Allergic asthma develops when an overreaction of an individual’s immune system to inhaled allergens leads to shortness of breath, coughing and wheezing symptoms. Allergens such as dust mites, pet dander, mold spores or pollen from trees, grasses or weeds released at various seasons is the cause.
Individuals suffering from allergic asthma should collaborate closely with healthcare providers to develop tailored plans to control symptoms. Medications available include bronchodilators and antihistamines which open airways while decreasing inflammation.
Symptoms
Asthmatic symptoms typically include wheezing, chest tightness and shortness of breath. People living with allergic asthma may also experience fatigue from expending their energy trying to get oxygen into their lungs – leading them to feel out-of-shape or tired, potentially interfering with daily activities and even their quality of life.
When an individual with allergic asthma inhales an allergen, their immune system recognizes it as potentially dangerous substance and responds by tightening muscles around their airways and producing extra mucus – making breathing difficult and making symptoms worse.
Pollen, dust mites, pet dander and mold spores can all trigger allergies; in addition, many of the same substances that aggravate those allergies also trigger asthma in some individuals. Allergens can also be found on skin or food sources (like cockroaches that contain both feces and saliva).
Methods for detecting allergies that trigger asthma include taking note of what triggers symptoms. For instance, if they increase during the spring and autumn seasons, that could indicate an allergy to trees, grass or ragweed that release their pollen at that time of year. Blood or skin tests can identify specific allergens; you and your doctor can then treat these allergens accordingly, while possibly also prescribing medications to help alleviate your asthma symptoms.
Diagnosis
Healthcare providers use various tests and measures to accurately diagnose allergic asthma. A healthcare professional will ask about your symptoms, what makes them better or worse and conduct a physical exam; then may perform a spirometry test to gauge lung functionality – this test can help them determine whether you have mild, moderate or severe asthma.
Other diagnostic tests include methacholine challenges, chest X-rays and imaging studies of the lungs. In addition, allergy testing such as skin and blood testing will be done to determine whether seasonal or year-round allergies are contributing to asthma symptoms, such as pet dander, mold spores, dust mites or pollen causing inflammation.
Your doctor will discuss your allergy triggers and may suggest treatments such as saline rinse, nasal corticosteroids spray, decongestants or even glucocorticoids (steroid medicines) to manage symptoms and reduce inflammation. Your doctor may also prescribe asthma control medicines and quick-relief drugs you can take by mouth or via an inhaler device, as well as allergy immunotherapy – a therapy treatment which reduces sensitivity to allergens by training your immune system to become less reactive to them. Your healthcare provider will also discuss ways to avoid triggers, which could include things such as cigarette smoke, cold or dry air and pollutants; hiring someone to cut your lawn; washing bedding regularly with allergen-proof sheets and pillows; hiring someone else to cut the grass when needed and so on.
Treatment
Asthma may be an incurable condition, but its symptoms can be managed with medications and avoidance of triggers. Regular check-in appointments should ensure your symptoms remain under control.
Your doctor will perform tests to assess your personal and family medical histories as well as lung tests designed to detect asthma. These may include spirometry and fractional exhaled nitrous oxide (FeNO) testing; additionally they may conduct skin prick or blood allergy testing to see what allergens you’re sensitive to in order to determine if allergies could be contributing to asthma attacks.
If you have mild persistent asthma, your doctor will likely start by providing you with a rescue inhaler containing fast-acting medicines to open up the airways quickly and help open them when symptoms flare up, such as wheezing or shortness of breath. When used during an episode of symptoms such as wheezing or shortness of breath, this inhaler can help relieve them quickly so you can breathe easier until they pass.
Your other options for treating nasal allergy sprays without making you sleepy include nasal allergy sprays that do not make you drowsy, saline rinses and antihistamines to reduce inflammation. If your allergy-induced asthma is severe, an allergist may suggest immunotherapy – this treatment builds tolerance to allergens over time and may reduce or eliminate allergy and asthma symptoms altogether.
Immunotherapy treatments include allergy shots or sublingual immunotherapy tablets. Your allergist will be able to advise whether this approach would be best suited for you.
Prevention
Good news is that effective treatments exist for allergic asthma. This includes medications to alleviate symptoms like inhalers and antihistamines, as well as measures that may prevent allergens from sparking allergic reactions or asthma attacks.
Allergens are substances that irritate or trigger allergy symptoms in some individuals, including runny nose, itchy eyes and throat irritation, coughing, wheezing and difficulty breathing. When allergic individuals breathe in allergens, their immune systems produce chemicals like histamine that increase blood flow while narrowing airways resulting in symptoms like runny nose.
Dust mites, mold, pet dander and cockroaches are among the many allergens known to trigger asthma in humans, while pollen from trees, grasses and weeds, cigarette smoke fumes and fumes also can irritate airways and contribute to respiratory infections. Other triggers may include cold air exposure during exercise and respiratory infections.
Asthma patients can use avoidance strategies to lower the risks associated with allergen exposure in order to decrease attacks, including cleaning your living space, washing stuffed animals and other items regularly, and using airtight covers on mattresses and pillows. Other treatments available such as allergy immunotherapy involve gradually exposing small amounts of allergen over time in order to desensitize themselves – either via injections or tablets that dissolve under the tongue – until desensitization has taken effect. In addition to an annual flu shot and pneumococcal (Tdap or PCV15 or PCV20) vaccination are highly recommended.
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