Nearly 28 million people in the U.S. have asthma.1,2 It is a long-term disease that causes your airways to become swollen and inflamed, making it hard to breathe. There is no cure for asthma, but it can be managed and controlled. The best way to manage asthma is to avoid triggers, take medications to prevent symptoms, and prepare to treat asthma episodes if they occur.
What Are the Symptoms of Asthma?
Common symptoms are coughing, shortness of breath, wheezing, and chest tightness (or pain). Asthma may lead to a medical emergency. It is important to know the signs of a severe asthma episode (or asthma attack).
How Do Doctors Diagnose Asthma?
A doctor may use a few different ways to look for asthma. These include:
- Taking a detailed medical history
- A physical exam
- Lung function tests
- Chest or sinus X-ray
- Blood tests to look for certain markers
- Allergy tests
The doctor will look at the results from these tests. They will then decide what type of asthma you have. They will develop a treatment plan based on the type and severity of your symptoms. If you have moderate to severe persistent asthma, AAFA recommends you see an allergist or pulmonologist if possible. Allergists treat allergies, asthma, and immune disorders. Pulmonologists treat asthma and other lung or respiratory diseases.
What Is the Treatment for Asthma?
You and your doctor will come up with a plan to treat your asthma. It often involves a blend of medication and avoiding your asthma triggers. An asthma action plan is an important tool to help you know when and how to treat your asthma symptoms.
What Triggers Asthma?
Asthma symptoms can appear when you are exposed to a trigger. A trigger is something you are sensitive to that makes your airways become inflamed. This causes swelling, mucus production, and narrowing in your airways. Common asthma triggers are pollen, air pollution, animal allergens, scents/fragrances, certain gases, extreme weather changes, smoke, dust mites, stress, and exercise.
How Can I Prevent an Asthma Episode?
The best way to prevent an asthma episode, or attack, is to follow your treatment plan. Learn your triggers and avoid or reduce your exposure to them. Take your allergy and asthma medicines when you should. Use your quick-acting medicine as soon as you start to notice symptoms.
Many people live healthy lives with asthma if it’s managed well. With a good treatment plan and guidance from your doctor, you can still do much of what you enjoy. For example, many professional athletes have asthma.
Allergies are one of the most common chronic diseases. A chronic disease lasts a long time or occurs often. An allergy occurs when the body’s immune system sees a substance as harmful and overreacts to it.
The substances that cause allergic reactions are allergens. When someone has allergies, their immune system makes an antibody called immunoglobulin E (IgE). These antibodies respond to allergens. The symptoms that result are an allergic reaction.
AAFA has a lot of information on our site to help you learn more about allergies. Also consider joining a local support group or contacting a regional chapter if one is in your area.
What Are the Types of Allergens?
- Drug (medicine)
- Food
- Insects that sting (bee, wasp, fire ant), bite (mosquito, tick), or are household pests (cockroach and dust mite)
- Latex
- Mold
- Pet (dog or cat urine, saliva, and dander)
- Pollen
What Are the Symptoms of Allergies?
The most common allergy symptoms can simply make you uncomfortable. For example, you may have watery eyes, runny nose, sneezing, a rash or hives. Other more serious symptoms, like trouble breathing and swelling in your mouth or throat, may be a life-threatening reaction called anaphylaxis [anna-fih-LACK-sis].
How Do Doctors Diagnose Allergies?
Doctors diagnose allergies in three steps. They review your personal and medical history. They give you a physical exam. They do tests to identify your allergens.
What Are the Treatments for Allergies?
Good allergy treatment is based on your medical history and the severity of your symptoms. It can include three different treatment strategies: avoidance of allergens, medication options and/or immunotherapy (a treatment to train your immune system not to overreact).
How Can I Prevent an Allergic Reaction?
The best way to prevent an allergic reaction is to avoid your allergens. It sounds so easy, but you can’t always avoid them. For example, it’s not possible to avoid all outdoor activities if you’re allergic to bees and wasps. But there are steps you can take to reduce your chances of being stung and you can carry the medicine you will need if you are stung. It is important to prepare and have an allergy action plan.
Don’t let allergies interfere with your day-to-day activities at home, work or school. You can live a normal life despite having allergies. See your allergist for treatment and guidance. Take steps to avoid your allergens. Keep medicine with you at all times so you can treat an allergic reaction. Use our tips to help you manage your daily life with allergies.
For more information visit www.aafa.org.