“The majority of asthma that we see, particularly in children, is allergic asthma,” says Felicia Rabito, PhD, MPH, an associate professor in the department of epidemiology at the Tulane School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine in New Orleans. Allergic asthma occurs when allergens in your environment trigger symptoms of asthma, such as coughing, wheezing, and shortness of breath. Common substances that cause an asthmatic allergic response in children and adults are pollen, cockroaches, dust mites, mold, and pets. Here’s what you need to know about allergies and asthma, including signs of a reaction, common triggers, symptoms, treatment, and prevention.
How an Allergic Reaction Can Cause Asthma Symptoms
If you’ve ever taken a bite of peanut butter and immediately broken out in hives, you’ve experienced an allergic reaction. Allergens, like peanut butter in this case, are substances that are inhaled, consumed, touched, or injected into the body that result in an allergic reaction. When your immune system detects an allergen, even if it mistakes a harmless substance like peanut butter as invasive, it produces an antibody called immunoglobulin E (IgE) that binds to the allergen, according to Mayo Clinic. (2) This, in turn, causes the release of powerful chemical substances in an effort to protect the body. Too much IgE results in typical symptoms of an allergic reaction such as:
Itchy eyesRunny noseNasal congestionHives
Symptoms of a severe allergic reaction include:
Swollen tongueDifficulty talking, swallowing, or breathingDisorientationVomitingAnaphylaxis
And in some cases, allergens may cause mild or severe inflammation in the lungs and airways, triggering symptoms of asthma like coughing, wheezing, and shortness of breath.
What Happens in an Asthma Attack?
During an episode of asthma, when your airway comes into contact with a trigger, the linings of the airway become inflamed and narrow. (3) Mucus clogs and tightens the airways, making it difficult for someone having an episode to breathe. Each individual case of asthma is different, and each person has different reactions to various triggers. Some allergens are more common than others.
Common Allergens That Trigger Allergic Asthma
Among adults with asthma, 75 percent of those between ages 20 to 40 and 65 percent of those ages 55 and older have at least one allergy, according to research reported by Dr. Paula Busse, MD, associate professor of medicine in the Mount Sinai Department of Allergy and Immunology. She also reports that as many as 80 percent of children with allergies also have asthma. There are certain allergens that typically trigger allergy-induced asthma in children and adults, such as:
PollenCockroachesDust mitesPet danderMoldFungiLatexMedicineSkinFood
It’s important to note that not everything you are allergic to will cause asthma symptoms to develop, though another type of allergic reaction may develop. A doctor may perform a skin or blood test to determine the allergen(s) triggering your allergic asthma. In an allergy skin test, also referred to as a skin prick test, a nurse makes small marks in the skin and applies allergen extracts next to them. In adults, the skin test is usually conducted on the arm, and in children it’s done on the back. According to Mayo Clinic, a skin prick test can check up to 40 different substances at once. (5) Another option is an allergy blood test, which measures the level of IgE antibodies in the blood. A positive result for a total IgE test indicates an allergy after the overall number of IgE antibodies is measured. Alternatively, a specific IgE test identifies the levels of IgE antibodies in response to individual allergens so that you can discover whether or not you have allergies to a specific trigger, such as pollen.
Know Your Triggers to Help Manage And Control Symptoms
There is no set cure for asthma — it can only be managed and treated. Once you identify your triggers through a skin or blood test, you can come up with the best plan for managing and controlling your symptoms. Knowing your triggers and avoiding them can help prevent or control an allergy-induced asthma episode. The AFAA advises people not to leave food or crumbs in living quarters to prevent pests like cockroaches; fix leaks to prevent mold; wash bedding in hot water and use mattress and pillow covers to protect against dust mites; vacuum pet dander; and wear a mask outdoors during pollen season. (6) For some with allergic asthma, allergy medications may help avert or alleviate symptoms. If your allergies are extremely severe, you should consider seeing a doctor to discuss a treatment plan that may involve a prescription like epinephrine. Some over-the-counter options may help those with mild allergy symptoms. These include:
Nasal steroid spraysAntihistaminesDecongestantsSaline nasal sprays
To treat an asthma attack, there are both short-term and long-term options for relief. Short-term options seek to relax the narrowing muscles in the airways and ease the flow of air. The goal of long-term medications is to control and reduce inflammation in the airways and make them less sensitive to triggering allergens. Asthma medications may be inhaled through a nebulizer or an inhaler. A nebulizer is a machine that uses a mask to convert medication into a mist that is more easily inhaled into the lungs. An inhaler, either a metered dose inhaler or a dry powder inhaler, is a medicine-filled canister that must be used properly to deliver medication to the lungs. The safest thing to do, no matter which category of allergic asthma you fall into, is to carry a rescue inhaler with you for unexpected allergen exposures. Additional reporting by Nicol Natale.
