Allergic asthma is often brought on by airborne allergens such as dust mites, pollen, pet dander and mold that trigger symptoms like chest tightness, coughing and wheezing.
Asthma symptoms can be managed using both quick-acting medications and long-term solutions, prescribed by your physician after discussion of symptoms and family history. He or she will determine which is the most appropriate.
Symptoms
Wheezing, chest tightness and shortness of breath are the main symptoms of allergic asthma. Wheezing refers to a high-pitched sound made when breathing in or out, often heard by others or just yourself. Chest tightness occurs when something presses against or squeezes against your chest making breathing difficult; breathing difficulties may be brought on by exercise, cold air or certain foods such as dairy products, fish eggs and nuts which make breathing harder than it needs to be. Fatigue often follows as extra effort must be exerted just to breathe properly.
Allergies are a chronic autoimmune condition in which the immune system’s reaction to harmless substances called allergens results in inflammation and swelling of nasal passages, sinuses and airways in the lungs resulting in thick mucus production that clogs airways making breathing more difficult; symptoms often include runny nose, itchy eyes or skin rashes.
Allergies and asthma often coexist, with both conditions having an intricate relationship between themselves. When exposed to allergens that trigger both conditions, symptoms from both conditions will appear simultaneously: runny nose and itchy eyes in addition to wheezing, chest tightness and difficulty breathing are just two signs that the two conditions may be related.
Diagnosis
If you or your child exhibit symptoms of allergic asthma, such as wheezing and difficulty breathing, visit a physician immediately. Your physician will review your medical history and conduct a physical exam; additionally they may inquire into your family history of allergies, eczema (bumpy rash) and lung problems; furthermore they’ll want to understand your work and play environments and whether any substances such as animal dander, mold spores, cleaning products or tobacco smoke worsen symptoms.
Healthcare professionals do not know exactly what causes allergic asthma, but it often runs in families. Children and adults can both be affected, typically beginning in early childhood. People suffering from this form of asthma are also more likely to have other allergic conditions like hay fever and atopic dermatitis (eczema), as well as being more sensitive to allergens like pet dander, pollen, dust mites or mold spores than others.
The doctor will perform a lung function test to assess how well your lungs are working and conduct blood tests to look for certain white blood cells that cause swelling in your airways, like eosinophils. They may also perform skin prick tests to determine if you are allergic to certain common allergens; allergy immunotherapy — a treatment designed to train the immune system to tolerate allergens — may be an option for some with allergic asthma.
Treatment
If pollen, pet dander, mold spores or other triggers pose an ongoing threat, work with your doctor to find effective treatments. There are various medications available – long-acting control medication to reduce inflammation as well as quick relief inhalers – available as options to assist.
Step one of your treatment plan should involve identifying which allergens and triggers are causing your allergies and asthma attacks, and conducting skin testing or breathing tests to assess how your lungs work.
Your doctor will then customize a treatment plan based on your unique needs, with the goal of keeping allergic asthma under control at all times so you can lead a full and normal life.
Long-term control medications (known as inhaled corticosteroids) may help to decrease inflammation in your lungs and airways, while quick relief inhalers may quickly open up your airways during a flare. Some inhalers combine steroids with bronchodilators.
Antihistamines can provide immediate relief from itchy eyes and runny nose caused by allergy symptoms. You can take antihistamines either orally or via nasal spray without making you sleepy. People suffering from severe allergic asthma may benefit from allergen immunotherapy which reduces sensitivity over time by gradually building tolerance to certain allergens through shots or sublingual tablets.
Prevention
Asthmatic asthma prevention should focus on limiting exposure to allergens. This may mean staying away from known triggers like mold, pests, secondhand smoke and air pollution as well as irritating dust mites or chemical sprays. Furthermore, getting an annual flu shot as well as pneumococcal vaccine (which prevents pneumonia) and tetanus, diphtheria and whooping cough booster shots — especially among people who suffer from asthma — is advised.
Genetics and environment both play a role in whether someone develops allergic asthma. Certain factors can raise someone’s risk, including respiratory infections in children or teenagers as they mature, viral respiratory infections and environmental pollutants like air pollutants, house dust mites fumes or secondhand smoke exposure. People assigned as female at birth as well as black individuals are at a greater risk.
Healthcare professionals can diagnose allergic asthma by conducting an interview about symptoms and triggers, performing a physical exam and ordering blood tests to measure levels of antibodies called IgE in your bloodstream. These test results may allow the healthcare professional to determine if allergy immunotherapy would benefit you; it involves administering gradually increasing doses of allergen over time in order to condition the immune system so as to better tolerate substances which cause an allergic response.
Comments are closed