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Can Allergies Cause Asthma Symptoms

Can Allergic Asthma Be Prevented

Allergies and Asthma: Symptoms, Causes, and Treatment Options

While asthma itself cant be prevented, you can reduce your risk of an allergic asthma attack by knowing your triggers and controlling your environment. This might mean not cutting the grass if you know that pollen is trigger for your asthma or avoiding places with a lot of animals if dander is a trigger for you.

Food Allergies And Asthma: What Is The Connection

Previously, the doctors were only aware of airborne allergies that can cause asthma.

But today, it has been recognized that food allergies can also trigger the asthma attack for patients suffering from respiratory disorders.

While it is true that having food allergies does not always cause asthma, but in many cases coexistence of asthma and food allergy is evident.

Studies reveal that in case asthma and food allergy exist at the same time, the symptoms of the asthma attack can be severe and life-threatening.

How Does Food Trigger Asthma Attacks?

When your body gets in contact with a particular allergy-causing food, the immune system of the body overreacts to release histamine chemical. This chemical is the major factor which is responsible for showing the symptoms of an allergic reaction.

These symptoms may include sneezing, sore throat, itchy and watery eyes, itchiness of the skin, etc.

Now, if you are suffering from asthma, this food allergy can also trigger symptoms like coughing, wheezing, difficulty in breathing, chest tightness, etc.

These asthma symptoms which are mainly triggered due to food allergy, often makes it confusing for people to understand whether it is a usual asthma attack or asthma triggered due to an allergic reaction.

To get the confirmation, it is best to check with your asthma doctor. After a few tests, they can let you know exactly about the causes of the allergic reactions and the type of food allergen you are suspecting to do them harm.

What Is Asthma Exacerbation

Asthma attacks or asthma exacerbations can be acute or subacute episodes during which your airways become swollen. When this happens, the muscles around your airways contract excessively, and the cells inside your airways produce disproportionate amounts of mucus. These changes cause your airways to become narrow, making it difficult for you to breathe properly.

The severity of asthma attacks is highly variable, and treatment will depend on how bad your symptoms are and how often you experience them. Minor asthma attacks may often be managed at home, whereas severe asthma exacerbations require urgent medical assistance and can even be life-threatening.

Asthma commonly affects children, but adults can also develop the condition, especially when theyre exposed to specific allergens. Women can be more susceptible to adult-onset asthma during certain stages of life, such as pregnancy, , or menopause.

The symptoms of an asthma attack include:

  • Difficulty breathing
  • Wheezing when you exhale
  • Low readings in a peak flow meter

The symptoms caused by an asthma attack can vary greatly from one patient to the next. Different factors, from the medications youre taking to seasonal allergies, can even cause varying symptoms for the same patient.

The exact causes of an asthma attack cant always be determined, but certain factors can increase your risk of having an asthma exacerbation, such as:

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With Proper Treatment A Child With Eia Does Not Need To Limit Overall Physical Activity

Weather changes. Cold air, wind, rain, and sudden changes in the weather can sometimes trigger asthma. Each case of asthma is unique. It is important for parents to keep track of the factors or triggers that seem to provoke a childs asthma. Because symptoms do not always occur during or immediately after exposure, this effort may take a bit of detective work. Once you know those triggers, you can take steps to manage your childs exposure to them.

What Is Chest Tightness Asthma Like

Symptoms of Asthma

If you have asthma, a respiratory condition that causes breathing difficulties, you might experience chest pain. This symptom is common right before or during an asthma attack. The discomfort may feel like a dull ache or a sharp, stabbing pain. Some describe it as if they have a heavy brick sitting on their chest.

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When To Seek Help From Your Doctors

If you suffer from allergies and neck pain at the same time, seek care for both ailments. Do not just treat your allergies, hoping that your neck pain will automatically go away. Similarly, do not assume that treatment for your neck pain will improve your allergies. The two problems might be unrelated.

See a general practitioner or an immunologist if:

  • Your allergies persist after treatment with over-the-counter medications
  • Your allergies interfere with your daily life, such as driving safely or work

Neck pain requires a visit to a pain specialist who can diagnose the underlying problem and offer you the best treatment.

See a pain specialist if:

  • Neck pain does not improve with over-the-counter medications
  • You have trouble turning your head while driving
  • A doctor has diagnosed you with neck problems in the past

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How Do Doctors Determine If A Person Has Allergic Asthma

The most definitive sign of allergic asthma that can help a doctor diagnose the condition is if a person experiences asthmatic symptoms after exposure to an allergen.

If factors other than allergens, such as exercise or respiratory infections, trigger a persons symptoms, they may have a different type of asthma.

A person with allergic asthma should prioritize avoiding any known triggers to help control the condition. This may include:

  • avoiding pets whose dander causes allergic reactions
  • keeping dust to a minimum by regularly dusting their home with damp rags and washing clothes and other soft items regularly
  • using allergen-proof bed coverings on mattresses and pillows to help keep dust mites off bedding
  • vacuuming the home regularly to rid it of dust mites and cockroaches
  • treating any sources of mold
  • washing bedding regularly at a high water temperature to remove mites and other substances that may cause an allergic reaction

Asthma can be a long-term condition, although people may control and, in some cases, reverse asthma symptoms with treatment. In some people with long-term asthma, airways may narrow permanently and cause persistent problems breathing comfortably.

A person may need additional treatment for any conditions they have alongside allergic asthma, such as:

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Fast Facts About Asthma And Children

Asthma is one of the most common chronic childhood illnesses.

Nine million U.S. children under 18 have been diagnosed with asthma.

Asthma is a leading cause of school absences.

In a classroom of 30 children, two or more children are likely to have asthma.

From 1980-1994, the rate of asthma in children under the age of five increased more than 150%.

In the year 2000, 4.6 million children under age 18 were seen in physicians offices and hospital clinics for asthma treatment, and more than 728,000 children under age 18 had asthma-related visits to the emergency department. That same year, at lest 214,000 children under 18 were hospitalized due to asthma.

Alternative Pet Ideas For Children With Asthma

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If your children love animals but cant 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.

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If Your Asthma Symptoms Are Caused By Allergies Take Steps To Control Knownor Potential Triggers In Your Environment

Allergy-proof your house for dust, mold, cockroaches, and other common indoor allergens to which you are allergic.

Reduce your outdoor activities when the pollen count or ozone level is high.

Choose foods that dont contribute to your asthma or allergy symptoms.

Evaluate your workplace for possible allergens and take the necessary steps to reduce your exposure to them.

In order to determine relevant triggers, you may want to seek consultation with an allergist who can further define these triggers.

In addition, anyone with asthma should consider getting an annual flu shot. Older adults also should talk with their internist about getting a pneumonia vaccination.

How To Manage Allergic Asthma

An essential step to managing allergic asthma is identifying and avoiding triggers when possible. You may need to remove the source of the allergen from your home or other environment.

You can also reduce allergic asthma symptoms by washing out your nasal passages regularly with saline solution using a Neti pot or squeeze bottle.

Allergic asthma can have serious complications. One complication is anaphylaxis. This type of severe allergic reaction may have symptoms such as:

  • nasal congestion

Untreated anaphylaxis can be life threatening. It may cause health concerns such as an abnormal heart rate, weakness, low blood pressure, cardiac arrest, and pulmonary arrest.

If youre at risk of a serious allergic reaction, your doctor may prescribe an epinephrine self-injecting device . Carrying this medication with you at all times and using it within the first few minutes of the onset of allergy symptoms can prevent a life threatening allergic reaction.

Allergic asthma attacks arent always preventable. However, you may be able to make them less frequent by changing your environment.

The steps you take will depend on the allergen causing your symptoms. They may include:

  • washing bedding frequently in hot 130°F water
  • mopping instead of sweeping

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Nasal Polyps And Asthma

Theres no doubt that asthma and nasal polyps are also closely related. Though other respiratory conditions can cause it, its most often itself an allergic reaction to pet dander, ragweed, and dust mites.

Among people with asthma, researchers estimate that anywhere from 26 to 56% have CRSwNP. When the two are combined, symptoms become significantly worse. Patients experience:

  • Difficulty sleeping

What is concerning about asthma is that, if untreated, severe casesand certainly those associated with CRSwNPcan be fatal.

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Asthma symptoms in children, adults, and more

Because a food intolerance lasts for just a few days at a time, you may not be questioning your nausea or your headaches. But with the increasing prevalence of food allergies and food sensitivities, these issues can be very serious.

Here are some questions you can ask yourself to determine if you have a food sensitivity:

  • Do you feel abdominal pain within 2 hours after eating any of the foods on this list?
  • Do you feel nauseous after eating?
  • Have you ever had a severe headache or a migraine after eating or drinking a specific thing?
  • Do you suffer from irritable bowel syndrome, but notice it really flares up after eating certain foods?
  • Do you have frequent headaches accompanied by nasal congestion?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, you may have a food intolerance. Start taking note of the foods you consume that trigger your symptoms. Again, be sure to set an appointment with your healthcare professional to discuss further steps to manage your condition.

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Treating Allergies Vs Treating Asthma

In both cases, its important to recognize what triggers the reactions. If you have asthma, you may be triggered by dust, pet dander, or mold. Similar things can trigger allergies, and may change with the seasons.

Allergies can be treated with allergy shots. These shots treat allergies by gradually lessening your immune-system response to certain allergic triggers. The shots work by using a method of treatment known as immunotherapy, which introduces a small dose of allergens into your system over time. This helps your immune system build up a tolerance to the allergens over time, thereby lessening symptoms.

Asthma can be treated with medications that are administered through an inhaler, which takes the medication directly into your lungs and airways where the allergic reactions occur. These inhalers are particularly helpful as they are quick acting in cases of emergencies like asthma attacks.

Common Allergens That Trigger Allergic Asthma

Among adults with asthma, 75 percent of those between ages 20 to 40 and 65 percent of those ages 55 and older have at least one allergy, according to research reported by Dr. Paula Busse, MD, associate professor of medicine in the Mount Sinai Department of Allergy and Immunology. She also reports that as many as 80 percent of children with allergies also have asthma.

There are certain allergens that typically trigger allergy-induced asthma in children and adults, such as:

Its important to note that not everything you are allergic to will cause asthma symptoms to develop, though another type of allergic reaction may develop. A doctor may perform a skin or blood test to determine the allergen triggering your allergic asthma.

In an allergy skin test, also referred to as a skin prick test, a nurse makes small marks in the skin and applies allergen extracts next to them. In adults, the skin test is usually conducted on the arm, and in children its done on the back. According to Mayo Clinic, a skin prick test can check up to 40 different substances at once.

Another option is an allergy blood test, which measures the level of IgE antibodies in the blood. A positive result for a total IgE test indicates an allergy after the overall number of IgE antibodies is measured. Alternatively, a specific IgE test identifies the levels of IgE antibodies in response to individual allergens so that you can discover whether or not you have allergies to a specific trigger, such as pollen.

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Allergic Rhinitis: Clinical Considerations

Allergic diseases affect 10% to 30% of adults and nearly 40% of children and are increasing in prevalence for unknown reasons . Symptoms of allergy are occasionally life-threatening, sometimes debilitating, and frequently very bothersome. In the lungs, allergy is manifested by bronchoconstriction or asthma in the nose, by rhinitis in the skin, by urticaria and in the eyes, by conjunctivitis. Anaphylaxisâthe systemic and life-threatening manifestations of allergyârequires immediate medical attention. For several reasons, this article focuses on allergic rhinitis. First, in contrast to allergic rhinitis, asthma is often treated with systemic corticosteroids, which may themselves cause neuropsychiatric symptoms. Second, because of anatomic proximity, inflammation of the nasal cavities may have a closer relationship with the brain than inflammation of the skin, lungs, or digestive tract. The distinction between asthma and nasal inflammation is somewhat illusory, however, because more than 60% of individuals with rhinitis also have asthma, and allergic rhinitis frequently progresses toward allergic asthma .

Is Allergic Asthma Affected By Climate Change

Symptoms of Asthma

Climate change poses a danger for people with allergic asthma. This is due to an increase in temperatures impacting the start, duration and intensity of pollen allergy seasons and pollen allergenicity. It is especially problematic for people with allergic asthma triggered by pollen. Extreme weather events, such as thunderstorms, may also lead to allergic asthma attacks.

For people with non-allergic asthma, climate change poses a risk when air quality is poor often due to pollutants in the air.

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Schedule An Appointment With An Allergy Specialist

Congestion, wheezing, runny nose, and other symptoms dont have to keep interrupting your daily life. Allergists like Dr. Sami Nallamshetty at Florida Medical Clinic can help diagnose the causes of your allergies and help get your asthma under control year-round using treatments like allergy shots, medications, and more.

Will I Have Allergic Asthma For My Entire Life

There isnt a cure for allergic asthma. However, you can control your symptoms and take care to control your environment avoiding an asthma attack. Your allergic asthma can be worse at certain times during the year. Talk to your healthcare provider about ways to manage your symptoms and the best medications to control your asthma. Allergic asthma is very common and you can live a normal life with this condition.

A note from Cleveland Clinic

Allergic asthma is a very common condition that many people experience throughout their lives. Though there isnt a cure for this type of asthma, it can be controlled. You can control you condition by learning about your triggers and taking steps to avoid a reaction. Talk to your healthcare provider about ways to manage your environment and avoid asthma attacks.

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How Do I Manage Allergic Asthma

The main goal of treating allergic asthma is to control the condition. Your healthcare provider will work with you to develop ways to manage allergic asthma. Some things your provider may work with you on include:

  • Learning how to identify triggers. Your provider will help you figure out what is triggering your asthma and find ways to either avoid or manage these allergens. Often, these triggers are found in your environment. Once you know what they are, you can manage your interactions with them.
  • Finding the best medication for you. Not every medication is a perfect fit. Your provider will work with you to find which medication will control your asthma symptoms without causing negative side effects. There are many types of medications for allergic asthma . Take the time to work with your provider to see what works best for you.
  • Developing an action plan. Its important to have a plan in place that helps you know when to take certain medications, what to do if the medications arent working and who to call in those situations.

What Foods Contain Gluten

Allergic asthma treatment, symptoms and diagnosis

Many lip balms and lipsticks, hair and skin products, toothpastes and vitamin and nutrient supplements contain gluten.

Who needs to be on a gluten-free diet?For people with celiac disease, eating gluten-free is a medical necessity. However, in recent years, many people without celiac disease are adopting a gluten-free diet, believing that its healthy or could help them lose weight.

According to the National Institutes of Health , theres no data that suggests eating a gluten-free diet helps with better health or weight loss. In addition, a gluten-free diet may not provide enough of the nutrients, vitamins and minerals the body needs, such as fiber, iron and calcium.

If you think your digestive issues stem from celiac disease, dont remove gluten from your diet without first speaking with your doctor.

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