Due to a connection between asthma and allergy, it can be hard to control asthma symptoms if the allergies are not managed well. Can allergies cause asthma? Yes, various types of allergies contribute to asthma severity, including seasonal allergies, food allergies, pet allergies, and others. Most people consider asthma and allergies to be two distinct conditions. Sure, both have persistent coughing as a symptom, but asthma is considered to be a serious health issue that needs regular treatment.
Can allergies make asthma worse?
Link between allergies and asthma allergies occur when an individual’s immune system reacts to substances (allergens) in the environment that are usually harmless to most people. Examples of allergens include pollen, pet dander, house dust mites, and mold. Sensitivity to allergens can often be determined through blood or skin tests.
Other substances, such as cigarette smoke, perfumes, and odours can also trigger asthma in some individuals, but these do not involve a reaction in the person’s defence system. These are known as non-allergic irritant triggers, and there is no blood or skin test for these triggers. Allergy is considered to be a genetic problem. Atopy is the inherited tendency to develop allergic diseases. When people with allergic tendencies are exposed to allergens, they can develop an immune reaction that causes redness and swelling. This can then cause the following allergy symptoms and signs:
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- Skin hives, eczema
- Nose or eyes- allergic conjunctivitis
- Lungs- Asthma
Asthma is a condition affecting the airways in the lungs. Airways are the small tubes that carry air in and out of the lungs. When exposed to certain asthma triggers, such as pollen, viruses, exercise, and cold air, the sensitive airways react. They can become inflamed, which results in the tightening of the muscles and the production of excess mucus. This narrows the airways, making it difficult for an individual to breathe. Common asthma symptoms may include:
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- Coughing
- Breathing difficulty
- A feeling of tightness in the chest
- Wheezing
Asthma can be managed using asthma remedies. Even though there is no cure for asthma, with good asthma care, education, and management, asthmatic people can lead active and healthy lives.
Role of allergy in asthma
If you have asthma that is triggered by allergens, you may experience asthma symptoms when you:
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- Are exposed to mold
- Visit a place where a pet lives
- Vacuum or dust, as this causes dust mite allergens to become airborne
- Are outdoors in early summer and late spring, when there are high levels of pollen in the air.
The problem can also be triggered by workplace-related allergens, such as grains and flour, latex, and animal allergens (including dander and urine). Because of this connection between allergy and asthma, it can be hard to control the asthma symptoms if your allergies are not managed well.
Your healthcare specialist can determine if allergies contribute to your asthma. Your healthcare specialist will advise you on how to avoid exposure to your allergies and prescribe appropriate medication. Allergy test to identify environmental triggers. It is essential to identify the environmental allergens that trigger your asthma. Reducing or avoiding exposure to these allergens is an important step in managing asthma effectively. Your health care specialist will ask you questions to identify possible allergic triggers and perform allergy tests. Skin prick tests and blood tests are the two primary allergy tests used to identify antibodies to specific allergens. Sometimes, an alternative method called scratch testing is used. It is useful when greater sensitivity in the testing is required.
Allergy-induced asthma
If you or your child has been diagnosed with this asthma, there are several things you can expect from your medical appointment. Your health care specialist will listen to your breathing to detect signs of whistling or wheezing. He/she will ask you to breathe in and out, deeply, slowly, several times. Breathing exercises are a part of the diagnosis for asthma induced by allergies, which involves a lung test called spirometry, useful in detecting reduced lung capacity. Your healthcare specialist will ask you to breathe into a device called a spirometer, which measures both the speed with which you exhale and the volume of air you inhale.
Treatment for allergy-induced asthma
The first step in treating allergy-induced asthma is to treat the allergic reactions that trigger asthma. Antihistamines can be used as an effective treatment for allergies; they reduce congestion and prevent histamine reactions in the body. This may also work to reduce asthma symptoms.
Corticosteroids are also prescribed to asthmatic patients, often in inhaled form. Theophylline is a daily pill that people with asthma can take to reduce inflammation in the airways. By reducing inflammation, patients with asthma induced by allergies may once again be able to breathe freely.
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