Allergies are all about the immune system that protects you
from germs such as bacteria, viruses, and foreign invaders. If you have an
allergy, the immune system will also fight against harmful substance such as
mold, dust, pollen, pet dander. But when you come across the substances which
trigger an allergy, your body produces IgE antibodies. The allergen causes
several reactions in your body causing runny nose, sneezing and watery eyes
even asthma attack.
Allergic Asthma:-
People with allergic asthma, the airways are extra sensitive
to certain allergens. Once the allergen gets into the body, your immune system
overreacts. The muscles around their airways begin to tighten and the airways
become inflamed and flooded with mucus by themselves. Allergy asthma is one of
the most common types of asthma. About 50% of the adult with asthma have
allergy whereas more than 90% of kids have allergy with childhood asthma.
Symptoms:-
The symptoms are generally the same for people with allergic
asthma or non- allergic asthma. It can cause Cough, sneeze, runny nose, wheeze,
breathe quickly, be short of breath, and feel your chest get tight. People with
asthma usually get worse after exercising in cold air or after breathing dust,
fumes or smoke. Sometimes even a strong smell can harm you severely because allergens
are everywhere; it's important that people with allergic asthma know their
triggers and learns how to prevent an attack.
The allergens aren’t the only thing that causes allergic
asthma worse. Other Irritants also can cause an asthma attack, even though they
don't cause any allergic reaction. These include Air pollution, Dusty
rooms, Smoke from tobacco, a fireplace,
candles, incense, or fireworks, Cold air, Exercise in cold air, Perfumes, air
fresheners, or other scented products, Strong chemical odors or fumes.
Treatment and Medications
for Allergic Asthma:-
Till now there is no permanent cure for asthma, it can only
be managed and treated. Once you identify your triggers through a blood or skin
test, you can come up with the best plan to avoid allergic asthma triggers and
also for managing and controlling your symptoms.
Knowing the allergic triggers and avoiding them can help you
a lot to control an allergy-induced asthma episode. The AFAA advises people not
to leave food or crumbs in living quarters to prevent pests like cockroaches;
fix leaks to prevent mold; wash bedding in hot water and use mattress and
pillow covers to protect against dust mites; vacuum pet dander; and wear a mask
when outdoors.
For some with allergic asthma, allergy medications may help
avert or alleviate symptoms. If your allergies are extremely severe, you should
consider seeing a doctor to discuss a treatment plan that may involve a
prescription like epinephrine. Some over-the-counter options may help those
with mild allergy symptoms. These include:
- Steroids
- Antihistamines
- Decongestants
- Saline nasal sprays
To treat an asthma attack, there are both short-term and
long-term options for relief. Short-term options seek to relax the narrowing
muscles in the airways and ease the flow of air. The goal of long-term
medications is to control and reduce inflammation in the airways and make them
less sensitive to triggering allergens.
