Some Facts You Need to Know about Allergy-Induced Asthma

Asthma can be very annoying and so does allergy. So, you definitely don’t want to imagine if both happen to you at the same time. But no matter how unpleasant it may sound, allergy can indeed cause asthma attack, which is mostly called allergy asthma or allergy induced asthma. As a matter of fact, most asthma cases have diagnosed up to this point is caused by allergy. Unlike other type of asthma, exercise-induced asthma, for example, which can be prevented by avoiding the triggering factors, it is not that easy to avoid the allergens that cause the asthma, especially if you are allergic to very common things that you can easily encounter daily such as dust or pet hair.

When your asthma is triggered by exercise, you can avoid demanding sports and pace yourself to avoid asthma attack. But when your asthma is triggered by dust or pollen, it is possible that the asthma symptoms can appear even if you are just sitting doing nothing since those allergens are basically everywhere. This is why allergy-induced asthma needs proper care, both as a prevention and treatment when the asthma attack happens. To make sure you can control this asthma, here are some facts that you need to know about allergy-induced asthma.

What is Allergy-Induced Asthma?

So you know that allergy can cause itches and rashes. But how on earth can it cause asthma? What’s the correlation here? Well, to answer this, we need to know what causes an allergy in the very first place. When your body encounters an allergen, your immune system will produce antibody which will try to protect your body and in the end, causing allergic reaction. The rashes and itches, those things are actually just the reaction of your immune system when it thinks that the allergens are causing harm to your body.

A substance called immunoglobulin E (IgE) will be released along with the antibody. And in the case of allergy-induced asthma, the IgE is the real trigger, not the released antibody. In such a huge amount, the IgE will cause swollen and inflammation in the respiratory system which in the end will cause asthma symptoms such as coughing and short of breath.

Common Symptoms

Now that you know what allergy-induced asthma is, it is time to find out what the symptoms of this type of asthma are. The only thing that distinguishes allergy asthma with other types of asthma is the trigger. As for the symptoms, everything is basically the same and here are some of the most common:

· Shortness of breath

· Coughing

· Wheezing

· Tight feeling in chest

· Chest pain in some severe cases.

What Triggers It

The best thing you can do to prevent asthma attack when you have allergy-induced asthma is to avoid the allergens. This is why you need to understand well what triggers it. Here are some of the most common allergens that can trigger asthma attack:

· Pollen

· Dust

· Pets hair, feces, saliva

· Mold

· Certain type of foods.

The Best Treatment for Allergy-Induced Asthma

The thing about allergy-induced asthma is it can be so easily triggered when you encounter the allergens. If you are allergic to pollen, you can always take precautions when the pollen season comes. If you are allergic to mold, you can always clean your house. But there are just some allergens that can be hard to avoid, like dust for example, or pets. Of course you don’t want to stay away from your pets because of your asthma. Furthermore, animal allergens are easily carried away, so the asthma symptoms can still appear even when there are no animals around you. Since prevention doesn’t always work, treatment becomes very important. Here are some effective treatments that you can try:

· Montelukast – also called Leukotriene Modifier, this treatment comes in a form of pill that you should take every day. It will really help controlling your allergy since it is capable to control the antibody and chemicals released by your immune system when it detects allergens. However, studies have shown that Montelukast can affect you psychologically and even trigger suicidal tendency. Therefore, if you feel any psychological changes, you should consult your doctor immediately.

· Anti-Immunoglobulin E (IgE) Therapy – as what have been mentioned above, IgE is the real culprit when it comes to causing allergy-induced asthma. When your immune system mistaken the allergen as a threat, it will release IgE, which in high amount can cause asthma symptoms. Anti IgE therapy contains a medication called omalizumab (Xolair). This substance will prevent over production of IgE so that it will not wreak havoc in your respiratory system and triggers asthma attack.

· Immunotherapy – this is one of the most popular allergy treatments and it is also known as allergy shots. You know that you should avoid the allergens to make sure the asthma symptoms will not appear. But allergy shots work the other way around. When you get allergy shots, you will be intentionally injected by a very small amount of the allergens that cause your allergy reaction. It might sound scary but it is actually very effective to introduce the allergens to your immune system so it will not respond it as a threat the next time your body encounters the allergens. But it is not a one time job. You will need to get the injections regularly, around every three or four years. Gradually, your immune system will be more tolerant towards the allergens. And since there is no allergic reaction, there will be no asthma attack.

When you have allergy asthma, it is best if you go see your doctor and do a skin test to find out what things can trigger the allergic reaction. It is a simple test in which your skin is pricked by various allergens. If the skin starts getting itchy or reddens, it means you are allergic to that substance. But even more importantly, you need to treat your condition accordingly. Allergy asthma can be triggered so easily so you need to choose the most suitable treatment, otherwise you will be prone to asthma attacks.