Is Asthma Allergy-Induced?

The allergens which cause sneezing and watery eyes in many people, are the ones responsible for asthma attacks in few others. It can be stated without the shred of a doubt that allergies trigger the most commonly suffered chronic conditions in the United States. The connection between allergies and asthma has been clinically proved. When allergies are largely left undiagnosed, they tend to get reinvented as asthma. Patients suffering from allergic asthma present with tight muscles around their airways. As an adverse reaction, the airways becomes inflamed and congested with mucus.

What is allergic asthma? It is the most common asthma, affecting 90% of kids and 50% adults diagnosed with asthma. The symptoms of allergic asthma and non-allergic asthma are the same, but the symptoms of allergic asthma show after exposure to allergens like pollens, mold etc., which act as trigger factors. The patients with allergic asthma present with:

    • Coughing

    • Wheezing

    • Difficulty in breathing

    • Tightening of the chest

    • Chest pain

    • Flared up signs

Knowing more about allergies that create asthma would be the first step in deciding the type of treatment one can follow. Delayed episodes of asthma depend on the trigger and sensitivity of the patient towards it. Additionally, there are allergens that cause the most common allergies which are chronic in nature:

    • Smoke and particulate matter inhaled through direct smoking, second-hand smoke, and industrial pollution.

    • The microscopic bugs that infest bed linen.

    • Scavenging insects like cockroaches that spread disease and allergens.

    • Pollen, the microscopic grains emitted by flowers which are carried far and wide by wind and insects.

    • The fuzzy looking molds that grown on decomposing food.

    • Pet hair, urine, and saliva tained articles, including stools.

    • Rats and mice, and their close relatives that frequent attics and basements, leaving a trail of fur and fecal debris.

    • Dust mites which are present across the high humidity corners

    • Overactive immune system

    • Cockroaches

    • Insect stings causing anaphylaxis

    • Food with milk, eggs and nuts being the most common

    • Latex, which is generally found in condoms, gloves and medical devices

    • Few drugs and that’s what the doctor asks before prescribing you medicines

People suffering from allergic asthma are sensitive to environment and factors which don’t show any symptoms on people with healthy airways. In addition to the above mentioned allergens, there are many other irritants which can lead to allergic asthma or flare ups:

    • Tobacco smoke from cigarettes etc.

    • Air pollution and exposure to pollutants

    • Extremely cold air

    • Strong odors from chemical or perfumed products

    • Sudden intense emotions

Some Foods that you should intake if you have Asthma:

    • Apples

    • Cantaloupe

    • Carrots

    • Coffee

    • Flax Seeds

    • Garlic

    • Avocado

What the allergen does to the body prone to asthma?

Coming into contact with an allergen compels the immune system to respond in a specific pattern. To fight of the allergen or irritant, the immune system produces immunoglobulin E, which is an antibody. IgE combines with the allergen and releases histamine to protect the body, causing allergic reactions which affect the respiratory tract and skin. During this process, airways in the lungs are affected to exaggerate the symptoms related to allergic asthma. The body has the tendency to remember this reaction and relapse every time it comes across the allergen. 

The muscles lining the bronchioles of the lung begin to tighten, leaving only a small gap for air to pass through. The cells lining the bronchioles start showing signs of inflammation, meaning that they secrete more mucus than they ought to. The excess fluid starts clogging the air passages.  Both these responses make it increasingly difficult for the lung to suck in air and expel waste products, thereby reducing its efficiency.

What you can do to minimize exposure to allergens

    • It helps to filter the home air. Ensure that you conduct periodical overhauling and

    • servicing of filtration systems.

    • Dust proof carpets and rugs, and use allergen-blocking sheets to cover pillows and mattresses.

    • To minimize contact with pet hair, urine, and waste, station pets outdoors in separate kennels that can be cleaned regularly.

    • Hire pest controllers to eliminate rodents and cockroaches.

    • People sensitive to pollen, smoke, and particulate pollution can install advanced air purifiers to keep the home environs allergen free.

    • How conventional medicine overcomes the body’s adverse response to allergens?

Available medication does a fairly competent job of arresting the body’s immune response to allergens. The relief we get is instantaneous, and we are able to resume normal activity without delay.

    • Available in liquid, vapor or tablet form, the quick fixing beta agonists like the levalbuterol bronchodilator and albuterol anti bronco-spasmodic agent, relax air passages to allow unhindered airflow.

    • By blocking the signals that trigger muscle constriction, Ipratropium bromide is a fast delivery emergency aid usually administered through nebulizers.

    • To cover treatment over a longer duration, a corticosteroid such as budesonide is used to keep lung airways from collapsing.

    • Used extensively in combating allergic rhinitis and hay fever, Montelukast sodium selectively blocks immune signals from taking effect.

    • A crystalline compound commonly sourced in tea leaves and coffee, theophylline keeps air passages open. It can be safely used even when symptoms of asthma are not visible.

    • When allergens grab proteins called IgE antibodies, a chain of events is set in motion that creates inflammation and muscle constriction. The anti-Immunoglobulin E therapy aims to block such an immune reaction.

    • The allergy shot-using allergens to fight the allergy

    • The immunologist may decide to administer minute doses of specific allergens with the intention of provoking a mild (and controllable) allergic reaction in the body. This allows antibodies to acclimatize to each allergen. It prepares the body to defend the body against the same allergens more aggressively.

It is very important for a person to seek medical help from a practising doctor in order to get the best advice and also to know the best course of action that is needed to deal with Asthma.