Is one puff of smoke enough to ruin your day? As soon as the person next to you turns on, the first thing that crosses your mind is the unpleasant memory of your last run-in with secondhand smoke and the runny nose, sneezing, and congestion that followed. For some, the reaction to cigarette smoke looks a lot like an allergic reaction, leading them to believe they have a “smoke allergy.”
There are many myths about “smoke allergy” that actually make it difficult to properly treat your condition. This article will help you determine if “smoke allergies” affect you and what you can do to better protect yourself from the illnesses associated with exposure to smoke.
Myth No. 1: “allergic to smoke”
Nobody is really allergic to smoke. A large number of people insist that they are allergic to cigarette or cigar smoke, but the truth is that they have had an allergic-type reaction due to other health conditions. Understanding exactly why you feel like you are having an allergy attack when you are around a smoker is the key to understanding how to prevent future symptoms.
Why do I say there is no allergy to smoke? Because technically smoke is not an allergen, but it is an irritant. This small difference explains why most people do not feel relief when taking antihistamine allergy medications after exposure to smoke. The key to avoiding problems caused by cigarette smoke is to determine what type of sensitivity you have and how best to treat it.
Who is prone to “smoke allergies”?
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Children and babies
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Old people
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People with a history of allergies (anyone with allergies, asthma, eczema, etc.)
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People exposed to heavy smoke for prolonged periods
Sometimes people who are sensitive to tobacco smoke will also experience allergy-like symptoms when they encounter strong odors, perfumes, changes in weather, or changes in temperature.
Symptoms of cigarette sensitivity
For some people, exposure to tobacco smoke can cause a list of symptoms:
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Sneezing
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Cough
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Watery and burning eyes
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Runny nose
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Postnasal drip
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Congestion
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Difficulty breathing
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Headache
These symptoms appear shortly after exposure to cigarette smoke and last for hours afterward. In addition to these symptoms, people who are in smoky environments on a daily basis are more likely to experience constant respiratory infections such as sinusitis and bronchitis, as well as the development of wheezing and asthma.
Exposure to tobacco smoke
A lit cigarette is capable of releasing more than 4,000 different chemicals into the air (80 of them are known or suspected carcinogens). Sometimes avoiding situations where people smoke is next to impossible. Often a family member will smoke indoors, or a public place like a bar or restaurant will allow smoking. Depending on the severity of your reaction, just the smell of smoke on someone’s clothing or in a room where someone has smoked can cause irritation. So while avoiding tobacco smoke is the best way to prevent “smoke allergies,” it may not be a practical solution.
Two main types of smoke sensitivity
The best way to treat your “allergy” to smoke is by first identifying what type of sensitivity you are experiencing. There are two forms of sensitivity to smoke:
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Aggravating Underlying Smoke Allergies – Your body is weakened by smoke and begins to react to all the little bits of pollen, dust, and dander that normally wouldn’t have been a problem.
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Vasomotor rhinitis: This is a condition that has the exact same symptoms as allergic rhinitis (or nasal allergies), but cannot be treated with antihistamine allergy medications.
Allergies aggravated by smoke:
An allergen is a small protein particle that the body mistakes for a dangerous intruder such as a virus or other germ. The smoke contains small particles of tar ash (you can see these particles in the form of a white cloud created by burning tobacco). But the tar ash particles are not the same as a true allergen because they are not based on protein, but on a form of carbon.
Instead of being labeled as allergens, smoke particles are classified as irritants. Irritants can make you quite uncomfortable, worsen conditions like asthma and allergies, and cause other serious health problems. So in medical terms, no one can really be allergic to smoke, but they can suffer complications from their allergies or other existing illnesses.
If you have allergies or allergic asthma, smoke can trigger an allergic reaction by putting extra pressure on your body and immune system. The speck of cat dander floating in the air that normally wouldn’t have triggered a backlash; But with the addition of tobacco smoke, your body can no longer handle allergens. Asthma becomes dangerous when mixed with exposure to tobacco smoke, even deadly for some.
You are likely to experience complications from existing allergies if:
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You know that you are allergic to other things like pollen, pets, mold, or dust mites.
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You have eczema or food allergies.
Treatment
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Avoid as many situations as you can where you are exposed to smoke.
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Consult an allergist to optimize your existing allergy treatment, or see if you have developed new allergies.
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Run an air purifier to reduce the amount of allergens in the air. Even a smaller portable air filter, such as a home smoker, is effective in removing allergens in the rooms of family members who smoke.
Vasomotor rhinitis:
Vasomotor rhinitis is a form of inflammation and irritation of the nasal area, as well as the throat and eyes. Seasonal or indoor allergies are called “allergic rhinitis.” This condition is different from the allergic type because it is not caused by allergens. For this reason, vasomotor rhinitis is sometimes called “nonallergic rhinitis.” It causes many of the same symptoms that an allergic reaction would, but is caused by excessive or very sensitive amounts of blood vessels in the delicate tissue of the sinus area. The symptoms you experience are triggered by your nervous system rather than allergens.
What this means is that while another person can tolerate cigarette smoke, a person with vasomotor rhinitis will experience a lot of discomfort with the same amount of smoke. So you’re not exaggerating when you complain about even small amounts of smoke; these small amounts are REALLY affecting you more seriously than those around you.
In addition to cigarette smoke, strong odors or weather conditions will often cause symptoms as well, so many aspects of your environment may cause allergy-like symptoms. Some people even have allergic rhinitis and vasomotor rhinitis simultaneously.
You likely have vasomotor rhinitis if:
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You are very sensitive to other elements such as perfumes, strong smells, changes in weather, changes in temperature, or even spicy foods.
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Going into a slightly warmer (or cooler) room makes your nose runny or painfully congested.
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Antihistamine medications do not relieve symptoms.
Treatment
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Avoid as many situations as possible in which your condition could be aggravated. This includes smoke, as well as some other triggers for vasomotor rhinitis, such as wearing perfume, burning scented candles, etc.
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Talk to your doctor about treatment options. Some over-the-counter medications, such as oral decongestants and nasal saline sprays, may offer some relief. Some prescription medications that have been shown to be effective are antihistamine nasal sprays (as opposed to oral antihistamines which generally have no effect on vasomotor rhinitis), anti-drip anticholinergic nasal sprays, and corticosteroid nasal sprays.
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Limit your exposure to smoke and the smell of smoke, as it is often the cause of many cases of vasomotor rhinitis. Use an air purifier like a home smoker to minimize airborne pollutants.
A note for people with existing allergies:
Inhaling even small amounts of smoke over a long period of time can cause new allergies or even asthma. In young children, inhaling secondhand smoke greatly increases the chance of developing allergies when they grow up. If you live with a smoker, you are likely to have more cases of bronchitis, pneumonia, ear infections, sinus infections, and other respiratory illnesses.
The best thing you can do for yourself is to turn your living space into a zero tolerance smoke area. If this is not an option, you may want to consider an air purifier as an investment in your health.
Some of the symptoms of sinusitis (sinus infection) can look a lot like vasomotor rhinitis and allergic rhinitis described in this article. Be sure to see your doctor to help diagnose your condition if tobacco smoke makes you feel unwell.
Remember: always be sure to talk to your doctor or allergist about your symptoms and treatment.