Is there a Connection Between Allergies & Asthma?
Allergy induced Asthma: What is allergic asthma?
Asthma is a chronic medical condition that causes inflammation and narrowing of
bronchial tubes, making it hard to breathe. The medical community commonly divides asthma into two types, extrinsic or allergic asthma, which commonly develops in childhood, and intrinsic, including exercise-induced asthma, cough-variant asthma and nighttime asthma. Allergies and asthma go hand-in-hand, with approximately 90% of children and 50% of adults with asthma also afflicted with allergies.
What makes allergic asthma different from other types are its triggers. Symptoms develop from allergens. Whereas some patients may experience runny nose and itchy eyes from allergens, others experience the coughing, wheezing and shortness of breath that comes with asthma. Once you have asthma, you never get rid of it, although it can go into remission. Thus, your Phoenix allergy and asthma clinic can help you achieve a better quality of life by helping find ways for you to manage this chronic disease.
Allergens that you breathe into your lungs can cause asthmatic symptoms. Among the most common allergens producing asthma are:
- Molds and dust mites
- Pollen
- Animal dander
- Cockroaches
Certain irritants can also trigger an asthma attack, even though they are not allergens. Exposure to cigarette smoke, candles, fireworks, chemicals, strong odors and perfumes and even cold air can cause your asthma to flare up.
Learning what substances you are allergic to is an essential step in managing this condition. Confirmation of allergic asthma to determine what substances trigger your symptoms is usually performed by a skin test. Upon learning whether seasonal or year-round allergies trigger your asthma, you and your doctor can for a plan to alleviate symptoms. In addition to prescription bronchiodilators, allergic asthma can also be controlled by oral medications, immunotherapy and by avoiding allergens as much as possible