Symptoms of a Tea Allergy

Some people are allergic to tea. Two of the most common tea allergies are to chamomile tea and linden tea. A tea allergy is a bad reaction of the body's immune system. It is a food allergy. Some people are so allergic to tea that they go into anaphylactic shock, which is when a person's throat completely swells up and he cannot breathe. This is extremely rare, but if does happen to you, go to the hospital immediately. Most symptoms are not dangerous, and they clear up within a couple of days.

Swelling

• If you have a tea allergy, you may experience swelling of your body. Your lip and tongue may swell. You could have some facial swelling. Alert your doctor immediately if you have problems breathing or swallowing, or if your throat swells.

Eyes

• If you suspect you may have a tea allergy, check your eyes. A tea allergy can make your eyes very watery. They also may be red and sore, or may feel itchy. This can last for a few minutes up to a few days.

Runny Nose and Sneezing

• A tea allergy may give your a runny nose, which can last for a couple of days. You may also sneeze a lot, but this probably will last only a couple of hours.

Skin

• Check your skin. You may feel like your skin is very itchy. You also could develop hives, which are red raised bumps all over your skin. Both of these conditions will probably last only a couple of days. Eczema, a dry skin condition, also may flare up.

Headache

• You may feel like you have a headache. The pain might be in the front or the back of your head. If the allergy causes your sinuses to act up, you even may get a sinus headache. The headache could last for a few hours or a few days.

Other Symptoms

• A tea allergy might bring on other symptoms too. You could experience constipation, diarrhea, nausea and vomiting. Or you might feel lightheaded or have trouble sleeping. It could be hard to talk because of hoarseness.