Allergic asthma is the most prevalent form of the condition and usually begins by inhaling allergens such as pet dander, pollen or mold into one’s airways and being inhaled into their immune systems. These allergens cause their immune systems to respond by swelling up airways and narrowing them.
Many people are curious to understand how allergies and asthma interact. A Mayo Clinic allergist provides insight into this relationship as well as ways to identify triggers.
Symptoms
Persons suffering from allergic asthma experience symptoms including wheezing, chest tightness and shortness of breath. This happens when they inhale allergenic substances like pet dander, tree or weed pollen, mold spores or dust mites; dust mite feces; or even cockroach feces that they are sensitive to.
Immune system misperception causes airways to constrict, leading to inflammation and tightening. Runny nose, itchy eyes and sneezing may result. If symptoms worsen without treatment they could even lead to respiratory failure which requires immediate medical care.
Mild asthma attacks usually last from minutes to an hour and can usually be controlled with medications, while severe attacks are life-threatening and could even result in death if left untreated.
In order to correctly diagnose allergic asthma, doctors take an extensive medical history and perform various tests. An allergy skin prick test is one of the most reliable diagnostic tools used by healthcare providers. After 15 minutes, skin will be poked with a needle containing small quantities of allergen and then examined for redness or raised welts that indicate allergies. If this diagnosis holds true for you, treatment options will likely be prescribed in order to alleviate symptoms.
Diagnosis
Healthcare professionals use medical and family histories to diagnose allergic asthma. People living with this condition are likely to also suffer from other autoimmune conditions like eczema and hay fever; and are more susceptible to environmental irritants like tobacco smoke, aerosol cleaning products, wood fires, strong odors and histamine-containing foods than others.
Airway inflammation caused by allergy-induced asthma causes its airways to narrow, making breathing harder and leading to wheezing, coughing and difficulty in the form of asthma attacks. These attacks often manifest themselves during exercise, stress or illness resulting in wheezing coughing difficulty breathing during these situations as well.
Allergy tests can assist in identifying allergens that aggravate asthma symptoms, including dust mites, pollen, pet dander and mold. Most commonly done through skin prick testing or blood testing which detect IgE antibodies against common allergens.
Lung function tests such as spirometry can measure how effectively the lungs are operating, and other tests may include chest x-rays or electrocardiography (ECG). People suffering from allergic asthma may benefit from immunotherapy treatment to increase tolerance to specific allergens – either taken as pills, injections or sublingual immunotherapy tablets that dissolve under the tongue (sublingual immunotherapy). Immunotherapy treatments have been proven to significantly decrease asthma attacks while providing significant relief – although they won’t completely eliminate them.
Treatment
There are both long-term and quick-acting treatments for allergic asthma. These may include medications administered via inhaler (such as Fluticasone), steroids or montelukast in pill form, or nasal sprays like Loratadine or Zafirlin; your physician will determine which approach best addresses your symptoms based on how often and severe they occur.
Allergy medication can help to both prevent asthma symptoms and decrease airway inflammation. Common allergy medicines include antihistamines such as loratadine and zafirlin as well as inhaled corticosteroids such as fluticasone, budesonide, and mometasone; other options may include leukotriene modifiers which reduce airway swelling caused by allergies; as well as newer injection medicines which alter how your immune system responds to allergens (biologics).
Your doctor can also work with you to identify what causes your allergies and asthma attacks, and help you avoid them. For instance, they might recommend hiring someone to cut the grass if pollen sensitivity is an issue or keeping pets out of bedrooms when possible if pet dander allergies are an issue.
When facing a severe asthma attack, seek emergency medical treatment immediately. This could involve going directly to a hospital, calling 911 or simply seeking oxygen assistance; you could experience blue lips and fingernails; feeling dizzy; faint; or vomitting could all indicate signs that need prompting.
Prevention
There may not be an absolute cure for asthma, but taking medications can manage symptoms and stop flare-ups from happening. Being aware of triggers and taking long-term control medicines daily are essential, while quick relief medication should also be taken immediately during flare-ups as necessary.
Healthcare professionals may recommend that individuals with allergic asthma undergo allergy testing in order to identify allergens which exacerbate symptoms, including skin prick or blood tests that measure sensitivities to common allergens such as dust mites, pet dander and mold. Lung function testing such as spirometry may also be conducted to ascertain how efficiently their lungs are operating and how much air can pass through them.
Allergies can trigger asthma symptoms by prompting the immune system to overreact against certain substances found in the environment – known as triggers – such as pet dander, dust mites, mold spores, pollen from trees or grass, changes in weather or strong soaps/perfumes.
Avoiding allergens that trigger asthma is key to avoiding flare-ups, whether this means hiring someone to cut the lawn if grass and weeds irritate you, washing bedding and stuffed animals regularly in hot water, eliminating carpet from rooms where children sleep while protecting pillows and mattresses with dust-proof covers, swapping out rugs with hardwood or linoleum floors, or installing HEPA filters in both home and car settings.
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