Allergic asthma occurs when an allergen makes your airways inflamed, leading to symptoms such as runny nose, sneezing, itchy eyes or skin and more.
Substances that trigger allergic rhinitis (hay fever) may also induce asthma symptoms, leading to medications to manage symptoms and limit exposure, plus immunotherapy treatments that gradually build tolerance to specific allergens over time.
Medications
Due to allergic asthma’s lack of cure, medications may help manage symptoms and lessen risk. A two-prong approach is usually suggested: quick-acting remedies should be used as soon as symptoms appear; long-term controller medicines help decrease inflammation in the lungs by helping prevent future attacks or worsen existing ones.
Short-acting medications, or rescue inhalers, quickly open airways temporarily to relieve symptoms such as wheezing and difficulty breathing. Doctors advise everyone with asthma to carry one of these short-acting inhalers like albuterol (Proair, Ventolin and others) or levalbuterol (Xopenex).
Long-term medications aim to keep airways open over an extended period to decrease inflammation and improve breathing, and may include inhaled steroids like fluticasone, budesonide, mometasone, beclomethasone as well as leukotriene modifiers like montelukast sodium, zafirlukast sodium and zileuton as well as anticholinergics like ipratropium bromide (Spiriva Respimat).
Allergen immunotherapy — also referred to as allergy shots or subcutaneous immunotherapy — works to increase tolerance to allergens, thus decreasing or eliminating symptoms by increasing immunoglobulin E (IgE), produced in response to them. Typically this therapy takes the form of injections every 2-8 weeks or sublingual immunotherapy tablets that dissolve on your tongue; other newer medications target cells, pathways and proteins responsible for inflammation within your lungs to help improve breathing; these include benralizumab (Fasenra), dupilumab (Dupixent), Reslizumab (Cinqair) and Omalizumab (Xolair).
Lifestyle changes
Medication may help control asthma symptoms, but lifestyle modifications also play a vital role. Eating healthily, getting sufficient sleep and being physically active are all ways you can strengthen lung function and decrease asthma symptoms.
Allergic asthma occurs when your immune system reacts to airborne allergens such as dust mites, pollen, animal dander, mold spores and tree grass/weed pollen pollen causing airways to tighten and produce mucus, making breathing difficult. Your symptoms may worsen if these allergens appear at certain times of year such as tree grass/weed pollen pollen during spring or ragweed/mold spores during fall – the latter two being most prevalent during these seasons of year.
Cleanliness is of utmost importance in managing asthma effectively. Additionally, spending too much time outdoors when air quality drops can trigger your symptoms; an air cleaner could also be used in the home to improve indoor air quality.
Exercise can aid your lung function and ease asthma symptoms, but always consult your physician first before beginning any physical activity. Smoking or secondhand smoke exposure can aggravate existing asthmatic symptoms while eating healthy meals filled with fruits, vegetables and whole grains can improve lung health. Be sure to drink plenty of water throughout the day as staying hydrated can keep airways moist and reduce irritation.
Avoiding triggers
Triggers of allergic asthma for many individuals include allergens, irritants and exercise; by avoiding these things they can help to minimize asthma symptoms and the need for quick-relief medicines. Everyone’s triggers differ but here are a few general strategies you could try:
Allergens are substances that cause allergic reactions in the lungs, such as dust mites, pet dander (flakes of skin), molds, cockroach droppings or pollen. Allergy testing can help identify which allergens you’re reacting to.
Irritants can exacerbate asthma by inflaming airways and tightening them, leading to wheezing, coughing and shortness of breath. Common triggers include smoke, chemical fumes, cold air or emotions such as anger.
Avoiding exercise can help ease asthma symptoms and the need for immediate-relief medicines, with children with allergic asthma particularly being sensitive to intense sports activity like running. Talk with their physician regarding what amount and when of exercise should be performed.
Keep a diary of when and what makes your asthma symptoms worse, this is known as keeping an asthma journal or personal asthma triggers list. Use symptom tracker to help identify triggers. Also download and print the Asthma Triggers Reducer Sheet PDF; translated worksheets are available in Burmese, Chinese, Hmong, Russian and Spanish for added help identifying them.
Follow-up care
Following an episode of asthma exacerbation, healthcare professionals often recommend that the patient make follow-up appointments with either their primary care physician (PCP) or specialist. Unfortunately, however, many do not adhere to these recommendations and many scheduled follow-up contacts (>=2 during 10-yr follow-up) were arranged between their ED and patient for scheduled follow-up contacts, with those participating having higher adherence to ICS medication than those not involved. A randomized trial demonstrated that phone coaching and financial incentives improve participation in planned follow-up after an emergency visit for asthma episode.
These visits should consist of education on asthma self-management, verification of appropriate inhaler technique, testing symptoms and peak flow measurements, as well as identification and avoidance of triggers. Patients should always carry an action plan and prescription for quick relief medication with them at all times.
Healthcare providers, asthma and allergy doctors can assist their patients in learning to monitor their own health by keeping a diary of symptoms and peak flow readings. They may advise lifestyle changes to control ongoing health issues that contribute to asthma such as obesity, obstructive sleep apnea, acid reflux and stress; provide education on ways to avoid allergen exposure (smoking), as well as ways to avoid exposure to allergens that could potentially exacerbate asthma attacks; offer allergy blood or skin testing to identify specific allergens; offer education regarding avoidance measures against allergen exposures; provide education on ways to avoid allergens when exposed; provide education on ways to avoid exposure; as per individual they may suggest blood or skin testing to identify allergens specific for them based on individual’s allergies.
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