What Is The Best Allergy Medicine For Asthma

What Are The Symptoms Of Allergic Rhinitis

Most people with allergic rhinitis have a blocked or runny nose. Some also have sneezing and itching in the nose and back of throat. Allergic rhinitis can also make the eyes itchy, red and teary. Not everyone with allergic rhinitis has all these symptoms.

People with asthma may not recognise that they also have allergic rhinitis, because the symptoms can be mistaken for asthma. For this reason, Australian and international guidelines for doctors recommend that people with asthma should be checked for allergic rhinitis.

Allergic rhinitis can occur all year round, or just at certain times of year.

Best Overall: Allegra Adult Non

• Better for those under their 60s

• Can cause drowsiness

No matter how much you love your furry friends, life isnt going to be easy if youre allergic to them. You can give yourself some relief by taking the Xyzal Allergy Relief Tablets that were made to alleviate symptoms associated with animal dander allergies.

Unless youre willing to get rid of your pet, many say this is the only thing that works. Additionally, Parikh suggests keeping the pet out of your bedroom and getting a HEPA air purifier.

What Causes Lung Cancer

Cigarettesmoking is the most important cause of lung cancer. Research as far back as the 1950s clearly established this relationship.

• Cigarette smoke contains more than 4,000 chemicals, many of which have been identified as causing cancer.
• A person who smokes more than one pack of cigarettes per day has a 20-25 times greater risk of developing lung cancer than someone who has never smoked.
• Once a person quits smoking, his or her risk for lung cancer gradually decreases. About 15 years after quitting, the risk for lung cancer decreases to the level of someone who never smoked.
• Cigar and pipe smoking increases the risk of lung cancer but not as much as smoking cigarettes.

About 90% of lung cancers arise due to tobacco use. The risk of developing lung cancer is related to the following factors:

• The number of cigarettes smoked
• The age at which a person started smoking
• How long a person has smoked

Other causes of lung cancer, including causes of lung cancer in nonsmokers, include the following:

Another cancer known as mesothelioma is also strongly associated with exposure to asbestos.

You May Like: Remedies For Asthma Without Inhaler

Spongia Tosta For Asthma With Dry Cough

Spongia Tosta works well for asthma with a dry cough. The cough, in this case, can be deep, barking, hacking type. The cough is attended with extreme dryness of all the air passages. Along with dry cough, whistling from the chest on inspiration is noted. Respiration is also difficult. In most cases, warm drinks bring relief from the cough.

How Do I Know Which Otc Allergy Medicine Is Right For Me

When determining which type of OTC allergy medication is right for you, consider your worst allergy symptoms.

There is a lot of crossover among the different categories, but in the most simple terms, antihistamines are best for itchy, sneezy noses and help itchy eyes, says Dr. Passer. Nasal sprays are best for congestion and post nasal drainage, but help itch quite a bit, too, and decongestants help with congestion. OTC eye drops are best for eye symptoms.

I dont think there is any differentiation between the medication categories for pollen versus, say, indoor allergens like dust or dog dander, she adds. It really is all the same process in the bodyit just comes from different sources.

Recommended Reading: Risk Factors For Asthma Exacerbation

What Factors Should Patients Consider In Choosing And Using Otc Epinephrine Or Ephedrine

Despite the development of newer medications, epinephrine and ephedrine remain available as OTC medications. The choice of epinephrine or ephedrine should involve consideration of several factors. Most importantly, the asthma should be mild and less frequent, defined as occurring less than once per week and resolving almost immediately. It’s best to use OTC epinephrine or ephedrine under the guidance of a physician, if used at all. A patient should seek medical attention and prepare to switch to a prescription asthma medication in most cases, but especially if:

OTC ephedrine is available only as an oral medication in combination with guaifenesin as caplets, tablets, or syrup. Use caution when first starting these products since they occasionally irritate the airways of some patients and may make the asthma worse. OTC ephedrine should provide relief of symptoms within 15-60 minutes and may continue to be effective for three to five hours. Continued use of ephedrine, like frequent use of epinephrine, leads to tolerance.

What Are The Symptoms Of Asthma In Older Children

Symptoms of asthma in children who are 6 years of age or older can range from a nagging cough that lingers for days or weeks to sudden and scary breathing emergencies. Common symptoms include:

• Coughing, especially at night
• A wheezing or whistling sound, especially when breathing out
• Trouble breathing or fast breathing that causes the skin around the ribs or neck to pull in tightly. Children with asthma may describe this like it feels like something is squeezing or sitting on their chest
• A lack of energy or feeling weak or tired
• Frequent colds that settle in the chest

Recommended Reading: Asthma Smooth Muscle

Naturopathic Approaches To Allergies And Asthma

From a naturopathic medical perspective, allergic symptoms are quite often associated with disruption to the microbiome in the gut, as well as to dysfunction of other organ systems including the adrenal glands/endocrine system, digestive disturbance beyond the microbiome, and altered immune responses. Determining the cause of a patients allergic symptoms, including allergic asthma, is at the forefront of a naturopathic treatment protocol. Root cause identification may involve laboratory testing, diet-symptom tracking via logs and observations, as well as special diets called elimination and challenge diets. In terms of management and treatment, dietary avoidance, environmental modifications such as home air purifiers and specific cleaning routines, as well as a variety of herbs and supplements may be implemented based on patient presentation.

Assistant Dean of Naturopathic Medicine and Associate Professor, National University of Health Sciences

Its Difficult To Say For Sure Why People Get Asthma But Thanks To Research Were Clear About Some Of The Risk Factors That Make Asthma More Likely

What causes asthma is different to what triggers asthma:

• The causes are the underlying reasons why someone gets asthma in the first place.
• Triggers are things like dust mites or pollen that can make asthma symptoms worse.

Here we look at what causes asthma, and where its possible for you to lower the risk. The good news is that some of these risk factors are things you can do something about.

Recommended Reading: Can Acid Reflux Cause Asthma

Parental And Personal Smoking

In utero maternal smoking and parental smoking in early life has been shown to be temporally associated with increased asthma in young children . Recent evidence from multi-generational studies suggest that grandmaternal smoking while the mother is in utero and paternal smoking during his adolescence can independently increase the risk of subsequent offspring childhood asthma. These findings suggest that tobacco smoking may cause heritable modifications of the epigenome, which increase the risk of asthma in future generations .

Smoking also seems to interact with sex. Female smokers had a higher prevalence of asthma than female non-smokers, but this difference was less frequent for males, suggesting that females may be more susceptible. Many studies have found that personal smoking predisposes an individual to increased risk of incident or new-onset asthma, although smoking-onset in adolescence, or adulthood typically occurs after early-onset asthma . As non-atopic asthma becomes increasingly common compared with atopic asthma in adults, this is most likely because this phenotype frequently coincides with a substantial history of cigarette smoking and its potential to predispose to chronic airflow limitation . Smokers with asthma form a distinct group that are more likely to have suboptimal asthma control and develop asthma-COPD overlap syndrome in later life, characterized by incompletely reversed airflow obstruction following an inhaled bronchodilator .

How Do You Treat Allergies

There are various ways to combat unpleasant allergy symptoms, including:

• Medications: An array of medicationsboth over-the-counter and prescriptioneffectively and safely treat allergy symptoms. Different types of medications treat allergy symptoms in different ways, ranging from reducing swelling to keeping your body from releasing histamines.
• Immunotherapy treatments: These treatments consist of giving a patient either an allergy shot or sublingual immunotherapy tablet with a dosage of the allergen to lower their sensitivity to it gradually. With allergy shots, you need three to six months of injections with increasingly higher doses of the allergen to build up immunity or tolerance. Once youve reached an effective dose, you can expect to receive an injection every two to four weeks. Allergen immunotherapy may reduce the need for medications to control symptoms.

Read Also: What Happens If You Smoke Weed With Asthma

How Is Asthma Diagnosed

To diagnose asthma, doctors will ask questions about a childs health, problems with breathing, and family medical history. Theyll also ask about any allergies, illnesses, and exposure to things that may make breathing worse.

Kids will have a physical exam and may have a lung function test. This usually involves testing breathing with a spirometer, a machine that analyzes airflow through the airways.

p

Best For Pollen Allergies: Nasalcrom Nasal Spray

Depending where you live, pollen allergies can flare up at various points in the year, when different plants are pollinating. That means you might need to try a different medicine during a new pollen season to get the same relief from your symptoms, Dr. Kalra says.

If steroid nasal sprays and oral antihistamines aren’t working, you might want to try an intranasal mast cell stabilizer like NasalCrom, which has the active ingredient cromolyn sodium and works differently than many other types of allergy medicines. Instead of blocking histamine after it’s released, it works to stop histamine from being released in the first place.

The recommended dosing is one spray in each nostril three to four times per day. You’ll need to start using NasalCrom about one to two weeks before exposure to allergens for it to be most effective. It does not take effect immediately like other types of allergy medicine and will need around one to two days to kick in.

Buy it: Price: $15.99

Read Also: What To Do When You Have Asthma And No Inhaler

When Do You Need Antihistamine Eye Drops

For some people, allergy season comes with itchy eyes that oral antihistamines cannot control. If this is the case for you, you may benefit from an antihistamine eye drop. Antihistamine eye drops work directly in your eyes to block the release of histamine and prevent allergy symptoms. Several products that used to require a prescription are now available over the counter.

The best options for long-lasting relief include the following products:

• olopatadine : You can use the 0.2% drops once a day or the 0.1% drops once or twice a day.
• ketotifen : Ketotifen can provide relief for up to 12 hours.

Whether allergy season brings a runny nose and sneezing, or your symptoms include itchy and watery eyes, you can find relief with OTC allergy medication. Although your doctor may write a prescription for allergy medication, some insurance plans may not cover them because they are available over the counter. If your insurance does not cover your medication, you can use a free Rx savings card to get the lowest prescription price.

How To Take And Store

Most antihistamines can be taken with or without food.

Second-generation antihistamines are typically taken in the morning. If your doctor prescribes both an antihistamine and a leukotriene modifier for allergic asthma, it’s common to take the antihistamine in the morning and the leukotriene modifier in the evening.

Storage recommendations vary by drug:

• Both Zyrtec and Xyzal should be stored at room temperature that’s ideally 68 to 77 degrees F, with excursions in temperatures ranging from 59 to 86 degrees F.
• Claritin should be stored in a cool, dry place that’s ideally between 36 and 77 degrees F. Clarinex should be kept at 77 degrees F, with excursions that can range from from 59 to 86 degrees and should be protected from excessive heat or light.
• Benadryl should be stored at room temperature that’s ideally 68 to 77 degrees F.

Read Also: Can Allergies Cause Asthma

How Should I Manage My Childs Asthma

A key part of managing asthma is working with your doctor to develop an individualised written asthma action plan for your child. The plan helps you to recognise what triggers your childs asthma, when and how to take medication, and knowing what to do if symptoms get worse.

It is also important to understand what may be causing your childs asthma so you can reduce or remove triggers in the home.

Ask your doctor about aids and tips that will help you care for your child at home. You can talk about when and how to use medications and what devices you will need, such as inhalers and spacers, to help deliver the medication to your childs airways.

It can also help to keep a diary to record when an asthma medication is given and when symptoms appear.

Learn as much about asthma as you can. For more information, call the Asthma Australia Information Line on 1800 278 462 to talk to a trained health professional.

See Your Gp If Your Hay Fever Isnt Improving

If your hay fever isnt under control, it could trigger your asthma symptoms or even an asthma attack, so if your hay fever symptoms dont go away with the usual treatments, or are getting worse, see your GP.

They may recommend one of these treatment options:

Montelukast tablets

Theyre a medicine type called Leukotriene Receptor Antagonists .

Montelukast is not a licensed treatment for hayfever but is an add on treatment for asthma. Some people with asthma find it is helpful for their nasal congestion.

Seeing an allergy specialist

A specialist can test your allergies to understand your specific triggers.

If your allergic symptoms are severe, they might recommend immunotherapy to help your body get used to your trigger see the NHS website for more information.

Recommended Reading: What Is Type 1 Asthma

Sinus Medicine & Relief

Many people who have allergies also deal with sinus congestion and pressure. This can be painful at times, but theres no need to suffer! CVS carries a wide selection of sinus medicine to help relieve your symptoms fast. Look for sinus medication that combines a pain reliever with a decongestant. Tylenol Sinus Congestion and Pain is a good choice and is available in a non-drowsy daytime formula. In addition, you may want to try a nighttime formula if sinus congestion and pain is getting in the way of a good nights sleep. If your nighttime symptoms are more closely aligned with allergies, such as itching, sneezing, and watery eyes, consider an antihistamine instead. Benadryl is a good choice because in addition to controlling your symptoms, it can make you feel drowsy and more susceptible to sleep.

The Impact Of Asthma On Daily Life

Asthma is often under-diagnosed and under-treated, particularly in low- and middle-income countries.

People with under-treated asthma can suffer sleep disturbance, tiredness during the day, and poor concentration. Asthma sufferers and their families may miss school and work, with financial impact on the family and wider community. If symptoms are severe, people with asthma may need to receive emergency health care and they may be admitted to hospital for treatment and monitoring. In the most severe cases, asthma can lead to death.

Read Also: How To Help Your Asthma Without An Inhaler

You May Like: How To Treat Asthma Attack Without An Inhaler

How Do I Know If Other Medicines Im Taking Are Making My Asthma Worse

Any medicine can cause wheezing or shortness of breath if youre allergic to it. If you notice that your asthma gets worse every time you take a certain medicine, tell your doctor as soon as possible. If you use a peak flow meter to check your asthma, tell your doctor if you see changes in your peak flow readings after you take a certain medicine. Your doctor can decide whether your medicine should be changed.

What Is Allergic Asthma

Allergies, Asthma, News

Asthma and allergies are two distinctly different conditions. But you may find they are often discussed together. It is important to know that people with asthma dont always have allergies. And people with allergies dont always have asthma. But there is a good reason for this marriage of terms.

Asthmais a respiratory disease characterized by inflammation and bronchospasm . When the lining of the airways becomes swollen and clogged with mucus and fluid, it can lead to airway inflammation. When the muscles around the airways tighten and contract, attempting to keep the airways open, this is bronchospasm. This leaves patients with cough, wheezing, chest tightness and shortness of breath. When breathing issues become severe, this is referred to as an asthma attack, flare or exacerbation.

People with allergic diseases have an overactive immune system. Their immune systems react to normally harmless substances. This is known as an allergic reaction. It can involve many different symptoms. Common allergens include:

• pollen

People with allergic asthma may also experience common allergy symptoms:

• Runny nose, usually with clear or pale-colored mucus
• Red, watery eyes
• Itching around the nose, mouth, or eyes

You May Like: Can You Join The Army If You Have Asthma