Allergic to Cigarette Smoke?
Are you one of those people who can’t help but wince when you catch a whiff of smoke for a nearby cigarette? For many people, their clashes with second hand smoke fill them with dread of the next smoker who crosses their path and triggers the runny nose, sneezing and congestion that strongly resembles an allergic reaction. For this very reason, you may think that you may be one of the people who suffers from “smoke allergies”.
Before you start treating “smoke allergies” with allergy medication, you might want to read this article and uncover one of the biggest myths concerning this condition (as well as some tips for keeping yourself healthy).
So, Who is Prone to “Smoke Allergies”?
· Children and Infants
· Elderly Persons
· People with allergy history (anyone with allergies, asthma, eczema, etc)
· People exposed to heavy smoke for long periods of time
If you feel that you are sensitive to cigarette smoke, you may also have allergy-like symptoms when you encounter strong odors, perfumes and weather or temperature changes.
Symptoms of Cigarette Sensitivity
For some people, exposure to tobacco smoke can cause a list of symptoms:
Sneezing
Coughing
Watery, burning eyes
Runny nose
Post nasal drip
Congestion
Shortness of breath
Headache
Often these symptoms will kick in shortly after being exposed to cigarette smoke and sometimes will last for hours afterwards. In addition to these symptoms, individuals exposed to smoke on a daily basis are more likely to experience constant respiratory infections like sinusitis and bronchitis as well as the development of wheezing and asthma.
Tobacco Smoke Exposure
When a cigarette is lit, it dumps over 4,000 different chemicals into the air (and 80 of these are known or suspected carcinogens). If you live with a smoking family member or visit restaurants or pubs where smoking is permitted, it might be impossible for you to completely rid yourself of smoke exposure. If you are particularly sensitive to smoke, even the smell of smoke of someone’s clothes or the residual smell of smoke left in a room can cause irritation. So, even though avoidance of tobacco smoke is the best method to prevent "smoke allergies", it may not be a practical solution.
Though the problem with smoke allergies may seem hopeless, there actually are some simple solutions to keeping you healthy. In order to best treat your condition, you need to know the truth about “smoke allergies”—and in this case, the truth can be a bit of a shock!
#1 Myth: People are Allergic to Smoke
The truth is that no one really is allergic to smoke. This is why some people find no relief by taking allergy medications to relive their symptoms after being exposed to smoke. The truth is that smoke is considered an irritant and not a true allergen. Cigarette or cigar smoke will often generate an allergy-like reaction or cause other allergies (like those to pollen, dust, pets, etc) to become exacerbated. So the key to preventing the “smoke allergies” is finding out whether you have one of two common conditions:
Two Main Types of Smoke Sensitivity
· Smoke Aggravating Underlying Allergies: your body is weakened by smoke and begins reacting to all the tiny bits of nearby pollen, dust and dander that usually would not have been a problem.
· Vasomotor Rhinitis: this is a condition that has all the same symptoms as allergic rhinitis (which is also called nasal allergies or hayfever), but cannot be treated by antihistamine allergy medicine.
More About Smoke-Aggravated Allergies:
Allergens are tiny particles that are made up of proteins that the body has mistaken for a dangerous intruder like a virus or other germ. Smoke contains tiny tar ash particles (that form a white cloud as the tobacco burns), but these are not the same as a true allergen because they are not protein based. 
Smoke particles are classified as an irritant, which can cause you quite a bit of discomfort, worsen illnesses like asthma and allergies, and cause other serious health problems. So, even though no one can truly be allergic to smoke, they may actually be suffering from a complication of their existing allergies or another illness.
If you already have allergies or allergic asthma, smoke can trigger an allergic reaction because it is putting an extra strain on your body and immune system. The speck of cat dander drifting through the air might not have usually set off a violent reaction, but with the addition of tobacco smoke, your body can no longer handle the allergens. In these situations, the tiniest allergen will become the straw that breaks the camel’s back. Asthma becomes dangerous when mixed with exposure to tobacco smoke-even deadly for some.
It is likely that you have Smoke-Aggravated Allergies if:
1. You know that you are allergic to other things like pollen, pets, mold or dust mites.
2. You have eczema or food allergies.
Treatment
· Avoid as many situations as you can where you are exposed to smoke.
· See an allergist to optimize your existing allergy treatment, or see if you have developed new allergies.
· Run an air purifier to reduce the number of allergens in the air. Even a smaller, portable air purifier like the CT500 Home Smoke Eater is effective at removing allergens in guest rooms of smoking family members.
More About Vasomotor Rhinitis:
This 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". Vasomotor rhinitis is different from the allergic type because it is not caused by allergens and is sometimes called "non-allergic rhinitis". The symptoms you experience are triggered by your nervous system rather than allergens. It causes many of the same symptoms that an allergic reaction would, but is caused by highly sensitive or excessive amounts of blood vessels in the delicate tissue of the sinus area.
This means that while another person may be able to tolerate a certain amounts of cigarette smoke, a person with vasomotor rhinitis will experience significant discomfort with that same amount of smoke. So you are not being a overreacting when you complain about small amounts of smoke – these small amounts REALLY ARE affecting you more severely than those around you.
In addition to cigarette smoke, often strong odors or weather conditions will also cause symptoms, so you may find that many aspects of your environment cause allergy-like symptoms. Some individuals will actually experience allergic rhinitis and vasomotor rhinitis simultaneously.
It is likey that you have Vasomotor Rhinitis if:
1. You are highly sensitive to other elements like perfume, strong odors, changes in weather, changes in temperature, or even spicy foods.
2. Walking into a slightly warmer (or cooler) room makes your nose runny or feel completely dry.
3. Antihistamine medications do not alleviate the symptoms.
Treatment
· Avoid as many situations as possible where your condition might be aggravated-this includes smoke, as well as some of the other vasomotor rhinitis triggers like wearing perfume, using scented candles, etc.
· Talk to your doctor about treatment options. Some over the counter medications like oral decongestants and saline nasal sprays may offer you some relief. Some prescription medications that have been proven effective are antihistamine nasal sprays (as opposed to oral antihistamines which typically have no effect on vasomotor rhinitis), anti-drip anticholinergic nasal sprays and corticosteroid nasal sprays.
· Limit your exposure to smoke and smoke odor as this is often the cause of many vasomotor rhinitis cases. Use an air purifier like the Home Smoke Eater to minimize airborne pollutants.
A Note to Those with Existing Allergies:
Inhaling even small amounts of smoke over a long period of time can actually cause you to develop new allergies or even asthma. In young children, second hand tobacco smoke inhalation greatly increases the likeliness of developing allergies when they get older. 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 make your living space a zero-tolerance smoke area. If this is not an option, you might want to consider an air purifier as an investment in your health.
Some of the symptoms of sinusitis (sinus infection) can closely resemble the vasomotor rhinitis and allergic rhinitis described in this article. Be sure to see your doctor to help you diagnose your condition if tobacco smoke has you feeling under the weather.
hi,
thanks for writing this helpful article. I am in an unfortunate situation. I cannot, CANNOT! avoid second hand smoke at work. I’ve been renting this store in downtown los angeles for almost 16 years now. As you well know, most of the businessmen and women like to smoke, ALOT. Most of my neighbor tenets smoke, and it doesn’t help that the building is split into 10 unit offices without windows on the first floor. the ceiling is low, about 10 feet and so the second hand smoke just fills the room daily. currently, i have a really nice neighbor, since he found out i am allergic to smoke, he has gone out of his way to give every customer 1 free cigarette if they buy his mp3 player. i am so lucky. well i must confess i was guilty of making fun of him by calling him a con artist. ihad no idea they smoked so much. is there anything i can do.
i have tried everything your site suggest, air filters, fan blowers. short of report a building code violation of no window in the building, and the ceiling being too too low, and asbestos ceiling. and maybe asking the city council to ticket them for smoking in and around a retail shop. now why does the non smoking ban only apply to restaurants only.
i could move my business and yet where can i go, most of downtown los angeles is full of smokers.
any help would be appreciated
sincerely,
busybeaver.11@juno.com
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My fiance’ and I moved into a house; converted to a duplex in February which the neighbors downstairs smoke and it comes up through the laundry room. It’s a family owned/ rented house before us, so they used to live upstairs and smoked in our unit. Well, I have been “sick” since late February with sore throats, coughing, chest congestion, and now I have a runny nose and sinus pressure. I think I have had a total of maybe 2 weeks (spread out) since late February that I haven’t had a sore throat or anything. BUT, I also started working at a job in January in a residential/high school environment. So…I don’t know what it is. My gramma is “allergic” to cigarette smoke, and I have always experienced very minor chest congestion after being around smokers.
THIS STINKS.
I’m allergic to formaldehyde which can be found in cigarettes so I’m certainly allergic to cigarettes!
Thank you for this artical. I am so glad someone has finally laid out the facts about smoke “allergies”. I have been a smoker for years, and no I don’t recommend it or believe it is healthy in any way. However, I have taken extensive measures to keep my habit from affecting those around me who do not choose to smoke. Recently I have switched to using a nicotine inhaler, or “fake cigarette” which does not produce any smoke, only water vapor. It amazes me not only how many non-smokers go out of there way to be near me when smoking, but also then complain. I believe that a large portion of people who say they are allergic, have no idea what they are talking about. Coughing and gasping around my water vapor makes me laugh ridiculously. As stated above, it is an irritant and can trigger underlying allergies by weakening the immune system. However smoke itself is not something you can be allergic to. Also, not all cigarettes contain the horrible chemicals some may think, in fact there are brands that sell only organic, non processed tobacco in them, without all the harmful chemicals. aka. formaldihyde, etc. Just like organic foods at your local market. I think that if non-smokers want to dispose of smoking, or restrict it more, then maybe they should take the time to learn the facts, and research what it is they hate so much. I will respect you if you respect me. I know the dangers, and I only smoke actual cigarettes inside my home, away from anyone else. Outside I only smoke my inhaler which has no harm to anyone around me. Please help stop the rumors, and stop walking 500 feet out of your way to stand next to a smoker and then complain about it. My rights end where another person’s rights begin, we all have to coexist in this world. If you keep trying to ban my right to smoke in my house, I will start smoking in the street again. I think it is only fair that we learn to understand each other, and I think that through proper education, rather than government run propaganda and commercial lies, that a natural decline in smoking will occur. This post is for all of you out there that believe that I am killing you, affecting your “allergies”, and that the tobacco companies have lied to or conned people into smoking. Smoking is a choice, and no one made me do it, lied to me about it, or tricked me. It states on my pack that the item I smoke will give me and those around me cancer. I still make the choice daily. Cheers! to a less polluted and more friendly America.
I’ve never had an allergy to smoke, in fact I didn’t think such an allergy existed. I just don’t like passive smoking because I don’t want to get lung cancer because other people smoke around me.
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@Broadway
Rather than take people’s response to your smoking habit personally, I’d like to invite you to consider that your cigarette smoke really can cause strong, allergic-like responses in others.
Some facts about allergens and irritants:
People often confuse “irritant” with “allergen” because “allergen” is a subset of “irritant” and it is the one that get’s more attention.
An “irritant” is basically anything that causes irritation, inflammation or pain. An “allergen” is an irritant, specifically a protein, that causes an immediate and sometimes systemic immune response in some people where it doesn’t in others.
In the case of the broad generic “irritant” — once contact with the irritant is removed symptoms abate, unless of course one is extremely sensitive or receives an overwhelming dose (often by inhalation).
The damage caused by irritants causes the same symptoms as associated with “allergens”. It begins with inflammation, which is the initial response of the body to harmful stimuli and is achieved by the increased movement of plasma and leukocytes from the blood into the injured tissues. Severe inflammation can cause an “anaphylactiod reaction” that differs only from “true” anaphylaxis in that it does not involve damage to mast cells. However, the symptoms, treatment, and risk of death are the same.
In the specific case of cigarette smoke as an irritant, not only does it come into contact with the skin, eyes, and ears, it also comes into contact with mucus membranes and is inhaled directly into the lungs. This means that the smoke and all it contains is processed both externally (skin) and internally, entering the bloodstream via the lungs, and thus simply removing one’s self from the smoke zone does not end the exposure, any more than if one inhaled bleach or some other chemical cocktail. The body will have to process the chemicals, breaking them down, and eventually eliminating them from the body. This can take several days during which tissue/cellular damages continue and during which the body fights to heal itself.
Given that the damage caused by the chemical irritants in tobocco smoke causes the same symptoms as associated with “allergens” it seems silly to argue with people who say “I’m allergic to” instead of “I have an extreme sensitivity to.” It’s like arguing that a person with gout “limps” and a person who is having a bad reaction to the detergent his socks were washed in “hobbles.” Regardless of the cause of the foot ache or headache, we don’t argue with someone using the words “foot ache” or “headache.”
Whether the cause is a chemical-based irritant or a protein-based allergen, in many people the body still responds to them as it would to any toxic substance — a response that is extremely unpleasant and debilitating. Which is why many people scurry away when you’re smoking.
If the symptoms are alike for the generic “irritant response” and it’s subset “allergic response” and one is in common usage and more readily understood, then the only purpose for arguing over another’s use of semantics is to attempt delegitimize them and the veracity of their complaints that tobacco smoke makes them ill in a manner that is symptomatically identical to an allergic response but minus immunoglobulin E (IgE) mediation specific to an allergic response.
I hope this helps you understand a little better.