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The Double Whammy: Allergic Asthma

Having an allergy and asthma as well can make anyone maddeningly miserable. Most of the time, an allergy and asthma occur together. In fact, allergic asthma is the most common type of asthma diagnosed in the United States.

It’s a good thing it’s fairly easy to find an effective asthma treatment for most kinds of asthma. Generally, an asthma treatment can’t completely cure asthma, but it can definitely help people control the symptoms asthma displays.

Asthma treatment can come in two different forms: quick relief, and long-term control medications. Quick relief medications are usually taken to control an asthma attack.

For example, cat allergies and asthma can often go hand in hand, and if you have allergic asthma and your neighbor’s cat decides it wants you to be its best friend, you’ll probably need an inhaler or another form of quick relief asthma treatment on hand. Long term control asthma treatment is usually taken daily, by people with more severe or persistent forms of asthma.

The Difference Between Allergies and Asthma

An allergy is actually a disease of the immune system. It causes an overreaction to substances that normally wouldn’t cause any problems at all. These substances are known as "allergens.”

Asthma is a disease of the lungs in which the airways become blocked because they are constricted or have become inflamed. When a person has an asthma attack, breathing becomes difficult. In extreme cases, an asthma attack can be life-threatening.

Like an allergy, an asthma attack is usually triggered, either by internal factors or by outside stimuli. A lot of the time, asthma is grouped according to common asthma attack triggers.

Intrinsic or non-allergic asthma is often triggered by internal bodily factors such as upper respiratory infections, exercise-induced asthma or lowered immune system. Extrinsic asthma, which is also called allergic asthma, is usually triggered by inhaled allergens like pet dander, pollen, and mold.

Allergies + Asthma = Allergic Asthma

Both allergic asthma and nonallergic asthma produce the same symptoms: airway obstruction and inflammation. These symptoms asthma and allergies have are partially reversible with medication. The right kind of asthma treatment can make life a whole lot easier, and it can probably save your life, too.

Allergic asthma is the most common form of asthma. In the United States, allergic asthma affects over 50% of the 20 million people who suffer from asthma.

Having both an allergy and asthma doesn’t always have to be all bad, though. If you have allergic asthma, most of the time, an allergy treatment can serve as an asthma treatment in a pinch. It can dampen both the symptoms asthma causes, and the symptoms caused by the allergy.

When an asthma attack is triggered specifically by allergens, a good allergy treatment will reduce the entire body’s allergic response -including the respiratory system’s response. So, if you have cat allergies and asthma as well, keeping some antihistamines handy can be a smart thing to do -especially if your inhaler is running low.

The previous article is on Allergy Symptoms.

Always consult with your doctor or a certified professional trainer before undertaking any exercises, treatments, or dietary supplements.

Other wiki resources:  allergy symptoms; allergic asthma; eczema