Sometimes, understanding what triggers your asthma can be just as important as the medication you take to control it. If you can identify a trigger, you may be able to avoid it.
When an immune system is not working properly, a child can be hit with more severe and unusual infections, such as pneumonia, sinusitis and thrush. An allergist can discover these problems and prescribe a course of treatment.
Overall, 1 out of 12 people, or about 8 percent of the U.S. population have asthma, according to 2009 statistics from the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. In 2001, an estimated 1 out of 14 people had asthma.
The type of symptoms experienced with allergies depends on what you're allergic to and how you come into contact with it. You may have difficulty breathing if you inhale pollen or experience nausea if you eat a food you're allergic to. Identifying the cause of an allergy is the vital first step to managing it.
Did you know that, if your home or office has mold, that breathing it can cause an asthma attack? Even if you do not have asthma, breathing in mold can have negative consequences for your health. Get rid of any mold in your environment, and use air conditioners and dehumidifiers to help prevent it from re-accumulating.
If you have asthma, then chances are that strenuous exercise may trigger symptoms. Studies show that high levels of exercise can cause a narrowing of airways in 80% of asthmatics, so speak to your doctor to develop some strategies to control this.
Steroids have been a common asthma treatment and prevention medication for decades. Steroids suppress the immune system, which is what causes the immune overreaction response in the lungs leading to an asthma attack, and allow the lungs to function normally without that immune response. However, steroids can also prevent the immune system from reacting properly when it truly is infected with a virus or bacteria.
Once diagnosed, allergic rhinitis treatment options are: avoidance, eliminating or decreasing your exposure to the irritants or allergens that trigger your symptoms, medication and immunotherapy (allergy shots).
While most people may think asthma is a condition for children, adults can begin suffering from asthma symptoms at any age. Depression, anxiety, exercise and viral infections are common triggers of adult onset asthma.
Immunology is already a narrowed-down field of medical science, but even within this field, doctors can choose to specialize. Some immunologists focus on cells, for example, while others are more interested in humoral response (the body's release of antibodies to fight disease).
Did you realize your choice of career can make you more susceptible to developing asthma based on the materials you may be exposed to regularly? Industries associated with occupational asthma include textile manufacturing as well as positions that require regular exposure to latex or flour.
If you suffer from allergies, check the weather before heading outdoors. Information about your local pollen level is available on the Internet or in your local paper. If pollen counts are supposed to be particularly high on a given day, you could play it safe by staying inside.
The risk of allergies is increasing all the time, but stay assured that doctors have found ways to make sure you’re not burdened with allergies every time you wake up during allergy season. This should be good news, considering the pollen season has increased in the past 10 to 15 years.
Chronic bronchitis is one of the forms of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Another common type of COPD is emphysema, though bronchitis is not normally this severe.
Asthma can't be cured, but it can be managed. Even so, asthma fatalities do occur at the rate of around 3,600 every year in the U.S. Treatment and patient education are important, and have shown positive results. In fact, asthma related deaths have dropped 26 percent since 2011.
The phrase “forewarned is forearmed” is especially true when it comes to allergies and immune system problems. When you have an accurate picture of your immune system, you know what allergens to avoid, and can be prepared with the right medications, such as epinephrine.
If you’ve ever had an adverse reaction to a particular medication, it’s natural to want to avoid going through that again. Let’s talk about how seeing an immunologist for allergy testing could help you to identify additional medications you should avoid.
Immunotherapy is the name for the allergy shots you can get to help alleviate the severity of your reaction to certain allergens. Allergies to pollen, mold, dust mites and animal dander can all be treated with immunotherapy.
Have you heard of allergic asthma? This describes asthma that is triggered by an allergen. This is a lot more common than you might think. Approximately 60% of asthma sufferers have allergic asthma.
Your doctor will likely recommend medications to keep your asthma under control. The medicines will either be of the quick-relief variety or ones designed to keep airway inflammation down in the long-term. Often doctors will recommend a combination of both types.
Ask your doctor how you should use your allergy medicine before outdoor exercise. For example, you will probably want to take antihistamines and allergy treatments at least an hour before you start working out. Nasal steroid sprays need even longer, about a day.
Most childhood asthma is triggered by allergens. One main factor in this is exposure to cigarette smoke in infancy or early childhood, which irritates the respiratory tract and making the child particularly vulnerable to asthma.
