Are My Allergies All In My Head?

Full Article: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/29/well/mind/allergies-symptoms-emotions-psychology.html

Author: Richard Klasco, M.D.

Published on: March 29, 2019

Q. Are my allergies all in my head?

A. No. But emotional factors can make allergies better or worse.

Doctors have long suspected a connection between allergies and the psyche. In 1883, Dr. Morell Mackenzie, a pioneer in the field of ear, nose and throat medicine, observed, “It has long been noticed that attacks of prolonged sneezing are most apt to occur in persons of nervous temperament.”

In the 1940s, doctors discovered that allergic patients could be tricked into experiencing allergy attacks. In one case, a doctor exposed a patient to a goldenrod plant, without telling the patient that the plant was artificial. The patient immediately developed sneezing, runny nose and nasal congestion. These symptoms resolved quickly once the doctor revealed his deception to the patient.

To read the full article, click on the link below:

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/29/well/mind/allergies-symptoms-emotions-psychology.html