The occurrence of asthma and allergies usually happens at the same time, a surprising fact for most people.
In the United States, the most common form of asthma is allergy-induced.
Typically the irritants that trigger reactions are the same ones that will trigger inflammation of the lower airways through the lining in your nose.
Symptoms of airway inflammation are then aggravated by those irritants, causing chest tightness, shortness of breath and also wheezing.
Most airway inflammation is triggered by airborne irritants like pet dander, pollen and dust mite droppings.
Antibodies are responsible for the symptoms sufferers experience because of the chemicals histamine and leukotrienes.
The treatment of some allergies can reduce or control the symptoms of asthma.
Asthma can also be treated through immunotherapy which keeps an individual´s immune system from responding to those allergens.
There are medications that work on both issues simultaneously by treating airway inflammation as well as inflammation suffered by skin and hay fever irritation, such as corticosteroids, by inhaler, cream or nasal spray, or pills such as Singulair.
Singulair modifies the leukotrienes in the immune system to regulate those chemicals as they are released.
Antihistamines work for hay fever, but not for airway inflammation, while bronchodilator inhalers work in the reverse.
If allergies run in your family history, suffering from allergic-asthma becomes a higher risk.
Hay fever also increases the risk of developing this issue.
All airway inflammation is not caused by reactions, such as nonallergic asthma and exercise-induced asthma.
Cold air and infections can trigger airway inflammation reactions as well so limit your time in direct contact with cold, and be sure to take good care of yourself to avoid infection whenever possible.
Taking control is doable, and symptoms can be managed and even controlled by first consulting your physician.
A plan can be created to help you avoid irritants by avoiding circumstances where irritants in the air can be most aggravating.
When you know what triggers a reaction, the reaction becomes that much easier to control, so be sure to write down those triggers and keep them handy - memorize them - so that you are always prepared.
Speak with your physician for a specialized treatment to handle any symptoms, and be sure to keep antihistamines, nasal sprays and a bronchodilator inhaler available for use at any time.
Physicians are better able to provide treatment plans because they understand the way the airway and the immune system work together, so it is possible to create the management and control that you need.