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.
Seasonal Allergies: Symptoms Peak Times And Management
As many as 60 million Americans live with seasonal allergies. If you find yourself with itchy eyes, sneezing, a runny or stuffy nose, and coughing during a particular season, then you may have seasonal allergies.
You do not have to suffer and avoid the outdoors. Many allergy treatments are available.
Understanding what is causing your allergy symptoms is crucial. Then you can partner with your healthcare provider to develop a plan to treat your symptoms.
How Your Body Responds To An Allergen
If youre allergic to something, your immune system swings into action to fight off and defeat what it perceives to be an invader.
Unfortunately, its a big overreaction that causes more problems than it fixes.
To fight off the allergen, your immune system produces antibodies that trigger the release of histamine, leading to symptoms like runny noses, watery, itchy eyes and sneezing. If youre prone to asthma, that process may also affect your lungs and airways, making it harder to breathe.
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When To See A Healthcare Provider
Some allergy and asthmatic symptoms can be self-managed with medication and lifestyle modifications.
If your symptoms interfere with your daily activities, remain the same, or become worse, consider seeing an allergist . They can perform allergy tests and help you create an effective treatment plan.
Move Away From Triggers
The presence of asthma triggers wont only cause an attack, they can also make your symptoms worse. Be sure to try to get away from things that may be triggering your asthma attack.
For example, if youre in an area where people are smoking cigarettes, you should move away promptly.
Its also important to know your triggers. Common triggers include:
- , such as pet dander, pollen, or certain foods
You should always be sure to seek immediate emergency medical treatment if you experience any of the following symptoms during an asthma attack:
- your symptoms continue to get worse even after treatment
- you cant speak except in short words or phrases
- youre straining your chest muscles in an effort to breathe
- your shortness of breath or wheezing is severe, particularly in the early morning or late-night hours
- you begin to feel drowsy or tired
- your lips or face appear blue when youre not coughing
Symptoms that indicate that you could be experiencing an asthma attack include:
- severe shortness of breath
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What Is Seasonal Asthma Causes Symptoms And Treatment
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Asthma is basically the difficulty in breathing and it is caused by a lot of allergens or triggers which your body doesnt respond well to and in severe cases you may need to visit an allergy clinic. Here is everything you need to know about seasonal asthma.
Causes Of Allergic Asthma
The triggers of allergic asthma will vary between patients. Identifying the trigger is an important step in plotting an effective treatment to reduce the likelihood of severe responses to allergens and asthma attacks. The following causes are the most common triggers of allergic asthma.
- Pollen
- Strong fragrances
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When To Visit A Doctor
It would be best to visit a doctor the first time you notice the asthmatic symptoms described above. If you’ve been diagnosed and learned how to deal with it, you should present to the emergency room if you start experiencing the following symptoms:
-
Unable to breathe
-
Your lips and fingernails have started turning blue
-
Your nostrils flare up while breathing
-
Breathing becomes more rapid and hard to control
-
You feel as if you have a heavy weight on your chest
-
Get dizzy or start feeling lightheaded
You should also visit a doctor for regular checkups and monitoring of your asthmatic symptoms.
How To Treat Asthma
Elnette says there are basically two ways to treat asthma: reliever therapy or preventer/controller therapy.
Reliever therapy is used to relieve the symptoms of an asthma attack, she explains. The most common reliever treatment for asthma symptoms is a bronchodilator inhaler, which acts within minutes to rapidly ease asthma symptoms during an attack.
The other type is the corticosteroid inhaler, also known as preventer or controller therapy, which should be used on a daily basis even if you arent experiencing symptoms. These inhalers help to prevent permanent damage to the lungs and play a vital role in acute asthma-attack prevention.
The reliever pumps are often blue in colour, while controller pumps are generally brown. Combination-therapy pumps that contain both a long-acting beta-agonist and corticosteroids come in a variety of colours such as pink, red, yellow, purple or grey. Make sure that you talk to your doctor or pharmacist if you are unsure of the specific colour code of your inhaler, she advises.
Relievers
- Onset of action
- For peak effect
Seasonal asthma treatment is about proactively controlling your environment wearing a scarf over your mouth and nose to help warm the air in winter, for example, or avoiding going outside when the pollen count is high. But in the meantime, you should be adhering religiously to the long-term asthma-management regimen your doctor has put you on even if you dont have symptoms.
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Types Of Allergy Treatment
Managing symptoms of asthma and seasonal allergies can be a real task for people who suffer from both. While there is no cure for asthma or allergies there are treatment options available for individuals suffering with seasonal allergies, in most cases these treatment options can help to control symptoms. The choice of treatment option will vary and will depend on how severe your allergy reactions are and how they affect the quality of your life. Please discuss these options with your healthcare provider.
Treatment options for seasonal allergies:
Enhancing Healthcare Team Outcomes
In 2013, 1.6 million emergency department visits were due to uncontrolled asthma. Many studies have shown that asthma education is essential to help promote patient self-management and adherence. A retrospective study was done in the South Bronx asthma clinic to show that combining pharmacy expertise with asthma education also improves medication adherence and asthma control, as well as decreasing hospital utilization. The role of the asthma educator is to teach patients about asthma medications, their proper use, and to provide better understanding of the disease. Chart reviews were performed to identify improvement of asthma control after education based on the asthma control test scores. Conclusions from this study show that the addition of a pharmacist lead asthma education program was associated with improved medication adherence, decreased hospital utilization, and increased asthma control.
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Using The Papworth Method
The Papworth method has been used since 1960 to help people with asthma. It is a type of breathing and relaxation technique. It makes use of the nose and diaphragm to develop breathing patterns that will suit the asthma patient. These breathing patterns can then be used while engaging in activities that can possibly flare up your asthma. Papworth method is a way of controlling over-breathing that is basically rapid and shallow breaths taken at the top of the chest.
Cats And Other Animals
Because of its small size, this allergen is predominantly an airborne, indoor type. Avoidance involves removing animals from the home , using dense filtering material over heating and cooling duct vents, and washing cats and dogs as often as twice weekly. Antigen may remain in a home for 6 months or more after cats are removed from the home, and cat antigen may be found in homes and offices where cats were never present, highlighting the importance of frequent cleaning.
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Who Can And Cannot Take Montelukast
Montelukast can be taken by adults and children from 6 months of age.
Montelukast is not suitable for people with certain health problems.
Check with your doctor before taking montelukast if:
- you have had an allergic reaction to montelukast or any other medicine in the past
- you have a rare hereditary problem of galactose intolerance
How Are Seasonal Allergies Treated
There are many ways to treat seasonal allergies, depending on how bothersome the symptoms are. An important part of treatment is knowing what someone is allergic to. Some kids can get relief by reducing or eliminating exposure to the allergens that bother them.
If certain seasons cause symptoms, keep the windows closed, use air conditioning instead of fresh air when possible, and stay indoors when pollen counts are high. It’s also a good idea for kids with seasonal allergies to wash their hands or shower and change clothes after playing outside.
If reducing exposure isn’t possible or doesn’t help, doctors may recommend medicines for allergy symptoms. These can include oral, nasal, and ocular antihistamines and nasal steroid sprays. If these don’t help or a child has to take multiple medicines to ease symptoms, the doctor may recommend seeing an allergist. The allergist can decide whether allergy shots could help.
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What Are The Symptoms Of Allergic Asthma
If you have allergic asthma, you may have many of the same symptoms you would experience with other types of asthma. These symptoms can include:
These symptoms can be very intense during an asthma attack. Make sure you have a treatment plan in place if you have severe asthma symptoms this plan often includes an inhaler .
You can also experience symptoms more closely related to allergies. These are usually less intense than asthma symptoms and can happen when youre exposed to an allergen. These symptoms can include:
- A stuffy nose.
- A rash and hives.
S To Help Control Allergic Asthma In Kids
Achoo! Its the time of year when seasonal allergies peak. But in reality, allergic symptoms can happen year round. Thats because theres just as many indoor allergens as there are outdoor. And for kids with asthma and allergies, this can add another layer of complexity to their treatment plan.
In fact, about 80-90% of kids who have asthma also have allergies, or allergic asthma.
When kids with allergic asthma are exposed to an allergen, they can develop inflammation in their lungs. This may cause asthmatic symptoms such as nighttime awakenings, coughing, wheezing and shortness of breath. It may also contribute to more trips to the doctors office, urgent care visits and missed days of school. The good news is that when you treat allergies, asthma is much easier to control.
Studies show that a single intervention isnt effective in treating allergic asthma. In order to control it, kids need a comprehensive, multi-faceted plan targeted at all their allergies. So what could this treatment look like? Here are six steps we outline for families in our allergy clinic:
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Other Suggestions Or Preventions
Influenza is a typical asthma trigger and can likewise worsen the side effects once a scene happens. In this way, it is prudent to get an influenza shot on a yearly premise. A yearly influenza shot is suggested for people above 6 years of age and suffering from asthma. The symptoms of the antibody are minor, for example, mellow fever, soreness or redness at the infusion site.
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How Are Seasonal Allergies Diagnosed
Talk with your doctor if you think your child might have seasonal allergies. The doctor will ask if the same symptoms happen at the same time each year after your child is around an allergen, and do an exam. The doctor may be able to make a diagnosis, or might refer you to an allergy doctor for allergy skin testing or a blood test.
To find which allergens cause a person’s symptoms, allergists usually do skin testing. During skin prick testing, an allergist or nurse puts a tiny bit of a liquid containing an allergen into the skin by making a small scratch or prick on the skin. They usually do skin testing on a person’s forearm or back. The allergist then waits 15 minutes or so to see if a red, raised bump, called a wheal, forms. If it does, there might be an allergy. The allergist uses a ruler to measure the wheal and the redness around it.
Even if a skin test or a blood test shows an allergy, a child must also have symptoms to be diagnosed with an allergy for sure. For example, a child who has a positive test for grass pollen and sneezes a lot while playing in the grass would be considered allergic to grass pollen.
Can Babies Have Seasonal Allergies
Seasonal allergies are very rare in babies. Most children dont develop them until at least age 3 or later. By then they have lived through several allergy seasons and experienced repeat allergen exposures.
If you are concerned that your baby may have allergies, schedule an appointment with a pediatrician or allergist. Do not give any over-the-counter allergy medications to your baby without first talking to your childs doctor.
Reviewed by:Bradley Chipps, MD, FACAAI, is a board-certified allergist and pediatric pulmonologist with Capital Allergy and Respiratory Disease Center in Sacramento, California. He earned his medical degree from University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston in 1972. He is Past President of the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology .
8229 Boone Blvd, Suite 260, Vienna, VA 22182
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Whether Its Asthma Allergies Or Both These Conditions Can Be Managed
With the right care and treatment plan, you can help your child manage their asthma, allergies or both so they can live a happy, healthy life.
If your child has never been diagnosed with asthma, allergies or is starting to show new symptoms make a primary care appointment. There are many conditions that look similar and your doctor can help demine if your childs symptoms are related to asthma, allergies or COVID-19, or something else.
With in-person and video visit options, you can choose the appointment type thats most convenient for you.
If your child has been diagnosed with asthma, allergies or both, you can schedule a visit with an allergy and asthma specialist without a referral.
Effective Treatment Of Your Allergies
Corticosteroid nasal sprays are the first line of treatment to relieve allergy symptoms in asthma sufferers who are allergic to pollen. As with the treatment of asthma, corticosteroid nasal sprays are most effective when used every day, for the whole duration of the pollen season.
Your doctor may prescribe a nasal corticosteroid for your allergies. If your prescription has expired, your pharmacist can renew it if you meet certain criteria. Dont hesitate to enquire about this service. Many products are also sold without a prescription but are kept behind the counter, so ask your pharmacist if you are looking for advice or a specific product.
Antihistamines are effective, but are more indicated for mild or occasional symptoms .
As mentioned before, its crucial to continue your regular asthma treatment throughout the allergy season. You can take a nasal corticosteroid even if you already take corticosteroids for your asthma, since each product is only deposited where it is intended to take effect.
If you have any questions on the treatment of your asthma or allergies, dont hesitate to speak to your pharmacist.
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