms, like hives, while others will help with your runny or congested nose. Luckily, you don't need a prescription for drugs you can get over the counter.
Some OTC allergy relief medications you may be able to get include:
Allegra (fexofenadine)
Claritin (loratadine)
Flonase (fluticasone)
Xyzal (levocetirizine)
Zyrtec (cetirizine)
In the event you have a fever—especially a fever over 102 degrees—you might also want to use some fever and pain-reducing medications. You can find these at any drugstore. Make sure to check them against any other medications you're taking to ensure there are no negative interactions. Some of the most common OTC painkillers for fevers include Advil (ibuprofen) or Tylenol (acetaminophen).
Related: How Are Hives (Urticaria) Treated?
Drink Fluids
Drinking fluids is a great way to flush allergies out of your system while also working to ease your fever. Middle-aged people who are not adequately hydrated risk developing chronic illnesses and shortening their life spans, and your average daily water intake depends on factors like your weight and age.
You should strive to drink the best amount of water for you. Preventing dehydration can help you battle both allergy symptoms and fevers. It can especially help with seasonal allergies.
Consider Allergy Mitigation
You can mitigate your allergy symptoms by taking measures to avoid certain things or look for other treatments. For example, if you have seasonal or environmental allergies, you may be able to avoid those allergens when walking outside by wearing a mask or sunglasses to keep them away from your face. You might also consider staying inside on a day with a higher pollen count.
Another good solution is to take allergy shots or sublingual tablets (a tablet that is placed under the tongue), also known as immunotherapy. This treatment helps your body acclimate to the allergen to the point that you no longer have an overactive immune response when you’re exposed to it. Another option would be to clean consistently to ensure fewer allergens find a home within your house.
Treating Your Fever on Your Own
Sometimes, you may want to opt to treat your illness at home, especially if it isn’t particularly bad. Luckily, there are easy ways to take care of yourself and help your body heal.
Here are some common ways to treat a fever from home:
Take OTC pain medications, such as Tylenol (acetaminophen) or Advil ( ibuprofen).
Drink plenty of fluids and get enough sleep to help your body recover.
Wear light clothing to help your body cool down.
Of course, if a fever persists too long or rises too high, you need to visit your healthcare provider for a proper diagnosis and ways to treat it. Your provider will know what to do to bring your fever down and make your pain and other symptoms feel more manageable.
When to Contact a Healthcare Provider
You should always consult a healthcare professional when your symptoms start to feel more severe or unusual. Seek help for fever if:
Your child is 3 months or younger and has a temperature of 100.4 degrees or higher
Your child is 3-12 months old and has a fever of 102.2 degrees or higher
Your child is 2 years or younger and has a fever that lasts more than 24-48 hours
You or your child has had a fever for longer than 48-72 hours
Your or your child has a fever of 105 degrees or higher
Finding treatment can help alleviate symptoms and potentially save you from a life-threatening allergic reaction. Similarly, if you're concerned about a particularly stubborn fever, you should get yourself checked out by someone who can help you.
Your fever should break in a few days as your body heals you. However, you should see your healthcare provider if your fever feels high enough to make you concerned, especially if the fever comes with symptoms like confusion or difficulty breathing. Seek medical care if you feel any unusual pain with your fever.
A Quick Review
Can seasonal allergies cause fever? No, and fever might indicate a different issue. You should rest assured that your sinus allergies cannot cause fever—but you should also know when to see your healthcare provider for some additional help. Knowing the difference between allergy symptoms and some of the most common “lookalike” illnesses can help you save a trip to the doctor’s office.
Staying adequately hydrated and getting enough rest are cornerstones of taking care of yourself. Next time you have a fever along with your allergy symptoms, try to be aware of any other symptoms that seem out of the norm for what you typically get when you have allergies.
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