Pensacola Times

Histamine, commonly known to play a key role in allergies, has recently been linked to medical ailments like depression and rare diseases.

Scientists begin to discover that histamine may play a role in an extensive array of body processes, while immunology is proving an effective treatment against allergies.

“Allergies are a condition where your body reacts to an allergen in the environment, especially in your nose," Dr. Matthew Blair of Gulf Coast Breathe Free Sinus & Allergy Centers told the Pensacola Times. "Your nose is covered with a mucous membrane similar to your mouth, and (there are) these cells within your nose called mast cells. They release something called histamine. Histamine is what gives you this overall reaction of itchy eyes, itchy nose, sneezing, clear, watery mucus and stuffiness, that general uncomfortable feeling that you may get. What that does is it also causes swelling in the tissues in the nose, and they can block openings to the sinuses if you're a chronic allergy sufferer.” 

WebMD recommends trying home remedies for sinus headaches. Knowing what you’re allergic to involves getting tested for allergies. Allergy medications (both prescribed and over the counter), alternative treatments and immunotherapy or allergy shots are treatment options, though there is no known cure for allergies. 

Allergen immunotherapy is the process of desensitizing the body to allergens by gradually increasing exposure. Subcutaneous immunotherapy is highly effective, especially against seasonal allergies, according to Current Treatment Options in Allergy.

Using computer-mined data from the Journal of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, scientists concluded there are more than 25 rare diseases related to histamine physiopathology.

Histamine is also responsible for an astonishing number of processes in the body, according to SelfDecode. Its levels have both positive and negative effects on mood, motivation and stress management.

Histamine begins the body's reaction to sinus allergies, according to WebMD. During this process, patients might feel the familiar postnasal drip and possible sneezing. Further in the process, histamine causes inflammation of the nose, which signals to the body to produce even more immune responses to fight the allergen.

Research reported by Science Daily may be on the cusp of medical and psychological science. Imperial College London and the University of South Carolina conducted a study on mice and concluded there is a direct correlation between serotonin, the feel-good molecule, and histamine in the brain.

Statistically speaking, about 50 million Americans suffer from allergies each year, according to the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology.

To learn more about the information in this article or to take a sinus assessment, visit Gulf Coast Breathe Free Sinus & Allergy Centers.