Allergies can occur when a foreign substance causes the immune system to react to an invading substance in the body such as dust, pollen, or pet dander. The body produces protein antibodies that are the body's first line of defense against any sort of foreign material that could possibly make one sick or cause some sort of infection. Coughing, sneezing, and wheezing are all signs of an allergic reaction.
Asthma affects about 22 million Americans and is a chronic airway inflammation disease that causes difficulty in breathing. Asthma constricts the airways, literally making them smaller and therefore harder to breathe. Symptoms of asthma can include shortness of breath, wheezing, coughing, and a tightness in the chest. Asthma is sometimes referred to as bronchial asthma.
Similar Symptoms of Allergies and Asthma
Both allergies and asthma create problems for people, often making them miserable. Allergies and asthma can be related, and can happen together. Some asthma is referred to as allergy–induced asthma or allergic asthma, and is the most common type of asthma found in the U.S. today.
What happens is the same foreign substances that can trigger an allergic reaction can also cause inflammation in a person's breathing airways. Those allergic reactions can trigger an allergic response which leads to the onset of asthma, or an asthma attack. Similar symptoms like coughing, wheezing, tightness in the chest, and shortness of breath often occur together and can be difficult to distinguish.
Allergies May Trigger Asthma in Some People
Allergic reactions to things like dust, pollen, or cat dander have proteins that release certain chemicals and react with human antibodies causing a reaction like a runny nose, swelling in the lining of the nose (stuffiness), or swelling in the airways. If a person also has asthma, these first allergic reactions can then cause additional swelling in the airways and trigger the onset of asthma.
The combination of allergies and asthma can cause serious airway obstruction, difficulty in breathing, and even result in death by suffocation. Folks who have allergies need to be aware of the substances that trigger an allergic response. Folks who also have asthma on top of the allergic reaction need to be doubly careful to avoid any situations or exposure to substances that may trigger and allergy-induced asthma.
Medications and Treatments Available for Allergies and Asthma
Corticosteroids can be sprayed directly into the nose for almost instantaneous relief from hay fever symptoms. Corticosteroid creams are applied to the skin to reduce or prevent an allergic reaction on the skin. Corticosteroids can also be inhaled through a device called an "inhaler" and can provide almost instant relief of inflammation in the airways that cause asthma.
Leukotriene modifiers like SINGULAIR® assist the body's immune system in regulating chemicals during an allergic reaction. Leukotrienes are used in the treatment of both allergies and asthma and are available in the form of a pill. Antihistamines are usually used to treat ha fever or other allergic reactions but may not work as well in treating the symptoms of asthma. Bronchodilators treat asthma effectively, but are not used to treat allergic reactions like hay fever.
There are some types of medications that can be effective in treating both allergies and asthma. But dosing may sometimes be a bit tricky or confusing. Some of these medications are in the form of sprays, inhalers, pills, creams, and other types. That's why it's best to make an appointment to see the doctor first. The doctor may provide a referral for another doctor that specializes in allergies.
This article is for informational purposes only. The information provided herein is of a general nature and should not be substituted as advice from a qualified medical professional.
Mark Oehlert - Mark has 50 years life experience (wisdom comes with age, right?) and over 28 years experience writing copy for ads, articles, marketing ...
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