Can hay fever cause a sore throat?
Yes, hay fever can cause a sore throat. This happens because pollen exposure causes congestion in your nose and sinuses, which then drains down the back of your throat as postnasal drip, leading to irritation and discomfort. You can tell if your sore throat is from hay fever by checking whether it improves when your other hay fever symptoms clear up; if it persists afterwards, it's likely caused by an infection instead.
Key points:
- Postnasal drip from nasal congestion is the main cause of hay fever-related sore throat.
- Symptoms may include a tickling or scratchy feeling in the throat, along with coughing.
- Hay fever typically causes a sore throat during the warmer months when pollen counts are highest.
- Some people with hay fever may experience an itchy throat after eating certain foods due to oral allergy syndrome, a separate condition linked to pollen allergies.
This text has been fact-checked for accuracy by medino's clinical team.