Pollen, mold spores, pet dander and dust mites may exacerbate asthma symptoms for some individuals – coughing, wheezing and shortness of breath among them.
If you suffer from this condition, it’s essential that you recognize what causes its symptoms so that you can take steps to avoid them. Furthermore, obtain quick-acting medications which may assist during an attack as well as long-term management solutions.
Symptoms
Allergic asthma symptoms include wheezing, breathlessness and chest tightness caused by inflammation and narrowing of airways caused by exposure to allergens like pollen, mold spores, pet dander or dust mites. Allergies resemble asthma but differ due to how their symptoms manifest themselves: Allergies involve immune reactions that release histamine; this results in runny noses, itchy eyes or skin rashes while asthma is an ongoing chronic condition with more complex responses to triggers than its counterpart.
People suffering from allergies have an overly sensitive immune system which reacts adversely to normally harmless substances known as allergens, such as pollen from trees, grasses and weeds, dust mites, mold spores animal dander and cockroaches. When an allergen comes in contact with our immune systems antibodies bind with it releasing chemicals which cause swelling in nose, throat and eyes along with hives or skin rashes.
Your doctor will conduct a full physical exam and take your temperature, in addition to asking about your family medical history and performing allergy testing, lung function tests, allergy testing, blood work and lung function tests as needed. Based on your allergy history and whether seasonal or year-round allergies exist for you, they may order lung function tests, allergy testing and blood work as appropriate. Based on whether seasonal or year-round allergies exist for you they will recommend treatment accordingly – typically fast-acting inhalers like fluticasone (Flonase), Budesonide (Pulmicort Flexhaler) and mometasone (Asmanex).
Diagnosis
First step to diagnosis involves gathering an extensive medical history. Your physician will also conduct a physical exam and perform breathing tests. A specific IgE blood test can identify hundreds of allergens triggering symptoms; it should only be conducted under the supervision of an allergist board-certified in allergy.
If your allergy tests come back positive, chances are high that you have allergic asthma. The main symptom is wheezing caused by inhaling allergens like pet dander, dust mites, mold and pollen; breathing them causes your airways to constrict making breathing harder than before.
An alternative way of diagnosing allergic asthma is a skin prick test, in which your doctor pokes your skin with small needles containing allergens and waits to see whether any red or discolored bumps appear as signs that your immune system has identified and tried to protect you from them. These hives indicate how sensitive you are.
Doctors may perform a provocation test, which involves gradually increasing amounts of potential asthma triggers until you experience severe reactions including vomiting and shock; should this happen, seek medical attention immediately as this could be life-threatening anaphylaxis.
Treatment
Allergies and asthma often co-occur, sharing similar triggers such as pollen, pet dander, mold spores and dust mites as allergens that tighten airways and produce excess mucus, leading to wheezing, coughing, shortness of breath or chest tightness. Allergic asthma is a long-term illness with no definitive cure; however medication can help manage symptoms.
Treatment starts by identifying what triggers your allergies and asthma symptoms, which may require testing from healthcare professionals. Monitoring when and where symptoms appear may help identify potential allergens that can aggravate these issues.
Your immune system’s initial reaction to an allergen is to produce IgE antibodies to combat it, releasing other chemicals that trigger nasal congestion, itchy eyes and sneezing – or over time even more serious reactions such as bronchial hyperresponsiveness in which airways narrow and excess mucus is produced by your body.
Medical treatments used for allergic asthma include short-acting beta-agonists (bronchodilators) such as albuterol (ProAir, Ventolin), leukotriene modifiers like zafirlukast (Zantac) and mast cell stabilizers like budesonide (Benair, Prevair) that reduce the release of chemicals that cause inflammation; antihistamines like Azelastine (Astepro) and Cetirizine (Zyrtec) help block histamines to decrease allergy-related mucus production; long-term allergy asthma medications include corticosteroids to reduce inflammation in the airways such as Fluticasone (Flonase) or Budesonide (Pulmicort Flexhaler); while immunotherapy (or allergy shots) can reduce immune responses over time against certain allergens over time;
Prevention
Asthma and allergies increase your risk for additional health conditions; managing both of them effectively is vital to living a fulfilling, productive life.
Allergic asthma symptoms are caused by airborne allergens like mold, dust mites, pet dander and tree, grass and weed pollen which irritate airways resulting in coughing and wheezing symptoms of asthma.
Your immune system serves to defend you against bacteria and viruses, but sometimes overreacts when confronted by foreign substances like allergens. Your body produces antibodies against these allergens which cause asthma symptoms to worsen when exposed to cold or dry air, exercise, a virus or certain medications like aspirin or acetaminophen (Tylenol).
There are ways to prevent allergy and asthma symptoms, a healthcare professional can assist you in finding out what triggers them and devising a plan to mitigate them. This may involve limiting exposure to pollen during peak pollen times; wearing a mask while cleaning; or investing in an air purifier at home.
Avoid asthma attacks by taking medications to control allergy and asthma symptoms, such as antihistamines or leukotriene modifiers like montelukast (Singulair). Your healthcare provider may recommend allergy immunotherapy, which involves gradually increasing amounts of an allergen until you build up a tolerance over time.
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