Allergic Asthma 101: Symptoms, Risk Factors, and Allergy Treatments

Allergies are all time enemy of your immune system. Our immune systems is designed to defense our body from invasion of bacteria, viruses and pathogens. However, when some one is suffering from allergy, then it can be protecting our body from harmless substances such as animal dander, pollen or mist. These substances are called allergen that trigger allergies and asthma.

Allergic asthma is a type of asthma which is triggered by an allergic reaction. People having trouble in breathing during flu seasons are likely and passively suffering from allergic asthma. If you are not suffering from upper respiratory infection then the recurrent attack will go away when season ends.
Due to its nature and triggers, it is also known as allergy-induced asthma. When you inhale any trigger such as animal dander, then your body start making antibodies which is known as “IgE antibodies”. Secretion of IgE start a chain reaction in which body’s immune system start attacking its own tissues and cells.

People suffering from allergic asthma can experience some common symptoms of allergic reaction such as swelling, sneezing, coughing and runny nose. The muscle around your chest begin to tighten and patient may feel tightness in chest while breathing.

What is an Allergy

Allergies are self-induced fear of immune system that any thing foreign is going to harm the body. Simple animal dander can make you sneeze multiple times because your brain is trying to get that small piece of fiber out of the system. Our immune consider that as threat and start reacting in attacking mode.
Here are some of the common triggers of allergic asthma:
1. Dust Mites
Small spider like creature that live in the dust particles often trigger symptoms of allergies. They are so small that it is impossible to look at them with naked eyes. Cleaning the house is an open invitation to this allergen. Always wrap some cloth around your face or wear a mask to avoid these allergen from getting inside your nostril.

2. Animal Dander
Dog and cats are most popular pets. Most of the cat and dog breed shed their hair on daily basis. So if you have pets in home then it is hard to avoid these allergens from triggering allergic reaction. The best way to avoid this situation is by combing them daily.
3. Pollen
Most of the time pollen is responsible for causing allergies during pollen season. These airborne tiny particles often break from trees, flower, grass, and weed.
4. Mold
Moist surface is the optimal environment where molds thrive naturally. If you don’t keep your house dry and clean then possibly you are carrying some common allergens in the house unknowingly.
Some other common allergens that trigger allergic asthma attack are chemical fumes, tobacco smoke, bad odor, and air pollution.

What are the Symptoms of Allergy Induced Asthma?

The symptoms of allergic asthma is not different from normal asthma. Some common signs and symptoms of allergic asthma includes:

• coughing
• trouble in breathing
• tightness in chest
• shortness of breath
• breathing rapidly
• wheezing
• possible anaphylaxis attack (acute allergic reaction)
• swollen face with no pain
• inflammation of throat, tongue and lips
• rashes around lips
• tingling sensation in mouth
• hives and skin bumps

Some other common early signs of allergic asthma includes:

• itchy eyes
• red veins inside eyes
• itching skin rash
• patchy rash such as lupus
• watering of eyes
• nasal congestion
• chest congestion
• flaky skin

Patient can also experience symptoms of allergic rhinitis such as headache, dizziness and hey fever.

How Do I Know If I Have Allergic Asthma?

Probably 25 million people in United States are suffering from asthma and half of them have allergic asthma(1). When you have swallowed an allergen or mistakenly inhaled it you may start to sneeze and cough. This small incident is enough to trigger allergies.

Allergic rhinitis is the most common disease caused due to unstable immune. These disease are also called as auto-immune disease. Allergic rhinitis and asthma symptoms are mostly the same that is why it is hard to identify asthma.
You will be required to take a test by healthcare provider to confirm the diagnosis of allergic asthma. Doctor might take a skin sample or may ask you to give blood test. From the test results doctors can confirm weather seasonal allergies or year round allergies triggered your asthma.

How is Allergic Asthma Diagnosed?

According to Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, your doctor may ask you for a physical examination(2). The test may include checking “how your lungs are working?”
People who suffer from frequent trouble in breathing must consult a doctor quickly. Respiratory diseases can be life-threatening so don’t leave anything on chances.
During physical examination your doctor may take X-ray of lungs and sinuses. They may ask about your health history and perform the process of diagnosis according to that.
The results of physical test may categories your asthma in four different types:

1. Intermittent Asthma: If you are experiencing symptoms from less than two weeks and probably did not woke up more than 2 times in one month during night.
2. Mild Persistent Asthma: If you are experiencing the symptoms for more than two days in a week and woke up three times in one month.
3. Moderate Persistent Asthma: When symptoms are occurring on daily basis and you wake up more than 2 times in a week.
4. Severe Persistent Asthma: When you suffer from symptoms most of the time a day and you are not able to sleep in night due to asthma.

Doctors will ask the about breathing pattern to properly diagnosing asthma in children. Bronchodilators are prescribed to decrease the resistance in respiratory system. It is widely used for increasing airflow by dilating bronchi. It reduces the mucus which can help avoid bacteria attack. Excessive mucus provide suitable environment for thriving bacteria which can increase the risk of infection. Hence, use of bronchodilators can reduce the problem of difficulty in breathing.

Conventional Treatment of Allergic Asthma

Antihistamine
The use of antihistamine is a classic way to treat allergy induced asthma. It help reduce some common symptoms such as itching, inflammation and formation of skin bumps. Antihistamines are helpful in treating watery eyes and improve airflow by dilating bronchi.
Allergy shots and Anti-inflammatory Drugs
Immunotherapy is a biological process to boost body’s natural defense system to fight infection. The use of immunotherapy is popular for treating cancer. Allergy shots are taken regularly or as needed to reduce body’s sensitivity to a particular allergy-causing substance (allergen).
Inflammation of bronchi can also cause difficulty in breathing. Anti-inflammatory medicines are helpful in clearing airflow and reduce the feeling of tightness in chest. It is also prescribed for some of the auto-immune disease to reduce swelling of face.
Albuterol Oral Inhalation
It is widely used in America to treat difficulty breathing, heaviness in chest, coughing, and shortness of breath(3). It is one of the most commonly prescribed drug for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma. However, some research claims that use of albuterol can increase the risk of getting asthma attack by 30 percent. This medication can alter genes in children which will be permanent and may worsen the condition in future(4). So if your doctor prescribe you albuterol, then put your concerns to clear any doubt or confusion.

Natural Treatments For Allergic Asthma

Avoid Your Allergic Asthma Triggers

The best natural way to treat allergy induced asthma is taking some precautions. Make a list of behavior, eating habit or elements that can triggers the symptoms. Try to avoid every possible thing on that list.
Pollen burst during autumn and spring season. One must use facial mask for covering the face to avoid inhaling them. Pollen is one of the most common allergen that trigger reaction in our immune system.
Keep your house clean for minimizing pollutant in home. Use natural home cleanser instead of pesticides to clean your floor. Household cleaner are made from chemicals which release invisible chemical gas.
Keep your pillow cover clean and use pillows made from non-pollinating cotton or synthetic material. Make sure there are no cockroaches in the house as they are another asthma triggers.

Breastfeed Your Infant

The immune system of a new born baby is weak. Modern lifestyle has changed the behavior of mother who are breastfeeding. Kids who drink mothers milk for longer time have strong immune system which protects them from invasion of pathogens and bacteria(5).

Reduce Stress

Modern lifestyle where one has to deal with loan, social life, family and tight schedule of job can trigger high emotional stress. Anxiety and tension can stimulate your hormonal levels in a bad way which is harmful for the immune system. Stress causes hindrance in the work of immune and it may increase the inflammation and itching of skin. Calm down your mind so that your brain can process the immune response properly.
Aromatherapy is one of the best way to relax your nerves. Use of lavender is very popular among aromatherapist due to the fact, that lavender can stimulate the brain cells and help them reduce stress. Alternatively, drink some herbal tea such as peppermint tea to soothe upset stomach. Peppermint is also helpful in inducing sleep.

Causes and Risk Factors

People can develop breathing problems from inhaling allergens that can inflate the airways. Sinusitis can exaggerate the signs and one can suffer from severe asthma attack.
If you are unable to breath properly then possibly you have inhaled an allergen. Here are some of the allergens that cause allergic asthma:

• odor coming out from chemical based cosmetic products
• pollen
• pet dander
• smoke of burning tobacco
• cold air
• intense emotion
• stress
• air pollution
• cockroaches

People suffering from upper respiratory disease such as bronchitis or COPD symptoms are at higher risk of developing allergy induced asthma. Unstable immune may increase the inflammation of airways which can make it very difficult to breath. Severe asthma can be life-threatening in which some patient can choke on any solid food.

Precautions and Ways to Prevent Allergic Asthma

American Academy of Allergy Asthma and Immunology have published some guideline which is helpful in preventing attack of allergies.
It has been observed that this upper respiratory disease run into family tree. Hence if you or any of your ancestor had asthma then it is wise to keep an eye on early signs in your children. If your child have trouble in speaking and inhale deeply after talking then you must take a diagnosis test.
Preventing allergies is very simple yet difficult. Avoid all possible triggers and keep yourself safe during winters. Don’t consider common cold and flu as casual seasonal disease. It may be casual condition more many people but for some only one mistake can disturb your immune.
Avoid taking over the counter medicine for allergic asthma. General purpose anti-inflammatory and antihistamine tablets may not help the condition.
If the asthma symptoms get worse day after another then rush to the doctor. Tell them about all the symptoms which you are experiencing. No detail is small in this case.

Take Away

Allergic asthma is a condition that causes health problems similar to that of auto-immune disease. Allergic rhinitis is similar to that of asthma however, rhinitis are rarely life-threatening. It is one of the worse upper respiratory condition that causes abnormal immune system reaction.
Allergic asthma cough is one of the common symptoms. Cough is very common as you can have it in common cold and flu. People often tend to avoid cough as serious problem for any upcoming respiratory disease.

Eliminating food allergies can reduce the frequency of attack. People who are allergic to any food should keep themselves at a distance to avoid triggering immune reaction. Poor immune, unhealthy diet and seasonal allergies can trigger asthma in most people. So keep yourself safe and drink hot and healthy beverages such as ginger tea or peppermint tea.

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