Are Allergies And Asthma Related?
September 21st, 2008 Subscribe To Our Feed
When we hear of allergy and asthma studies, we often find them lumped together. Is there really a connection between allergies and asthma? To get to the answer to this, we must first learn what allergies and asthma actually are.
Allergies are immune system reactions to things that others would find harmless. Certain foods, pollen, even dust are all considered allergens that can trigger an allergic reaction. The immune system produces antibodies that release chemicals
Asthma is a chronic lung condition, characterized by difficulty in breathing due to extra sensitive or hyper-responsive airways. During an asthma attack, the airways become irritated and react by narrowing and constructing, causing increased resistance to airflow, and obstructing the flow of air to and from the lungs. Common early warning signs of asthma include fatigue, coughing (especially at night), wheezing, difficulty breathing, tightness in the chest, runny nose, and itchy throat.
Allergies, on the other hand, are immune system reactions to things that most people would experience as harmless. Certain foods, dust, pollen … these are allergens that can trigger an allergy attack. When they’re encountered, the body’s immune system produces IgE antibodies to fight the allergen. These antibodies create the release of chemicals into the bloodstream, one of which (histamine) affects the eyes, nose, throat, lungs, and skin, causing the allergy’s symptoms.
So now that we have a better picture of how these two health conditions work, the question becomes … is there a relationship between allergies and asthma?
It’s true that those with certain allergies (usually allergies that affect the nose and eyes, such as dust mites, animal dander, mold or pollen) are more likely to develop asthma than say … those without allergies or those with allergies in other classifications, such as food allergies. But it’s also true that many of those with allergies never develop asthma at all.
In addition, there are other factors that can contribute to a person’s asthma. Unmonitored exercise, for example. Or other illnesses, such as colds or the flu.
Scientists aren’t sure what lies at the root cause of asthma. Various studies are looking at a variety of factors, including air pollution, obesity, and as strange as it might sound, even the lack of exposure to viruses and bacteria in childhood (which may prevent the immune system from growing stronger).
What we do know is that exposure to indoor allergens, pollen, animal dander, grass … in other words, allergy-related factors, are often found in asthmatics. Often, but not always. And it also appears that asthma tends to run in families. If both parents have asthma, there’s actually a 40% probability their children will develop the disease as well.
Current research efforts have been exploring the influence of environmental factors, genetics (as mentioned above), and even stress on asthma. This creates the potential to dramatically reduce a person’s asthma severity levels by altering his or her exposure to the aggravating factors. This can be particularly successful when the culprit is something that’s relatively easy to control. Dust, for instance. Or something only encountered in a work environment. Or, though it’s certainly much more difficult because of the emotional component, a family pet.
Unfortunately, the most common allergy that appears to have a direct influence on asthma is an allergy to dust mites. Eliminating these mites to the extent that it might make a difference in the severity of your asthma requires a major change in lifestyle and can often be quite expensive. That doesn’t mean it can’t be done, only that it’s not as easy as simply staying indoors during the pollen season or switching to a less stressful job.
Of course, new treatments are coming along all the time, and considerable research is currently dedicated to finding ways to modify, abolish or diminish the affect allergies have on the body. It’s believed that with the successful control of allergies can come the successful control of asthma, particularly in younger sufferers.
In the meantime, here’s what we know … asthma can be triggered by allergic reactions, but it can also be triggered by nonallergic reactions. Most asthma attacks result from exposure to allergens such as pollen, household dust, and mold. These attacks can be influenced by indoor or outdoor environments. Because a majority of asthma sufferers are affected by some form of allergies, it’s worth the effort to work closely with your doctor to try to identify and control all potential allergens within your influence.
What are Allergies and How to Treat Them?
March 28th, 2007 Subscribe To Our Feed
More than 20% of children and adults are affected by allergies in the United States. That means that millions of people are affected each and every year. Allergies affect people differently, it can happen at different times of your life, maybe during different seasons, and also depending on the source of the reaction. There are many different things that can cause people to have an allergic reaction. They can be:
Dust mites
Pollen
Mold
Food
There are a lot of people who have allergic reactions in the spring. This is due to wall of the different things that are starting to bloom. If you think you may be having an allergy attack you need to visit your physician. Your doctor can run tests to determine what you are allergic to. Your physician can then make some suggestions on what is the best treatment plan for you.
Allergies are generally inherited, which means that if one or both of your parents suffer, you stand a good chance of having them also. The allergen can vary however, so you cannot assume that because your mother is allergic to dust, you will be also. You may instead develop allergies to pollen or mold. The genetic link is simply in whether or not you are prone to developing an allergy. Another possible reason for developing a reaction to a particular substance is exposure to that substance when your immune system has been weakened. For example, many people can develop a reaction after a viral infection or during pregnancy.
What is an Allergy?
Allergies occur as a result of your body’s immune system reacting incorrectly to some sort of foreign substance. Your immune system will see pollen or mold as a harmful substance to your body and react accordingly. Some allergy symptoms can be sneezing, watery eyes, itching, hives, and even trouble breathing during more severe reactions. For many, the reaction will be mild and require little or no medical intervention. During an extreme allergic reaction, called anaphylaxis, you may initially feel itching which will quickly progress to swelling, pain and vomiting. Anaphylaxis is a potentially life-threatening condition that requires immediate medical assistance.
Many allergies can be handled with some help from your doctor. You could try using various medicines and sprays, such as antihistamines, nasal sprays and decongestants. There is also another way that you help get control over your allergies. This could be a lifestyle change, like if you are allergic to animals, keeping all types of pets out of your home and also trying to keep the dust down in and around your home. Now if you are having problems with your allergies and they are starting to get in the way of your daily life you need to see your physician. Your physician can recommend immunotherapy for allergies, this is also known as allergy shots.
The allergy shots help to “cure” the allergies that you have and help you start to have a symptom free day. The good news is many times with allergies there are a lot of options available for controlling them effectively. Now if you suspect that you are having problems and that they are caused by an allergic reaction to some particular substance, you should speak to your doctor and find out the choices that you have in allergy treatments.
Poor Mental Health, Asthma Risk Linked? (WebMD)
A new study hints at a possible link between poor mental health and the odds of having asthma.
C-Section Might Boost Baby's Asthma Risk (MedicineNet.com)
Title: C-Section Might Boost Baby's Asthma Risk Category: Health News Created: 12/4/2008 2:00:00 AM Last Editorial Review: 12/4/2008
Breathing Exercises Can Help Ease Asthma (MedicineNet.com)
Title: Breathing Exercises Can Help Ease Asthma Category: Health News Created: 12/4/2008 2:00:00 AM Last Editorial Review: 12/4/2008
Docs misdiagnose asthma 30 per cent of the time (Canada.com)
Up to 30 per cent of Canadians diagnosed with asthma may not actually have the chronic, and sometimes deadly condition, according to the surprising findings of a study appearing in the Canadian Medical Association Journal.
C-Section Might Boost Baby's Asthma Risk (HealthDay via Yahoo! News)
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 3 (HealthDay News) -- Children born by Caesarean section are at increased risk of asthma, according to Swiss researchers, who conducted long-term monitoring of the respiratory health of nearly 3,000 infants.
Allergy / Asthma Secrets