Asthma is a condition that occurs when the airways become constricted. This is generally due to inflammation that causes the airways to narrow and prohibit oxygen from being properly delivered into the lungs. Some people with asthma will have an acute asthma attack when introduced to certain allergens. When this happens, the person has allergy induced asthma. This may cause a variety of troubling symptoms, with the foremost being difficulty breathing.
A person with allergy induced asthma may experience exaggerated asthma symptoms when exposed to certain types of inhaled allergens. This may include airborne allergens such as dust mites, mold and animal dander. Other types of inhaled allergens may include pollen and cockroach particles. Sometimes, people allergic to tobacco smoke may develop an induced asthma attack if they are exposed to the smoke for a period of time. In most cases, individuals with asthma and a nasal allergy will have a wide variety of triggers that may initiate an attack.
Sometimes, eating certain foods will initiate allergy induced asthma. In many cases, the foods are those which the person may have a history of being allergic to. He or she may have had the food allergy first and then developed asthma or vice versa. Some examples of common food allergies that may induce asthma are seafood, in particular shellfish, peanuts and certain fresh fruits and vegetables. Other food products that people are commonly allergic to, such as milk, wheat, eggs and beer, may also induce the condition.
If a person has allergy induced asthma, he or she may experience symptoms of an asthma attack and and an allergic reaction when being exposed to triggering allergens. Asthma symptoms may include tightness in the chest, coughing, shortness of breath and wheezing. Some common allergic reaction symptoms are developing a skin rash, watery eyes, itching, sneezing and having a runny or stuffy nose. There are some self-help techniques that may be used to prevent these symptoms. In most cases, taking measures to avoid exposure to the offending allergens may lessen the likeliness of severe asthmatic symptoms and allergic reactions.
To treat allergy induced asthma, a person may be prescribed an inhaler. Many inhalers will contain corticosteroids to decrease inflammation in the air passages. Asthma induced by an allergy may also be treated with allergy centered medicines such as antihistamines. Often, antihistamines are prescribed in nasal sprays as well as oral medications. Generally, the allergy medicines will be used short term, while for most asthma suffers, inhalers will serve as a long term asthma treatment.
