Allergic asthma

Allergic asthma is a common type of asthma. About 80% of all cases of asthmatic diseases, both in children and adults, occur against the background of allergies. Let's look at the main types of asthma, methods of diagnosis, treatment and prevention.

The onset of allergic asthma is provoked by various substances and microorganisms that enter the body when inhaled and cause allergies. Allergens or allergy triggers exacerbate the symptoms of various diseases and cause asthma attacks, in this case, allergic asthma. With allergic asthma, it is very important to diagnose the disease in time and begin treatment. Since allergens are present everywhere, and the diagnosis - asthma, worsens the quality of life and can lead to very serious consequences.

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Causes of Allergic Asthma

The causes of allergic asthma are related to the effect of allergens on the body. Under the influence of allergens, an inflammatory process occurs in the respiratory tract, which makes breathing difficult and provokes shortness of breath. This reaction of the body occurs due to disturbances in the functioning of the immune system. As soon as the allergen enters the respiratory organs, bronchospasm occurs and the inflammatory process begins. This is why allergic asthma is accompanied by a runny nose, cough and severe shortness of breath.

There are many reasons that could trigger allergic asthma. The disease can be caused by pollen, animal hair, mold spores, and many other things. Asthma can start not only from inhaling an allergen, but even from a slight scratch or cut on the skin. Many people develop asthma due to frequent inhalation of tobacco smoke, polluted air, perfume aromas, or the smell of household chemicals. In addition to allergens, asthma is also influenced by other factors that do not cause diseases, but provoke asthma attacks. The most common of them are:

• Physical activity - coughing and shortness of breath appear during active and prolonged exercise.
• Medicines - some medicines provoke asthma attacks. Therefore, before using any antibiotics and even vitamins, you should consult a doctor and carefully read the contraindications for use in the instructions with the drug.
• Infectious diseases – colds provoke the appearance of cough and asthma attacks.
• Temperature conditions and polluted air.
• Emotional state – frequent stress, hysteria, laughter and even crying provoke asthma attacks.

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Symptoms of Allergic Asthma

Symptoms of allergic asthma vary, but most often they include a strong cough, shortness of breath, and a runny nose. The first symptoms of the disease appear as soon as the allergen enters the respiratory tract or gets on the skin. The immune system reacts immediately, causing itching, redness, and swelling (if the allergen gets on the skin) or attacks of suffocating cough (when inhaling the allergen). Let's look at the main symptoms of allergic asthma.

• Severe cough (some people experience suffocation due to exposure to allergens, as the throat swells).
• Shortness of breath.
• Chest pain.
• Frequent wheezing.

The above symptoms are caused by allergens such as pollen of plants and grasses (especially during the flowering period), saliva and animal hair, as well as scratches, excrement of ticks, cockroaches and other insects, mold spores. If asthma symptoms appear, you should immediately seek medical help and undergo diagnostics at an allergy center to determine the cause of the disease and prescribe effective treatment.

Infectious-allergic asthma

Infectious-allergic asthma has a unique development mechanism. A special role in the development of this disease is played by the presence of a chronic respiratory infection, and not by inhalation of an allergen. That is why infectious-allergic asthma is most often found in elderly people. Due to the effects of infection and chronic inflammation, changes occur in the bronchi that lead to their reactivity. The bronchi begin to react sharply to any irritants, and the bronchial walls thicken and become overgrown with connective tissue.

The main symptom of infectious-allergic asthma is a long-term course of respiratory diseases, possibly even with exacerbations. Infectious-allergic asthma can also appear due to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or chronic bronchitis.

Allergic form of bronchial asthma

The allergic form of bronchial asthma develops against the background of the pathogenic mechanism of hypersensitivity. The main difference between the allergic form of bronchial asthma and just asthma or allergic asthma is that only a few seconds pass from the moment of action of the allergen to the onset of an attack. The main factor that contributes to the onset of the disease is chronic infections with complications or frequent respiratory diseases. But the disease can also occur due to long-term use of medications, ecology or occupational hazards (work with chemicals, etc.).

The main symptoms of asthmatic disease are manifested in the form of a strong cough, which causes spasms in the chest. In addition, temporary attacks of suffocation and shortness of breath may occur. The presence of these symptoms indicates serious problems in the body that require immediate treatment.

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Allergic rhinitis and bronchial asthma

Allergic rhinitis and bronchial asthma are common allergic diseases. Rhinitis occurs against the background of severe inflammation of the nasal mucosa. Some patients experience inflammation of the conjunctival membranes of the eyes. In addition, the patient experiences difficulty breathing, profuse nasal discharge and itching in the nasal cavity. The main symptoms of bronchial asthma are suffocation, cough, wheezing, and sputum production.

These are clinical manifestations of one disease, which is localized in the upper respiratory tract. Many patients who suffer from allergic rhinitis, after a while, develop asthma attacks. Please note that doctors distinguish three types of allergic rhinitis and bronchial asthma - constant, year-round and periodic. Each type depends on the impact of allergens that provoke the disease. Therefore, the most important step in treating the disease is to identify the allergen and eliminate it.

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Atopic allergic bronchial asthma

Atopic allergic bronchial asthma occurs due to the impact of the pathogenetic mechanism of immediate hypersensitivity. The basis of the disease is that very little time passes from the impact of the allergen to the attack. The development of the disease is influenced by heredity, chronic diseases and infections, occupational hazards to the respiratory tract and much more.

Against this background, four types of allergic bronchial asthma are distinguished: mild intermittent, mild persistent, moderate asthma and severe disease. Each type of disease is accompanied by symptoms that begin to worsen without proper treatment.

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Asthma with predominant allergic component

Asthma with a predominant allergic component is a disease that occurs due to exposure to a certain irritant. The disease appears in both adults and children due to inhalation of house dust, medications, pollen, bacteria, food products and much more. The disease can also be provoked by an unfavorable environment, strong odors, emotional shocks and nervous overload.

Patients with this disease develop chronic inflammation. Because of this, the respiratory tract becomes very sensitive to any irritants. In addition, swelling may appear in the respiratory tract, which is accompanied by spasms and strong mucus production. To cure the disease, you must seek medical help. However, there are recommendations that will help avoid exacerbation of asthma with a predominance of the allergic component. Allergists recommend spending more time outdoors, avoiding synthetics in clothing and bed linen, regularly ventilating the room and doing wet cleaning, removing synthetic products with a high content of allergens from the diet.

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Allergic asthma in children

Allergic asthma in children can occur at any age. As a rule, the disease occurs in children over one year old. Very often, allergic asthma is disguised as chronic bronchitis and is treated radically incorrectly. If a child has four or more episodes of bronchitis (obstructive) during one year, this indicates the presence of an allergy. In this case, you must immediately contact an allergist and begin treatment.

Treatment begins with identifying the allergen that triggered the disease, i.e. allergic asthma. Injections of medications and inhalations are used as treatment. Treatment of allergic asthma in children should be supervised by an allergist and immunologist. Regular preventive procedures increase the child's immunity and protect against allergens that trigger asthma.

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Diagnosis of allergic asthma

Allergic asthma is diagnosed by an allergist or immunologist. The doctor learns about the symptoms that bother the patient, compiles an anamnesis and, based on the results of the survey, uses certain research and diagnostic methods. Thus, suspicion of allergic asthma appears with symptoms such as cough, wheezing, severe shortness of breath, frequent heavy breathing, swelling of the throat, etc. Chest X-ray is most often used to diagnose allergic asthma. In cases of exacerbation of the disease or severe course, the X-ray will clearly show a slight enlargement of the lungs due to a reduced ability to release air.

Also, skin tests are used to diagnose allergic asthma. For this, an allergist uses a sterile needle to inject extracts of the most common pathogens into the skin to study the allergic reaction to them. After identifying the pathogen, the doctor prescribes complex treatment and preventive measures.

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Treatment of allergic asthma

Treatment of allergic asthma is a set of measures aimed at restoring health and proper functioning of the body. Today, there are treatment methods that allow you to completely stop the development of the disease and relieve symptoms. Such treatment methods allow people diagnosed with allergic asthma to lead a full life. The basis of treatment is the detection and elimination of the allergen. During treatment, drug therapy and injections may be prescribed.

As for general recommendations for the treatment of allergic asthma, it is necessary to ensure the cleanliness of the house, get rid of dust, hair and animal odors, as they are the ones that most often provoke the symptoms of the disease. It is necessary to be outdoors more often, eat only natural products and not wear synthetic clothing.

Allergic Asthma Medications

Allergic asthma medications are prescribed by an allergist. The goal of such treatment is to control the disease. Taking medication will help to avoid asthma attacks and eliminate a number of symptoms, such as cough, runny nose, conjunctivitis, shortness of breath. All medications used to treat allergic asthma are divided into two groups.

The first group includes drugs that eliminate muscle spasms and expand the lumen of the bronchi, which allows you to breathe freely. Such drugs have a short duration of action and are used to relieve painful symptoms.

• β2-stimulants are used to relieve spasms of smooth bronchial muscles. The most commonly prescribed are terbutaline, berotek and ventolin. The main form of release is an aerosol.
• Theophylline drugs effectively relieve attacks of acute allergic asthma.
• Anticholinergic drugs are most often prescribed to children, as they have minimal side effects and show excellent treatment results.

The second group of drugs is used to relieve inflammation and prevent asthma attacks. Such drugs must be taken regularly, since only in this case do they have an effect. The drugs gradually eliminate symptoms and inflammation, stabilizing the body's condition. But unlike the above-described drugs, the second type does not have an effect during an asthma attack.

• Steroids – reduce inflammation and other symptoms of the disease. They are prescribed for a long course, but have a lot of side effects.
• Sodium chromoglycate is one of the safe drugs for the treatment of allergic asthma. It can be prescribed to both children and adults.

Please note that medications for the treatment of allergic asthma can only be prescribed by the attending physician. Self-medication will aggravate the symptoms of the disease, cause a number of complications and serious pathologies.

Treatment of allergic asthma with folk remedies

Treatment of allergic asthma with folk remedies has been used for many centuries. Such treatment is safer than drug therapy and, according to many patients, more effective. The peculiarity of treating allergic asthma with folk remedies is that such treatment does not put a strain on the kidneys and liver and does not cause side effects. We offer you the most effective and popular recipes of folk medicine.

• If allergic asthma is accompanied by a severe runny nose and conjunctivitis, then you will need bran for treatment. Pour a couple of spoons of bran with boiling water and eat on an empty stomach, having drunk a glass of water before. In 10-20 minutes, tears and snot will go away. The effect of this remedy is that bran removes allergens from the body.
• Allergic rhinitis is an integral companion of allergic asthma. To cure the disease, you need to drink milk with tar in the morning. The course of treatment involves drinking half a glass of milk and a drop of tar every morning. On the second day, add two drops of tar to the milk and gradually increase to twelve drops. After that, the countdown should go in the opposite direction. This treatment will give you free breathing and purify the blood.
• If you have allergic bronchial asthma, this method of treatment will rid you of the disease forever. The treatment is long-term, the remedy must be taken for six to nine months. Take a bottle or a three-liter jar and put a kilogram of crushed garlic in it. Fill the contents with clean water and leave for 30 days in a dark, cool place. As soon as the tincture is ready, you can begin treatment. Every morning, add a spoonful of tincture to hot milk and drink half an hour before meals. The main rule of this treatment is that you cannot skip taking the remedy.
• If, in addition to heavy breathing, runny nose and shortness of breath, allergic asthma has caused skin rashes, this recipe will help you. Birch leaves are poured with boiling water, infused and consumed as tea. A week of treatment with this method will rid you of allergy symptoms.

Relief from an attack of allergic asthma

Relieving an attack of allergic asthma is a set of actions and measures that eliminate the symptoms of the disease. The very first thing you need to do during an asthma attack is to calm down. Try to relax, inhale and exhale slowly, open a window if necessary, lie down or sit down. If you have an inhaler with medication, use it. Inhalation quickly relieves an asthma attack and restores the smooth muscles of the bronchi.

To relieve an asthma attack, you can take the medications we talked about. One tablet will effectively eliminate shortness of breath and chest spasms. If the medications and methods for relieving an asthma attack do not help, you need to call a doctor. The doctor will give an intramuscular or intravenous injection, this will help relieve the attack. But after this, you need to go to an allergy center and undergo treatment in a hospital, since repeated attacks of allergic asthma and their exacerbation are possible.

Prevention of allergic asthma

Prevention of allergic asthma is aimed at eliminating allergens and contact with pathogens. You need to start with your home. Clean, dust and wash the floors. Replace synthetic bed linen with natural ones. If you have feather and down pillows and blankets, they should be replaced with synthetic ones, since down and feathers can cause allergic asthma. The bed linen should be changed every two weeks and the room should be regularly ventilated.

If you have pets, it is better to give them to friends for a while or try not to be in the same room with them. Synthetic clothing also causes attacks of allergic asthma and allergic dermatitis. This also applies to artificial food, give up fast food and semi-finished products, let your diet contain only fresh vegetables, fruits, meat and dairy products. If you play sports, you need to temporarily change intense loads to more moderate training. All these methods of preventing allergic asthma will make life easier for allergy sufferers and will allow you not to remember the disease.

Prognosis of allergic asthma

The prognosis of allergic asthma depends on the patient's age, the severity of the disease, symptoms and treatment methods. If the disease was diagnosed in time and proper treatment was prescribed, the prognosis of allergic asthma is favorable. If allergic asthma was incorrectly diagnosed and treated as another disease with similar symptoms, the prognosis is unfavorable. Please note that inadequate treatment or its absence is a serious risk of pathological processes in the body that can lead to death, and severe forms of allergic asthma can cause disability.

Allergic asthma is a disease that can be treated. But this is only possible with proper diagnosis and compliance with all treatment rules. A clean house, the absence of pets and a number of other allergens that cause the disease are the guarantee that allergic asthma will not make itself known.