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.
Does An Asthma Attack Trigged By Allergies Feel Different Than A Typical Asthma Attack
When you have an asthma attack thats triggered by your allergies, it is a severe flair up of your asthma symptoms. During an asthma attack, your airways will tighten, making it difficult to breathe. You may also feel chest pressure, wheeze and cough. The symptoms of an allergic asthma attack are the same as an asthma attack caused by something else. The difference between the two is the cause of the asthma attack. When you experience severe asthma symptoms after breathing in an allergen, this is typically allergic asthma.
Food Chemicals That May Cause Asthma
Intolerance to food chemicals is dose-related, which means the symptoms get worse as more of the chemical is ingested.
Some of the food chemicals that are known to trigger asthma in susceptible people include:
- sulphites such as sulphur dioxide and sodium metabisulphite. These additives are often used in processed foods as preservatives. Common sources include wine, fruit juices, canned fish and dried fruit
- food colourings such as the yellow food dye tartrazine. Food colourings very rarely trigger asthma attacks. Generally, if a person with asthma reacts to one food colouring, they should make sure to avoid eating any food colourings
- monosodium glutamate this is a naturally occurring chemical, frequently used as an additive to enhance flavour, particularly in savoury snack foods. Foods that contain high concentrations of MSG include stock cubes, gravy, soy sauce and packet soups. Hydrolysed vegetable protein is sometimes added to foods in place of MSG, and may trigger asthma in people who are sensitive to MSG
- salicylates naturally occurring salicylates are also present in many foods, including instant coffee, soy sauce, tomato paste and sauce, beer and honey. The drug aspirin is also a salicylate. Other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs may also trigger dangerous attacks in people who are sensitive to aspirin. Around five to 10 per cent of people with asthma are sensitive to salicylates.
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Medications For Allergic Asthma
Taking steps to control allergens is likely to improve your symptoms. But you may still need allergy and asthma medications to treat attacks.
Try nasal allergy medications that donât make you sleepy, saline rinses, and nasal sprays . If these donât work, use nasal steroid sprays and stronger antihistamines. If none of this helps, it may be time to talk to a doctor about allergy shots.
There are many good asthma treatments, but most require a prescription. These medications include inhaled steroids, which fight inflammation, and bronchodilators, which open up your airways. If traditional treatments donât help your allergic asthma, Xolair, an injectable medication that reduces IgE levels, may help. Also, the long-acting anticholinergic medication called tiotropium bromide may be used in addition to your regular maintenance medications to help with symptom control. This medication can be used by anyone ages 6 years and older.
SOURCES:American Academy of Asthma, Allergy, and Immunology: “What to expect at the doctor’s office,” “How to help your allergies and asthma,” “Allergic asthma information,” “Is your asthma allergic?” American Medical Association, Essential Guide to Asthma, 1998. National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute: “Asthma: How is Asthma Diagnosed?” “How is asthma treated?”Boehringer Ingelheim: “US FDA Expands Approval of Tiotropium Respimat® for Maintenance Treatment of Asthma in Children.”FDA. Prescribing Information: Spiriva Respimat.
Read The Labels On Food Products
Some food additive numbers to remember include:
- sulphites 220228
- other food colourings 107, 110, 122129, 132, 133, 142, 151, 155
- monosodium glutamate 620625.
If you are looking for more information, you could check the Official Shoppers Guide to Food Additives and Labels, which is available through libraries, major bookshops, supermarkets and newsagencies. Food Standards Australia New Zealand also has a list of food additives and their numbers on their website.
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How Common Is Asthma
According to the CDC, more than 25 million Americans had asthma in 2017, which was almost 8 percent of the population.
Asthma is more common in children than adults. According to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, it is more common in adult women than adult men but also more common in boys than girls.
The group also says that 3,564 people died from asthma in 2017.
Vicencio said given how common asthma is, some may not appreciate how serious the disease is.
“Everybody knows somebody who had asthma,” Vicencio said. “People just forget how deadly the disease is.”
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Cat Allergies Can Still Be Lethal
While the odds of anyone going into complete anaphylactic shock arent high, severe allergy symptoms could lead to death if not treated accordingly.
The same allergens that cause watery eyes and itchiness in one person can cause an asthma attack in others. A person suffering from allergic asthma could have increasingly severe symptoms the more they interact with a cat.
If the individual is not treated and removed from the cat environment, severe allergic asthma attacks can restrict the airways in a deadly manner.
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How Are These Conditions Connected
The higher rate of migraines in people with asthma and allergies and vice versa points to a connection. Research has helped doctors gain insight into how these 3 disorders relate.
A key link is the way in which the body functions with asthma, allergies, and migraines. The immune systems of people with these disorders make a lot of immunoglobulin E in response to things like allergens. The IgE protein defends the body from something that seems harmful to the body.3
Another link is that the symptoms of asthma and certain allergies like hay fever can bring on migraines. How asthma and allergies affect the nerves and inflame parts of the body can lead to migraines. Hay fever causes nasal congestion and snoring. This can get in the way of breathing and result in migraines.1
What Is Asthma Definition
Asthma is a chronic lung disorder that can make breathing difficult. It features narrow, inflamed airways . “Asthma” is an ancient Greek word meaning “short breath,” and as the name implies, it can leave you gasping for air. One of the telltale signs of an asthma attacks is wheezing with difficulty breathing. Other asthma symptoms include chest tightness, coughing, and shortness of breath.
When the breathing tubes of the lungs become chronically inflamed, they can become sensitive to inhaled environmental allergens and irritants that can trigger asthma. These environmental triggers include pollen, pollution, and tobacco smoke. Exercise can also be an asthma trigger for some.
Who Gets Asthma?
About 25 million people in the U.S. have asthma about 6 million of these are children. The condition affects men and women equally.
Asthma Can Be Deadly
Asthma causes over 14 million visits to doctors each year and nearly 2 million emergency room visits.And, tragically, asthma can kill. Most people who die from asthma are over age 50, but children sometimes die of the condition.
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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.
Childhood Vs Adult Symptoms
Children and adults generally have similar symptoms. But, identifying asthma symptoms in children can be more difficult, especially in younger children who may not be able to tell you how they are feeling.
Here are some things to watch for in your child that could indicate asthma:
- Not being able to keep up with other children while running around
- Having a hard time catching their breath or breathing faster than other children who are doing the same thing
- Looks like they have a cold, which could actually be asthma
- Coughing, especially at night
- Feel restless, irritable and/or very tired
What to do:
STEP 1: Immediately use a fast-acting reliever inhaler . Use a spacer if provided.STEP 2: Check your symptoms. If they are gone, you can go back to your normal activities. If they symptoms get worse or do not improve within 10 minutes, this is an emergency. Follow the steps below.
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Personal Asthma Action Plan
As part of your initial assessment, you should be encouraged to draw up a personal asthma action plan with your GP or asthma nurse.
If youve been admitted to hospital because of an asthma attack, you should be offered an action plan before you go home.
The action plan should include information about your asthma medicines, and will help you recognise when your symptoms are getting worse and what steps to take. You should also be given information about what to do if you have an asthma attack.
Your personal asthma action plan should be reviewed with your GP or asthma nurse at least once a year, or more frequently if your symptoms are severe.
As part of your asthma plan, you may be given a peak flow meter. This will give you another way of monitoring your asthma, rather than relying only on symptoms, so you can recognise deterioration earlier and take appropriate steps.
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What Can You Do
Keep a clean home
- Make sure that your home is free of dust, mold, smoke, and other potential triggers.
- Vacuum often-HEPA filters remove dust best.
- Keep foods stored in tightly sealed containers to avoid attracting cockroaches and rodents by keeping food in tightly sealed containers.
- Clear crumbs, drips, spills, and dirty dishes immediately.
- Identify and quickly fix water leaks in your home.
Keep people with asthma away from dust, dust mites, and smoke
- Use zippered “allergen resistant” mattress and pillow covers to keep dust mites out of sleeping spaces.
- Keep pets outdoors or away from sleeping areas clear hairs from carpets and furniture.
- Quit smoking, or smoke only outside your home and car. Always keep tobacco smoke away from children.
- Change bed sheets often.
- Keep people with asthma out of a room while vacuuming or dusting.
Get medical advice and follow the doctor’s instructions
- Get medical attention for breathing problems.
- Get emergency medical care for bad attacks of shortness of breath or wheezing.
- Take all prescribed medication, either to prevent attacks or to lessen the symptoms.
- Find out what allergies you have so you can avoid these potential asthma trigger.
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How Marijuana Smoke Affects Asthma
If you have asthma and smoke weed, you may experience higher incidences of coughing, excessive build-up of phlegm, wheezing, shortness of breath, tightness in your chest, and you may be more susceptible to lung infections. The possibility does exist that irritation from smoking marijuana could prompt a life-threatening asthma attack. This risk is due to the irritation caused by smoke inhalation, not specifically because the smoke comes from cannabis.
Q: What happens if you smoke weed and have asthma?A:It is possible that asthma symptoms such as coughing, wheezing, and shortness of breath will worsen if you smoke weed. However, smoking cannabis gives many people near-instant relief from bronchoconstriction, which can stop an asthma attack in its tracks.
Smoke combustion releases toxins and is bad for the lungs whether it comes from weed, cigarettes, or campfires.
Inhaled Antiasthmatic Therapies And Covid
In conclusion, clinicians should be aware that there is no evidence to support the withdrawal of ICSs in patients treated with these drugs, and to do so is likely to be harmful. Patients with asthma who are stable while using ICSs should continue their treatment. If there is uncertainty about the diagnosis, physicians should be more careful about initiating ICSs or ICS/long-acting -agonist in patients without clear objective evidence of asthma. Similarly, there is no evidence to suggest a change in the recommendation for asthma patients to increase the dose of ICSs at the onset of an exacerbation. Based on the above, the indications contained in the GINA document about asthma and COVID-19 are certainly acceptable : a) advise patients to continue taking their prescribed asthma medications, particularly ICSs b) make sure that all patients have a written asthma action plan c) advising them to: increase controller and reliever medication when asthma worsens d) avoid nebulizers where possible, to reduce the risk of spreading the virus e) pressurized MDI via a spacer is preferred except for life-threatening exacerbations, and f) add a mouthpiece or mask to the spacer if required.
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After An Asthma Attack
For several days following a flare-up you are at greater risk of additional asthma attacks. During this time period:
- Avoid your asthma triggers
- Use a peak flow monitor to keep track of your breathing
- As always, take your medications as instructed, even when you feel great
When you stray from your doctors orders regarding asthma treatment, you put yourself at risk of a serious condition called airway remodeling.
Severe asthma attacks can cause brain damage or death.
In this condition, your lungs become scarred. This reduces the effectiveness of your asthma medications and weakens your ability to breathe. You can avoid airway remodeling by working with your doctor to develop and maintain a treatment plan that works for you, reducing your risk of asthma attacks.
If you need medical assistance, contact CareFinders at 1-866-608-FIND to make an appointment with a physician, or call 911 immediately if it is an emergency.
There Are Many Different Types Of Asthma Brought On By Many Different Triggers
If youre struggling with asthma symptoms trouble breathing, a persistent cough or tightness in the chest an allergist can help you take control by providing a diagnosis and identifying the underlying causes.
Learn about the triggers and treatment for allergic asthma and how an allergist can help you manage allergy and asthma symptoms.
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Medical Certification Of Cause Of Death In The Uk
The UK system utilises a medical certification of cause of death with two parts. Part I is for reporting disease related to the chain of events which directly leads to death . Part II should only include diseases that contributed to the death but did not directly cause it . The World Health Organization International Classification of Diseases -10 codes are then allocated, by national statistics departments, according to an algorithm, which in some cases where asthma is entered in part II of the MCCD results in asthma being classified as the underlying cause of death .
How Serious Is Asthma
Tragically, three people die every day because of asthma attacks and research shows that two thirds of asthma deaths are preventable.
The reassuring fact is that most people with asthma who get the right treatment – and take it correctly – can manage their symptoms and get on with what they want to do in life.
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Allergy Facts And Figures
An allergy is when your immune system reacts to a foreign substance, called an allergen. It could be something you eat, inhale into your lungs, inject into your body or touch. This reaction could cause coughing, sneezing, hives, rashes, itchy eyes, a runny nose and a scratchy throat. In severe cases, it can cause low blood pressure, breathing trouble, asthma attacks and even death.
There is no cure for allergies. You can manage allergies with prevention and treatment. More Americans than ever say they manage allergies. It is among the countrys most common, but overlooked, diseases.
Will There Be Any Risks Involved
While the use of cannabis certainly seems to be an effective choice to treat asthma symptoms, it is still important to pay attention to all the risks involved in using this option. For instance, many studies show that when you take inhaler-delivered THC in excess, you may end up dealing with bronchoconstriction. In a study, only 3 out of 5 asthma patients experienced bronchodilation after receiving 5-20mg of THC. It implies that even if you are using weed to treat your asthma, you need to be very careful about how much you take.
Many studies have already confirmed that you do not increase your risk of developing lung cancer after smoking marijuana, but there is evidence that excessive smoking may well be associated with an increased risk of developing bronchitis, which involves the mucous membranes of the airway becoming inflamed. Your asthma symptoms may become worse and you notice serious complications if you develop bronchitis.
Nevertheless, there are other ways to use cannabis without having to worry too much about the risks. Instead of inhaling, you can ingest marijuana through alternative methods, such as edible preparations or vaporizers. Keep in mind that you do not always need to smoke weed to enjoy its therapeutic benefits.
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