Allergic asthma is a form of asthma triggered by allergies to dust mites, pet dander or pollen that cause the immune system to overreact and release chemicals that narrow airways, leading to coughing and wheezing episodes.
People suffering from allergic asthma can undergo allergy tests or spirometry tests to gauge how effectively their lungs function. Treatment typically includes taking medicines that reduce inflammation while opening airways.
Symptoms
Allergies cause your airways to become inflamed and constrict, making breathing harder than normal. They are the leading cause of asthma in America, affecting 25 million people annually. People with allergies have an exaggerated reaction to allergens found in their environment such as dust mites, animal dander, pollen, mold spores or cockroach allergens (found in their feces, saliva or body parts).
These allergens enter your airways through your nose, mouth or eyes and trigger antibodies called immunoglobulin E in your immune system, which travel to cells lining your airways and trigger chemicals such as histamine. Histamine causes blood vessels to widen while tightening muscles in your airways as you inhale, tightening them even more when inhaled.
Asthmatic symptoms usually consist of wheezing, chest tightness and shortness of breath. These can be brought on by any substance that triggers an immune response such as smoking (cigarettes, marijuana or electronic cigarettes), cold air exposure during exercise or viral infections as well as certain medications like Acetaminophen.
Allergy-induced asthma symptoms often worsen during certain seasons when pollen and other allergens are more abundant, such as spring, summer and fall. Humid weather is another key trigger, along with indoor irritants like dust mites, cigarette smoke or strong fragrances from perfumes, cleaning products or candles that contain strong scents that could worsen an attack of asthma.
Diagnosis
It is vital for anyone experiencing symptoms of allergic asthma to seek medical advice as soon as possible. Your physician or healthcare provider will conduct a physical exam and listen to your chest and lungs with a stethoscope, ask about family allergies/asthma history and recommend you use a peak flow meter to test how well your lungs are working.
Allergic asthma is often brought on by allergens like dust mites, pet dander, mold and pollen which cause your immune system to overreact and release chemicals which cause lung passages to swell up with mucus, leading to difficulty breathing, coughing and wheezing symptoms.
People living with allergic asthma are at an increased risk for severe and persistent symptoms that interfere with work, school and daily activities – such as school or extracurricular sports participation – leading to frequent medical appointments or hospital stays.
Allergy testing can help determine if your symptoms are due to allergies or something else. The process involves applying small amounts of allergen solutions directly onto your skin or back and having a doctor gently prick this area with a sterile lancet; they’ll then observe whether your skin swells up and produces welts. Your physician may also suggest blood testing to check for IgE antibodies against certain allergens.
Treatment
No cure exists for allergic asthma; however, medications help control symptoms and avoid complications. Your treatment plan will depend on which allergens trigger your symptoms as well as other health conditions like eczema or hay fever; your doctor may suggest avoiding allergens that worsen them while using nasal saline rinses with either a squeeze bottle or Neti pot daily and taking prescription or over-the-counter allergy medicines to manage them effectively.
Medication may include short-acting inhalers (often known as rescue inhalers) that quickly open the airways to treat an asthma attack; and long-acting inhalers that keep airways open more gradually to make breathing more easy on a daily basis. Other drugs, including leukotriene modifiers and antihistamines in tablet, liquid or spray form can reduce airway inflammation while running nose and itchy eyes symptoms are reduced as well.
Immunotherapy – or allergy shots – may also help control allergic asthma. By gradually decreasing your immune response to allergens through regular doses injected at doctor’s offices (usually once or twice per week for several months and eventually once monthly for three or five years), immunotherapy gradually diminishes their effect. Studies are being done into other forms of immunotherapy such as sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) pills that dissolve sublingually under the tongue; gene therapy could also alter how your immune system responds.
Prevention
People living with allergies and asthma can take steps to help prevent flare-ups by working with healthcare professionals to identify specific triggers of their allergy symptoms, then learn how to avoid them. It is also vitally important that they receive regular vaccinations, including the flu shot, pneumonia vaccines (PCV15 or PCV20), Tdap vaccine, which protects against tetanus, diphtheria, whooping cough and zoster (shingles).
People should also take long-term control medications daily to maintain healthy airways and prevent allergic reactions. These may include bronchodilators which open the airways or leukotriene modifiers which reduce production of chemicals that contribute to airway inflammation.
Other preventive measures may include staying inside during times when pollen or mold levels are high, avoiding secondhand smoke, keeping pets indoors, washing bedding and stuffed toys regularly, keeping humidity levels at home low to reduce dust mites that can become allergenic, using HEPA filters on vacuum cleaners to remove allergens, washing carpets rugs curtains weekly etc… Additionally, individuals should keep track of their symptoms regularly by keeping a diary and meeting with healthcare providers to discuss them regularly so as to recognize when symptoms worsen and make appropriate adjustments in treatment plans accordingly.
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