4 Hidden Allergy Triggers

Everyday items could be to blame for your sneezing, coughing and itching

Jeanette Beebe,

Updated April 08, 2026

AARP

Comments

En español

Published April 17, 2023

/ Updated April 08, 2026

Woman seated at a restaurant drinking white wine sneezing into the crook of her elbow

Key takeaways

It’s not just pollen and ragweed to blame for your itching, sneezing and runny nose. Foods, medications and common household items can cause allergies.
Adult-onset allergies are common. Many people experience new or worsening allergies as they age.
Untreated allergies can lead to serious symptoms, so see a doctor if your allergies persist.

Spring is here, and unfortunately, so is allergy season, thanks to the bounty of budding trees and blooming bushes.

If you think you’re immune to the sneezing and itching that go hand in hand with seasonal allergies, think again, says Dr. Neeta Ogden, an allergist and spokesperson for the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology.

“With warmer climates and longer seasons, seasonal allergies, like pollen allergy, are occurring in adults who never experienced them before. So don’t be surprised if they strike you for the first time,” Ogden says.

And while seasonal allergy triggers may be top of mind this time of year, they aren’t the only culprits. Everyday allergens like pet dander and dust mites can also trigger flare-ups— or add to the sneezing and wheezing that start the moment you step outside.

Here are four additional allergy aggravators to watch out for.

1. Wine and beer

If you’re sensitive to sulfites, a naturally occurring compound found in wine and beer, indulging in a beverage or two might not be worth it.

For some people with a sulfite sensitivity, “drinking wine can cause breathing symptoms similar to asthma, with wheezing and shortness of breath,” says Dr. Jennifer Namazy, an allergist and immunologist at Scripps Clinic Medical Group in San Diego. “Other times, wine may cause skin rashes in those patients.”

In very rare cases, sulfite sensitivity can progress to a life-threatening reaction, such as asthma or anaphylaxis (throat swelling, trouble breathing, skin rash, vomiting), which requires immediate medical attention and, if used quickly and correctly, an epinephrine autoinjector, such as an EpiPen.

A sensitivity to sulfites appears to be more common among people with asthma, affecting an estimated 5 to 10 percent of people with the condition. It affects about 1 percent of people who don’t have a history of asthma.

And it’s not just wine and beer. Many processed foods contain sulfites: some canned and dried fruits, deli meats, hot dogs, dressings, tomato paste, granola bars, vinegar and much more.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) mandates that any food or beverage containing sulfites above 10 parts per million must declare it on the label or under the ingredient list. If you have a sulfite sensitivity, look out for these ingredients: potassium bisulfite, sodium bisulfite, sodium sulfite and sulfur dioxide.

Still, food recalls due to undeclared sulfites do happen. And sulfites are also present in some medications that contain gelatin, certain eye drops and injectable corticosteroids.

If you know you have an allergy, it’s important to be prepared.

“Exposing oneself to food that [you] are allergic to — for instance, not reading labels,” can be risky, Namazy says. So can forgetting your EpiPen.

2. Natural products

Some ingredients in so-called natural products can “cause allergies such as contact dermatitis,” Ogden says.

Allergic contact dermatitis is an itchy, red skin rash caused by direct contact with an allergen. It can erupt on the skin within hours of exposure or sooner and last for weeks.

On brown and Black skin, the rash can appear leathery and hyperpigmented; on white skin, the rash is typically scaly and cracked. Blisters may form, and the skin may burn and feel tender.

Beware of the botanical milk thistle, “which is related to fall ragweed and can cause a reaction if you are allergic to ragweed,” Ogden says. And many products include “fragrance” on their ingredient lists, which can cause itchy, rash-type symptoms.

“Fragrance is one of the top triggers of contact dermatitis,” Ogden says.

Some people don’t realize they’re allergic to a product until they go out in the sun; exposure to sunlight causes a reaction known as photoallergic contact dermatitis. Namazy says typical symptoms of photoallergic contact dermatitis include itching, blisters, red skin and swelling.

Other common causes of allergic contact dermatitis are not-so-natural products like adhesives for false eyelashes and toupees, nail polishes, hair dyes, perfumes and latex.

3. A familiar food

Allergies can emerge at any age, even after years of exposure and even if you’ve never had an issue with a food or medication.

“Many adults may not realize that foods they have eaten for years or even medications they have taken can cause an allergy,” Ogden says.

In fact, a survey of more than 40,000 people found that nearly half of adults with a food allergy developed it in adulthood. The research was published in the journal JAMA Network Open.

Fish and shellfish are among the more common foods that can spark an allergy in adults, Ogden says.

Another common adult-onset sensitivity is lactose intolerance (or malabsorption). This is different from a true dairy allergy, which is an immune system disorder but nevertheless causes uncomfortable gastrointestinal symptoms for sufferers.

4. Houseplants

Houseplants can contribute to your allergy woes. One reason is mold, which can grow in the soil and irritate people with mold allergies, Namazy says. (Sometimes avoiding overwatering will do the trick to keep mold at bay.)

Another reason is dust, which can collect on the leaves. And some plants are allergenic and can cause symptoms when you touch them or breathe the indoor air around them.

When to see a doctor

Don’t let your allergy symptoms go untreated. Talk to your doctor if over-the-counter remedies are not controlling your symptoms, Namazy says, or if your symptoms persist beyond a few days.

“Do not wait for weeks to go by,” Ogden says. Untreated or undertreated allergies “can lead to severe consequences, like bronchitis with intractable cough, asthma exacerbation with shortness of breath, cough and breathing issues, sinusitis and conjunctivitis,” an eye infection.

Finally, consider getting tested for allergies. Knowing what’s causing your allergies can help you avoid your triggers.

Editor’s note: This story, first published April 17, 2023, was updated with new information on April 8, 2026.

%{postComment}%

Jeanette Beebe is a journalist whose work has appeared in Time, Popular Science, Scientific American and elsewhere. She lives in Akron, Ohio. She attended the 2024 conference with the support of a journalism fellowship from the Gerontological Society of America, the Journalists Network on Generations and the Silver Century Foundation.