Are Allergy And Asthma Related?

Are Allergy And Asthma Related?

Allergy and asthma are linked in more ways than you think. They are both triggered by the same factors, so the method of prevention is usually similar.


They are related in more ways than just making you feel terrible. The same things that trigger allergy-related symptoms such as stuffy nose and itchy eyes, usually also irritate the airways. This leads to various asthma symptoms such as wheezing, a sense of tightness in your chest, and short shallow breaths.


Many asthma sufferers see their symptom starting after allergies are triggered. Most times they are allergic to airborne pathogens such as pollen, dust, or pet dander. Symptoms of asthma can even be caused by allergies to different foods and from skin allergies.


If you come in contact with something you are allergic to, the first thing you notice is that the lining of your nose becomes affected and you become congested. If instead you have an asthma attack, the same process affects the airways.


You experience side effects when antibodies perceive the presence of the allergen. The reactions are brought upon when the antibodies go to work to fight off the allergen.


Many asthmatic people respond favorably to allergy treatments. There is a type of allergy treatment called immunotherapy or allergy shots. This has been proven to greatly decrease the amount of asthma symptoms. It works by lowering your sensitivity to certain allergens over the course of time.


Asthma triggered by allergies can be prevented and its symptoms reduced. You can control this problem by taking allergy medication, or even by staying away from anything that triggers an allergic reaction. Neither of these methods usually control asthma completely, but it can happen.


While allergic asthma is the most popular type of asthma, there are many other different forms and triggers for asthma. Exercise-induced asthma is a type of asthma caused by irritation of the bronchi and lungs. Such a condition is usually triggered when you exert yourself too much, both playing a team sport or exercising. GERD, or gastro esophageal reflux disease can be a cause of non-allergic asthma. No matter what kind of asthma you have, it can be helped by many different forms of treatment. Allergy and asthma are often related, but they are different conditions. Be sure to know the difference between the two so that you know how to keep each under control. One of the first thing you should do is to have a skin test for allergies right at your doctor’s office.

Use of Paracetamol may double asthma risk in teens

A new study has suggested that even monthly use of the drug acetaminophen may more than double risk of asthma in adolescents compared to those who use none at all.


Acetaminophen or Paracetamol is a widely used over-the-counter analgesic (pain reliever) and antipyretic (fever reducer).

“This study has identified that the reported use of acetaminophen in 13 and 14 year old adolescent children was associated with an exposure-dependent increased risk of asthma symptoms,” said study first author Richard Beasley, MD, professor of medicine, at the Medical Research Institute of New Zealand on behalf of the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC).

As part of the ISAAC program, two written questionnaires and one video questionnaire were administered to more than 300,000 13- and 14 year old children in 113 centers throughout 50 countries, asking them to quantify their use of acetaminophen (none, “medium”— at least once in the last year, or “high”— at least once in the last month) and their asthma, eczema and allergy symptoms.


There was a significant association between acetaminophen use and risk of asthma and eczema. For medium users the risk of asthma 43% higher than non-users; high users had 2.51 times the risk of non-users. Similarly, the risk of rhinoconjunctivitis (allergic nasal congestion) was 38% higher for medium users and 2.39 times as great for high users compared to non-users. For eczema, the relative risks were 31% and 99% respectively.


The research results will be published online on the American Thoracic Society’s Web site ahead of the print edition of the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.