Allergens such as pollen, dust mites and pet dander can trigger asthma attacks. Physical activity, respiratory infections, air pollution, aerosol cleaning products and tobacco smoke may aggravate symptoms further.
Healthcare professionals can diagnose allergic asthma through physical exam and lung function tests. Additionally, they may administer allergy testing through skin or blood samples.
Symptoms
Contrary to other forms of asthma, allergic asthma is caused by environmental allergens such as dust mites, animal dander (fur or dried skin flakes), mold spores, grass pollen, cockroach allergens and certain foods. When people with allergic asthma inhale these allergens, their immune systems overreact and cause irritation of airway passageways; leading to difficulty breathing, coughing and wheezing as a result.
Asthma and allergies frequently co-occur. When people inhale allergens, the immune system reacts by producing chemicals like histamine that are then released by nasal passages, sinuses and airways in the lungs to swell and produce extra mucus production; this leads to symptoms like sneezing, runny nose and itchy eyes – classic allergy symptoms!
When allergies and asthma coexist, symptoms can worsen dramatically and even result in an asthma attack. Common irritants include physical activity, tobacco smoke and respiratory infections – such as allergens – making this combination even more potent.
Healthcare professionals diagnose asthma by reviewing a person’s history of symptoms and performing lung function tests. A skin test may also be performed to pinpoint specific allergens responsible. For allergy-induced asthma sufferers, medications including inhalers to provide quick-relief medicine directly into the lungs as well as preventative controls can help manage their condition and help manage attacks more effectively.
Diagnosis
Healthcare providers typically perform several steps in diagnosing allergic asthma: reviewing symptoms and medical history, performing physical exams and lung tests, asking when symptoms occur, what makes them worse or better, any family histories of allergies, hay fever, respiratory infections or any other health conditions; performing lung function tests on samples taken at different points during an allergy attack and so forth.
Allergic asthma symptoms result from an immune system’s overreaction to allergens, leading to inflamed and constricted airways. Seasonal and year-round allergens like trees, grasses, weeds or pet dander, mold spores or dust mites may all trigger allergic responses in some individuals, which then manifests themselves through symptoms that resemble asthmatic attacks.
As part of an allergy testing process, healthcare professionals use a stethoscope to listen to your breathing and may run other tests to assess how well your lungs are working. They may conduct skin prick tests or blood tests to pinpoint which allergens and asthma triggers are triggering your symptoms; once identified they can offer ways to avoid them such as hiring someone to cut the lawn if grass pollen is an issue or using air purifiers in your home if you have pets. They may even prescribe medications known as bronchodilatorss/steroids which help control inflammation within your lungs as well as prevent asthma attacks; such bronchodilators/steroids medications will provide relief from both conditions and potentially reduce or avoidance based on what has been discovered during testing sessions.
Treatment
There are various treatment options available to control allergic asthma. These may include medications to reduce airway inflammation and avoid attacks, rescue inhalers that provide fast-acting medicine in an emergency, and medications which regulate certain inflammatory cells like eosinophils in blood levels that may reduce symptoms as well as medications which help control them.
Pet dander, dust mites, and pollen can trigger asthma in some individuals. Exposure to such allergens causes the body to produce antibodies called immunoglobulin E (IgE). IgE produces chemicals which then release histamine that causes symptoms like runny noses, itchy eyes, sneezing fits as your body fights off allergens in its attempts at removal.
People seeking relief from allergy-related symptoms such as itchy eyes, runny nose and congestion can use nonprescription and prescription antihistamines, decongestants, corticosteroids or cromolyn nasal sprays; however these drugs will not treat or cure asthma.
Allergy shots may provide the closest thing to a cure for allergic asthma by gradually decreasing an individual’s sensitivity to particular allergens. Other treatments that may help include leukotriene modifiers that reduce lung inflammation and the injectable medication Xolair that reduces IgE production and eosinophil levels, along with an asthma action plan tailored specifically to each person that includes how and when to take medications as well as symptoms management outlined by your physician at each visit – they will then adjust medication as necessary based on this plan! Your physician will ask about any symptoms at each visit so that he or she can adjust medications as necessary based on individual needs or concerns and adjust accordingly.
Prevention
Asthma can’t be prevented entirely, but steps can be taken to minimize exposure to triggers. Allergies are the leading cause of asthma attacks, and your individual allergy profile is one of the best predictors for whether or not symptoms will arise.
Allergens (things that trigger an immune response) can be found everywhere, both indoors and out. Indoor allergens include mold, dust mites, pet dander and chemicals from paint or furniture; while outdoors these allergens could include pollen from trees, grasses or weeds pollen as well as mold mildew or air pollution.
People can avoid triggers by identifying them and taking preventive medications regularly – especially prior to activities that could increase symptoms (like exercise). Allergy testing can be an invaluable first step in identifying problem allergens; healthcare professionals use skin prick tests with various allergens, poking small amounts into your skin with pinpricks of small allergen samples until it induces swelling, redness or an itchy bump (called a wheal) which are symptoms that indicate you may be allergic.
If allergies are an issue, healthcare professionals may suggest allergy immunotherapy as a treatment plan. This method involves gradually exposing the body to small doses of an allergen over time in order to build tolerance of it over time and decrease long-term asthma medication usage. Children can receive this treatment in form of shots or sublingual tablets; additionally flu and pneumonia vaccination can help protect them against asthma flare-ups.
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