People suffering from allergic asthma have reactions to allergens like dust mites, mold spores and pet dander which trigger coughing and wheezing episodes. When inhaled these triggers worsen symptoms such as coughing and wheezing.
Allergies can be caused by food, air pollution and certain medicines; they also tend to run in families. People with allergy-induced asthma are more likely to have atopic dermatitis, eczema and seasonal allergies such as hay fever; these people also tend to be more vulnerable to infections.
Symptoms
People suffering from allergic asthma suffer from an allergy which inflames and narrows their airways, making breathing difficult. Their symptoms are triggered by breathing in substances known as allergens like dust mites, mold spores, grass pollen, pet dander and cockroaches – with other potential triggers including smoke, cold air, exercise, changes in weather patterns or strong chemicals or smells also being factors.
As soon as an allergy-sufferer breathes in an allergen, their immune system reacts by secreting chemicals called histamines, which cause familiar symptoms of sneezing fits and watery eyes associated with allergies. Histamines also cause tightening and swelling of lung muscles to block airways – two hallmark symptoms.
Swelling causes muscles surrounding the airways to become sensitive, leading to tight chest tightening and wheezing due to air passing through narrowed passageways. Swollen airways cannot easily expand so your body produces extra mucus in an attempt to clear passages; this may ultimately prevent oxygen entering while carbon dioxide exits resulting in life-threatening inability to breath.
These problems may result in severe asthma attacks that require hospitalization and disrupt work or school schedules, requiring unscheduled medical visits to reduce stress and fatigue levels and decrease overall quality of life.
Diagnosis
Your healthcare provider will first conduct a detailed medical history and physical exam before performing breathing tests to measure how well your lungs are working. In addition, skin and blood tests may also be utilized to diagnose seasonal or year-round allergies that could be contributing to your symptoms; common allergens include pollen, mold spores, dust mites, pet dander and even foods.
People with allergies who inhale allergens can have their immune systems overreact and release histamines into their airways, making breathing harder. Histamines cause airways to swell up and overproduce mucus which aggravates this response further; other irritants, like smoke or strong odors can further intensify it. Exercise also has been known to aggravate it.
Eosinophilic asthma, another form of allergic asthma, is marked by an increase in eosinophils–white blood cells that fight infection–in your system. Too many eosinophils can lead to severe asthma symptoms like difficulty breathing; for diagnosis purposes, healthcare providers will typically test sputum samples or perform bronchial biopsies in order to properly diagnose this form.
Other triggers of allergic asthma can include environmental pollutants like pollution, aerosol cleaning products, tobacco smoke and wood fires; cold air; occupational exposures like chemicals and fumes; as well as having a family history of hay fever (allergic rhinitis). Your healthcare provider will help identify your allergens and develop plans to avoid or minimize contact with them. They may prescribe inhaled steroids to reduce inflammation or bronchodilators to open airways – plus regular check-in visits in order to monitor your condition.
Treatment
Individuals living with allergic asthma can enhance their quality of life by working closely with their healthcare provider to develop an appropriate treatment plan. The goal is to manage inflammation in the airways and avoid symptoms of asthma from appearing; available medicines include bronchodilators (which open airways), corticosteroids (which reduce inflammation) and leukotriene modifiers (which relax muscle tissues in the airways). New biologic drugs being tested may be effective at decreasing levels of IgE – one major inflammatory mediator in allergic asthma.
Healthcare professionals usually begin by conducting an in-depth medical and family history to identify any possible predisposing factors for asthma development. Furthermore, they will inquire into symptoms experienced such as wheezing, coughing or shortness of breath.
When individuals come in contact with allergens such as pollen or pet dander, their immune systems produce leukotrienes and cytokines which release inflammatory mediators and cause airways to narrow and produce thick mucus. Chronic inflammation may result in permanent changes to both structure and function of airways.
Healthcare professionals can treat allergy-induced asthma using a combination of medicines, including long-acting bronchodilators like salmeterol and formoterol; oral or inhaled corticosteroids; leukotriene modifiers like montelukast and zafirleckiam; as well as nasal sprays containing steroids, an antihistamine or saline rinse to reduce mucus production and relieve nasal irritations.
Prevention
There is no cure for Allergic Asthma, but medical treatments may help manage symptoms and avoid an attack. Medication prescribed as prescribed is one approach; recognizing allergens that exacerbate asthma symptoms is another means of mitigating attacks and keeping up with vaccinations such as influenza and pneumococcal pneumonia vaccines are important ways of protecting against allergic asthma complications.
Allergic asthma triggers include pet dander, mold spores, tree pollen, grass pollen and dust mites – these cause your immune system to overreact and produce IgE antibodies which irritate airways and cause inflammation. Other asthma triggers may include secondhand smoke exposure, colds or sinus infections, viral illnesses, cockroaches or strong chemicals.
An allergist can diagnose allergic asthma with a physical examination and by asking about your family history of asthma as well as symptoms. They may perform lung tests such as spirometry and fractional exhaled nitrous oxide (FeNO), and allergy testing such as skin prick tests or blood tests.
Asthma can be treated effectively through the avoidance of triggers that exacerbate symptoms. Depending on what these are for you, this might include avoiding certain places or people, getting rid of household pests, or regularly cleaning and washing bedding in hot water to remove irritants. It is highly advised that those living with asthma collaborate with their doctor in developing an Asthma Action Plan which includes medications, emergency procedures, and any triggers they’ve identified.
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