It never occurred to me that seasonal allergies could produce extra-nasal inflammation so severe that it affects the shoulder bursa. How are your knees, hips, and elbows?
Member
Seasonal allergies and shoulder inflammation
Hi Coach,
Today, during a set of front squats, I experienced a sudden and very sharp stabbing pain in my left shoulder. It wasn't unfamiliar, so I knew to quit the set. Last time it happened, I "diagnosed" it as bursitis or some other inflammatory issue.
Seemingly unrelated, over the past week I have suffered from some of the worst seasonal allergies of my life. I live in South Texas, and the mountain cedar pollen has me feeling like someone has backed a cement truck up to my face and filled in my sinuses.
I hadn't put these two things together until I decided to search through my training log to see what happened/what I did last time I had this shoulder pain.
As it turns out, it was almost exactly 12 months ago, during a similar bout with seasonal allergies.
Have you ever run across any correlation between seasonal allergies and inflammatory joint issues? My left shoulder has always been a problem (~7 subluxations or dislocations, I've lost count) and two occurrences do not equal a trend, but I thought this was curious.
TMPHBITEU
It never occurred to me that seasonal allergies could produce extra-nasal inflammation so severe that it affects the shoulder bursa. How are your knees, hips, and elbows?
Member
A lot of people report this, but whether it's actually caused by allergic reaction is something else.
Does taking antihistamines relieve the pain? If so, that's really what you need to know, isn't it?
Member
Other joints are all fine....
...so far (cue ominous clouds of cedar pollen)
It never occurred to me before either, and I don't really think there's anything to it. Just was wondering if any coaches have noticed these issues cropping up more frequently during allergy season.
I guess the theory would be that the allergies increase general inflammation, increasing the effect of an acute event.
Member
Have you thought about your recovery? I'm in central TX, and I've been suffering horribly, too. I haven't slept well in a couple of weeks, despite taking antihistamines and using a HEPA filter in the room. My workouts have been pretty terrible. The good news is that this should die down in a couple of weeks, probably the same time your shoulder is better if you start the vitamin I now.
Member
If it did it would be a placebo effect. I'm not ready to believe that a histamine-mediated seasonal allergy will produce isolated pain in one shoulder. Allergic drug reactions (when due to a DIFFERENT immune mechanism, not histamine) will sometimes produce diffuse joint swelling in the context of serum sickness (in which there is often high fever). But histamine-mediated allergies, even at their most extreme (anaphylaxis), don't do what he's describing.Originally Posted by Simma Park
TMPHBITEU
Me neither.
✓ Member
Sorry for the allergies man. I know people who suffer terribly from them. I'm sure it makes you feel like you've been run over by a D-9.
Brazilian Car Jack
For all it matters, I have very, very bad, chronic allergic rhinitis. All day, every day. And my workouts don't seem to be shittier than what one expect.
Member
Yes. Your problem is chronic so you shouldn't feel any difference. But for those of us being run over by the cedar D-9, we don't usually feel this way.
My theory is poor recovery for the OP and not scaling back lifts appropriately to avoid injury. Die, cedar, die.
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