Why Its Important To Know Now
You may think that you have your allergic asthma under control, but it’s important to investigate the causes of your symptoms. Many people are so used to living with their symptoms that they never consider asking for help, but how do you know if the symptoms you have are caused by allergy or not?
If you think you or a loved one has an allergy, don’t try to manage the problem on your own. Be;sure to consult with your healthcare professional about a simple blood test that may be able to help.;
How Is The Condition Diagnosed
To diagnose asthma, your physician will question you about your symptoms, perform a physical exam, and conduct lung function tests. You also may be tested for allergies.
Your internist or family physician may refer you to an allergist or pulmonologist for specialized testing or treatment.
After middle age, most adults experience a decrease in their lung capacity. These changes in lung function may lead some physicians to overlook asthma as a possible diagnosis.
Untreated asthma can contribute to even greater permanent loss of lung function. If you have any asthma symptoms, dont ignore them, and dont try to treat them yourself. Get a definitive diagnosis from your health care provider.
For Children With Allergies And Asthma In School
For asthma prevention at school when your child has allergies and childhood asthma:
- Discuss their allergies and asthma with school personnel.
- If your child has food allergies, discuss them with school officials, teachers, and lunchroom staff.
- Educate your child about their allergies and asthma early, so your child can learn to avoid situations where they may eat food that will trigger an allergic reaction. Arrange for an epinephrine kit to be left at the school, and make sure school officials are able to use it correctly and without hesitation should symptoms arise.
- Inform school personnel about the asthma treatments your child is taking, and make arrangements to leave necessary medication at school.
- Encourage sports participation, but inform coaches of medicines that may need to be taken before activities to prevent exercise-induced asthma.
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Can Allergic Asthma Be Cured
Unfortunately, allergic asthma cannot be completely cured. However, the right treatment can drastically reduce the impact the condition has on your life or the life of your child. Working with an expert allergist can reduce the likelihood of a severe asthma attack, while also minimizing the main symptoms. In brief avoid allergens, take the medication prescribed by your doctor, and perhaps utilize immunotherapy treatment. These practices will minimize allergic asthma for most patients.
Fish Reptiles Amphibians And Asthma
Scaly animals such as fish, frogs, turtles, lizards and snakes could make good pets for people with asthma because they don’t shed dander and are less likely to trigger an allergic reaction.
Bear in mind, though, that some people do find their asthma symptoms are triggered by fish. This could be because of allergens in their food, or to algae growing in their tank.
If you think your asthma symptoms are triggered by a reptile or amphibian, you can ask your GP if you need an allergy test.
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What Are The Symptoms Of Asthma In Children
Common symptoms of asthma include the following physical changes.
Wheezing is a high-pitched, whistling sound that your child may make when the airways become inflamed or tighten in response to an asthma trigger. If you hear this sound when your child breathes, be sure to let your physician know. Not all people who wheeze have asthma, and not everyone who has asthma will wheeze. In fact, if asthma has become severe, there may not be enough air movement through the childs airways to produce a wheezing sound.
Chronic cough, especially at night and after exercise or exposure to cold air, can be a symptom of asthma.
Shortness of breath, or difficulty breathing, or feeling of not being able to get enough air is another possible sign of asthma. All children get out of breath when they run and jump, but most resume normal breathing very quickly afterward. If your child doesnt, a visit to your physician is a good idea.
Tightness in the chest is a symptom that you may have to ask your child to describe for you. If you notice any of the other signs of asthma, its a good idea to ask your child whether there is a tight, uncomfortable feeling in the chest.
Do Allergies Affect Your Childs Asthma
If your childs asthma isnt under control, find out if allergies are making it worse. Talk to your doctor, who may refer your child to an allergist for testing.
If it turns out that your childs asthma is triggered by certain allergens, youll want to limit your childs exposure to them. This can go a long way toward relieving asthma symptoms.
The doctor or allergist may recommend allergy medicine or if your child cant avoid an allergen.
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How To Help Your Child With Allergies
You can tell allergies from a cold because kids will typically have clear mucus, no fever, and symptoms will last six to eight weeks. Dr. Michael also recommends trying a second-generation antihistamine like childrens Claritin, Zyrtec or Allegra to see if their symptoms improve.;
To help your kids manage their allergies, it can help to try to pinpoint the cause:
- Keep a journal or use an app to track your childs symptoms.
- Check pollen counts on a weather website or an allergy tracker like pollen.com and note whats blooming on days your child has symptoms.
- Note school days, weekends or visits to other peoples homes. This can help you with environmental factors or pet allergies.
- Note the season and rainfall .;
If there does seem to be a link to allergies, their pediatrician can order more accurate allergy testing.
While kids wont outgrow allergies or asthma, Dr. Michael reports most children can successfully manage these conditions and lead normal, active lives into adulthood.
Allergies and asthma dont have to mean sitting inside and missing out on all the fun of childhood, says Dr. Michael. Playing, running and athletics can all be open to them with the right management.
Use a telehealth visit to talk with your childs pediatrician about allergy or asthma concerns.
Clues Your Child Might Have Asthma
- Persistent cough that gets worse at night.
- A wheezing sound while breathing.
- Complaints of pain or tightness in the chest.
- Sitting out games or other activities that their friends are participating in.
- Coughing fits brought on by stress, high emotions, laughing or crying.
It is a hard condition to diagnose in young kids, so talk to an expert in pediatrics, like your childs pediatrician, if you have a reason to suspect your child may have asthma, says Dr. Michael.
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What Are The Most Common Allergy Symptoms
Allergy symptoms vary from person to person and each allergy. Seasonal or environmental allergy symptoms include:
- Runny nose, usually with clear or pale-colored mucus
- Sneezing
- Red, watery eyes
- Itching around the nose, mouth or eyes
Left untreated, these symptoms can lead to other issues like nasal congestion, headaches, sore throats, and other issues, so treatment is important.
Allergy symptoms can also be very serious and life-threatening, leading to anaphylaxis. Symptoms that may require you to seek emergency care include:
- Skin: itching, redness, swelling and hives
- Mouth: itching, swelling of lips and tongue
- Stomach: vomiting, diarrhea, cramps
- Respiratory: shortness of breath, wheezing, coughing, chest pain and/or tightness
- Heart: weak pulse, dizziness, faintness
- Headache, nasal congestion, watery eyes, sweating
- Confusion, feeling of impending doom
- Loss of consciousness
How Do Allergic Reactions Cause Asthmatic Symptoms
An allergic reactions is created when the bodys immune system proteins incorrectly identify an inoffensive substance, like pollen, as an invader. Then, in an attempt to protect the body from said substance, the antibodies latch on to the allergen.
The chemical substances the immune system releases;create the allergys signs and symptoms.;Overall, these include nasal congestion, itchy eye, or skin reactions. For some people, this same reaction also affects the lungs and airways, provoking asthmatic symptoms.
07 March, 2019
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Do Allergies Always Cause Asthma
While allergic asthma is the most common form of the disease, not everyone with allergies has asthmaand not all cases of asthma involve allergies.
This inconsistency makes identifying asthma’s cause complex.
“It’s not well understood why some patients have allergic asthma while other patients have different triggers,” Dr. Perera says.
Studies suggest that more than 100 genes may be associated with allergic asthma, so having a family history of asthma might increase a person’s risk.
Dr. Perera says environmental factors could play a strong role, too, like exposure to animals early in life.
There’s overlap between different forms of asthma as well. People with allergic asthma might also experience symptoms from nonallergic triggers like:
- Respiratory infections
Cockroach & Mice Allergy
Cockroaches and mice are mostly nocturnal, scavenging at night for food and water and leaving behind trails of allergens that cause symptoms on contact or when inhaled. Cockroach allergens are believed to be feces, saliva and body parts. Mice allergens are skin, saliva and urine.
Allergen levels are usually highest on kitchen cabinets and floors, while moisture-laden bathrooms are secondary areas. Poorly contained food and garbage in kitchens is a well-known risk factor. The bedroom is another prime location for cockroaches, particularly in heavily infested homes.
The best way to remove mice from the home are mouse traps; place them against walls where mice often scurry as they search for food in your home.
For severe infestations, it may be best to call a professional exterminator.
Minor home improvements can improve your chances of keeping cockroaches and mice out.
For most people, insect stings are a short-term annoyance. Others allergic to the venom in a stinging insect can cause an allergic reaction.
The most common insects to cause an allergic reaction are:
- Yellow jackets
- Bees
- Red ants
Symptoms of an insect venom allergy can range from a mild local reaction to a severe systemic reaction known as anaphylaxis. The danger is that an allergic reaction can happen to anyone, even people with no other allergies and people who have been stung before with no problems
Localized reactions may be managed at home with cold compresses, antihistamines, or itching creams.
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Allergic Asthma: How To Know If Allergies Are Triggering Your Asthma
Allergies or asthma can make us feel miserable. But when combined the results and symptoms can be much worse. Indoor and outdoor allergies impact over 50 million Americans with a wide range of triggers. Asthma affects 1 in 13 people and causes the airways inside the lungs to constrict and narrow making it difficult to breathe.
Allergies and asthma are the two most common chronic diseases in the United States, and they occur together more often than many people realize. In fact, allergic asthma;is the most common type of asthma, according to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America.
In Florida, allergy season begins as early as January;when trees begin to release their pollen. The allergy season continues through summer and into the fall;with grass pollen, ragweed pollen and molds. These allergens can trigger asthmatic symptoms in people allergic to them.
If you struggle with allergy and asthma symptoms, read on to learn more about how these two chronic diseases can be related and how to treat the symptoms.
Treatment Options For Allergic Asthma
Before the appropriate treatment can be identified and implemented, it is important to get allergy testing. Your allergist can then understand precisely what is causing your asthma attacks. Because avoiding the offending allergen can be a crucial first step, its important to pay attention to conditions in your home and the environments you spend time in. There are various medications that may be appropriate, and your doctor will discuss these options for you or your child.
If this approach does not reduce the allergic asthma symptoms, you may want to consider immunotherapy. Also known as allergy shots, this treatment is a process where the patient receives small amounts of the allergen to desensitize the immune system over time. The body gradually gets used to the presence of the allergen, and this tolerance reduces the chances of negative reactions.
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Do Allergies Affect Your Child’s Asthma
If your child’s asthma isn’t under control, find out if allergies are making it worse. Talk to your doctor, who may refer your child to an allergist for testing.
If it turns out that your child’s asthma is triggered by certain allergens, you’ll want to limit your child’s exposure to them. This can go a long way toward relieving asthma symptoms.
The doctor or allergist may recommend allergy medicine or allergy shots if your child can’t avoid an allergen.
How Can Adult Onset Asthma Be Managed
If you manage your asthma, you can expect to lead a normal lifestyle. Basically, there are four key steps to managing asthma successfully:
1.;;;Learn about asthma and stay up-to-date on new developments.
2.;; Take prescribed medications. Dont make any changes until you check with your physician. Dont use over- the-counter medications unless prescribed by your physician!
3.;; Check your lungs daily at home by using a peak flow meter. Asthma patients often can detect lung changes with a peak flow meter before they actually experience any changes. Visit your physician regularly for further in-office tests. Lung testing is painless and provides valuable data that helps your physician make adjustments in your medication.
4. ;; Make an asthma management plan with your physician. A plan establishes guidelines that tell you what to do if your asthma symptoms get worse.
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Alternative Pet Ideas For Children With Asthma
If your children love animals but can’t keep a household pet, here are some other ways they could feel connected to an animal:
- Sponsor an animal through a zoo, safari park or charity scheme.
- Get your child a substitute pet such as an interactive toy like a Furby or Little Live Pet, or an animal app. Virtual pets let children feel like theyre caring for an animal without the risk of triggering asthma symptoms.
Does My Kid Have Allergic Asthma
Dr. Noha Polack, a pediatrician with Progressive Pediatrics in New Jersey, explains that kids with allergic asthma often have eczema and chronic nasal congestion in addition to breathing difficulties.
“Kids with asthma always cough. That is the main symptom parents should be on the lookout for,” she says. “Especially a cough that awakens the child from sleep or causes a child to vomit phlegm.”
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Can Asthma Reappear In Adults After Disappearing Years Ago
Asthma is usually diagnosed in childhood. In many patients; however, the symptoms will disappear or are significantly reduced after puberty. After age 20, symptoms may begin to reappear.
Researchers have tracked this tendency for reappearing asthma and found that people with childhood asthma tend to experience reappearing symptoms through their 30s and 40s at various levels of severity.
Regardless of whether your asthma is active, you should continue to avoid your known triggers and keep your rescue medications or prescriptions up-to-date and handy in case you need them.
What Allergies Cause Asthma
Inhaled allergens. The most important allergens for people with allergic asthma appear to be those asthma triggers that are inhaled. Hay fever or seasonal allergic rhinitis occurs when a person comes in contact with an allergen or a substance that they are sensitive to. Common inhaled allergens include:
- Animal dander
- Mold
- Pollen
Medical experts recommend that all people with allergies and asthma try to identify possible inhaled allergens that may trigger asthma symptoms.
If you can avoid coming in contact with the substance you are allergic to , you may be able to prevent symptoms of an asthma attack.
Food allergies. Food allergies rarely cause asthma, yet they can cause a severe life-threatening reaction called anaphylaxis. The condition can lead to symptoms that include trouble breathing, wheezing, an itchy rash, low blood pressure, and vomiting. The most common foods linked with allergic symptoms are:
- Eggs
- Tree nuts
- Soy
- Fish
- Shrimp and other shellfish
Food preservatives can also trigger allergic and asthmatic reactions. Additives, such as sodium bisulfite, potassium bisulfite, sodium metabisulfite, potassium metabisulfite, and sodium sulfite, are often used in food processing or preparation and may be found in foods such as:
- Dried fruits or vegetables
- Potatoes
- Wine and beer
- Bottled lime or lemon juice
- Shrimp
- Pickled foods
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How Are Allergies And Asthma Linked
An allergic reaction is an immune system response to a foreign substance. If you have an allergy and encounter an otherwise harmless substancelike pollen, dust mites, or pet danderyour body will attack it as if it were a threat.
As part of this protective response, the immune system releases antibodies to fight off the potential danger.
This causes inflammation that triggers typical allergy symptoms, like sneezing and a stuffy nose, explains Ekta Perera, MD, an allergist/immunologist and assistant professor of medicine at Columbia University Irving Medical Center.
But because our upper and lower airways are so interconnected, she says, an allergen’s impact often extends to our lungs.
Just as an allergic reaction can stuff up your sinuses, it can cause the muscles that line your airways to inflame and tighten. This makes it difficult to breathe and can and lead to wheezing, coughing, and shortness of breathall symptoms of asthma.
