Allergic Asthma
Contents:
- What is Allergic Asthma?
- Symptoms and Causes of Allergic Asthma
- How is Allergic Asthma Diagnosed?
- Treatments for Allergic Asthma
- Can Allergic Asthma Be Prevented?
- Conclusion
Allergic asthma is a respiratory condition where the airways constrict upon inhaling an allergen. Common allergens include pollen, pet dander, and mold spores. This type of asthma is common in both children and adults. Symptoms of allergic asthma can include shortness of breath, coughing, wheezing, nasal congestion, itchy eyes, and rashes.
Allergic asthma occurs when you experience asthma symptoms after inhaling an allergen, such as mold, pollen, or pet dander.
What is Allergic Asthma?
Allergic asthma, or allergy-induced asthma, is a condition in which your airways tighten when you inhale an allergen. These allergens are most commonly airborne—such as dust mites, pollen, pet dander, or mold spores.
When you have an allergy, your body reacts to something it perceives as a threat—the allergen. Your immune system activates all its defenses to try to fight off this perceived danger. Your immune system releases various chemicals that, upon contact with the allergen, cause inflammation or swelling and constriction of the airways.
How Common is Allergic Asthma?
Allergic asthma is the most common type of asthma. Approximately 25 million people have asthma, and about 60% of them have allergies.
Symptoms and Causes of Allergic Asthma
What Are the Symptoms of Allergic Asthma?
If you have allergic asthma, you may experience many of the same symptoms as other types of asthma. These symptoms can include:
- Feeling short of breath.
- Frequent coughing, especially at night.
- Wheezing (a whistling sound when breathing).
- Chest tightness (a feeling as if something is pressing on your chest).
Exposure to allergens can also trigger other symptoms, including:
- Nasal congestion.
- Runny nose.
- Itchy or watery eyes.
- Rash or hives.
What Does Allergy-Induced Asthma Look Like?
The symptoms of allergy-induced asthma can range from mild respiratory issues to severe asthma attacks. During an asthma attack, your airways constrict, making it difficult to breathe. You may also feel chest tightness, wheezing, and coughing. The symptoms of an allergic asthma attack are the same as those of an asthma attack triggered by something else. The difference lies in the cause of the asthma attack.
What Allergens Trigger Allergic Asthma?
Allergens can be all around you—in both indoor and outdoor environments. When you have allergic asthma, inhaling these allergens can trigger your symptoms. It’s important to know what can trigger your asthma so you can manage your condition.
Possible allergens that can trigger allergic asthma include:
- Pets or Animals: Pet allergies can stem from their fur, urine, saliva, or pet dander, which are skin flakes.
- Pollen: Pollen is a powdery substance from trees, grass, weeds, and ragweed. Tree and grass pollen are most common in spring, while weed and ragweed pollen are prevalent in the fall.
- Mold: Mold typically grows in areas with moisture (such as basements). Outdoors, mold can be found during warm or humid days, after mulching, or following rain. Mold releases spores that enter the air and can trigger asthma.
- Dust Mites: Dust mites are microscopic organisms that feed on human skin. They live on soft surfaces in your home, including carpets, upholstered furniture, pillows, and mattresses. Both the mites and their feces are allergens.
- Cockroaches: These pests are found in many homes and older buildings. Cockroach feces, saliva, and body parts can trigger asthma.
In some individuals, food allergies may trigger allergic asthma. However, food allergies are rarely the cause of allergic asthma.
Who is at Risk for Allergic Asthma?
You are at higher risk for allergic asthma if you have allergies or if allergies run in your family.
How Serious is Allergic Asthma?
Allergy-induced asthma can be serious and lead to complications. The most common complications include:
- Sleep disturbances.
- Missed school and workdays.
- Inability to exercise.
- Inability to participate in outdoor or physically demanding social activities.
- Higher rates of hospitalization and illness.
How is Allergic Asthma Diagnosed?
Your healthcare provider will order tests to determine if you have allergic asthma. The two most common tests are spirometry and bronchoprovocation:
- Spirometry: This breathing test involves taking a deep breath and exhaling into a tube. The tube connects to a computer that collects information on how well air moves in and out of your lungs. Spirometry can also be performed with bronchodilators (medications in an inhaler). Bronchodilator tests assess how well your airways relax before and after using an inhaled medication.
- Bronchoprovocation Tests (Methacholine): Methacholine testing is similar to spirometry, but in this case, your provider uses a medication called methacholine to see if your airways narrow or constrict after using it.
If your provider diagnoses you with asthma, they may recommend either a blood test or a skin test to help determine if environmental allergens are potential triggers for your asthma.
During a skin test, your provider will apply small drops of liquid containing various allergens to your skin. They will then gently scratch your skin to allow the allergens to penetrate the top layer. If you are allergic to a substance, your skin will react by swelling or developing small raised bumps.
In certain cases, a blood test may identify allergic triggers. Allergy blood tests may miss a small percentage of allergies compared to skin tests.
How Do I Manage Allergic Asthma?
Your healthcare provider will work with you to treat both your allergy and your asthma. Some treatments target asthma, while others only treat the allergy, and some treatments may help manage both conditions. Treatment may include avoiding allergens or making lifestyle changes, and medication.
Avoiding Allergens
Your provider will help you identify what triggers your asthma and find ways to avoid or manage these allergens. These triggers are often found in your environment. Once you know what they are, you can manage your interactions with them. This might mean hiring someone to mow your lawn if pollen is a trigger or avoiding places with many animals if pet dander is a trigger.
Depending on what triggers your asthma, you might also take other steps:
- Regularly cleaning your home. This can include frequent mopping, dusting, and washing bedding and pillows in hot water every week.
- Using dustproof and allergen-proof covers and pillows on your bed.
- Keeping windows closed in your home and car during peak pollen seasons. You can also avoid going outside when pollen levels are highest or wear glasses, face masks, or other protective gear when outdoors.
- Using high-quality filters in your home’s air conditioning units or running an air purifier.
- Developing an action plan. It’s important to have a plan to help you know when to take certain medications, what to do if the medications aren’t working, and who to call in these situations. The plan should also include what to do during an asthma attack.
Medical Treatment
Medications for allergy-induced asthma may include:
- Leukotriene Modifiers: This is the name for a group of drugs that treat both allergies and asthma. Montelukast (Singulair®) is one of the most common leukotriene modifiers.
- Allergy Shots: Allergy shots, also called immunotherapy, can reduce your immune system’s response to an allergen. It involves regular injections of the allergen to build your tolerance over time.
- Rescue Inhalers: These inhalers provide quick relief from asthma symptoms by opening your airways so you can breathe more easily.
- Antihistamines: This type of medication relieves mild to moderate allergy symptoms like itchy skin or watery eyes. Your provider may suggest taking antihistamines as part of your treatment plan.
- Corticosteroids: Both oral and inhaled corticosteroids can help prevent allergy-induced asthma symptoms by reducing inflammation in the airways.
- Biologics: These are small proteins that your provider injects to help treat the underlying cause of asthma. This treatment is designed for moderate to severe allergic asthma.
Can Allergic Asthma Be Prevented?
While asthma itself cannot be prevented, you can reduce the risk of an allergic asthma attack by understanding and avoiding your triggers and ensuring you use the best treatment to manage your asthma.
Conclusion
Allergic asthma is a very common condition that many people encounter during their lives. Although there is no cure for this type of asthma, you can take steps to manage it. Know your triggers and do your best to avoid them. Speak with your healthcare provider about ways to manage your environment and prevent asthma attacks.
