May is National Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month

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Spring is in the air and everything is blooming! For most people that is a wonderful statement. But for others, that is a dreadful statement. With each new Spring season comes heavy pollination, otherwise known as peak season for asthma and allergy sufferers. For such reasons, the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) declares May to be “National Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month.” According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) over 26 million Americans suffer from asthma, of which 7.1 million of them are children (CDC, 2012). In addition allergies of all types affect more than 50 million Americans (AAFA, 2015).

What is Asthma?

Asthma is one of the many chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases (COPD) and it is due to bronchial (airway structures from trachea leading into the lungs) hyper-reactivity. Asthma is characterized by swelling, inflammation and shrinking of the airways, with an increase in mucous production. Those symptoms lead to airway obstruction and breathing difficulty. Asthma is a chronic disease and there is no known cure, only drugs that can treat the symptoms and prevent frequent and potential future attacks. The start of asthma symptoms is sometimes referred to as an “asthma attack”; the reason being is that in between symptoms a person that suffers from asthma is perfectly fine until something triggers these symptoms, thereby causing an “asthma attack”. Typically asthma mostly affects children, yet asthma is not a childhood disease because it can affect people of all ages. Also there are two types of asthma: allergic and non-allergic. Allergic asthma involves the immune system and can be triggered by inhaled allergens such as dust mite allergen, pet dander, pollen, or mold. While non-allergic asthma does not involve the immune system nor is it associated with an allergic reaction. However it can be triggered by other factors such as anxiety, stress, exercise, cold air, dry air, hyperventilation, smoke, viruses or other irritants (AAFA, 2015). Of the two mentioned, allergic asthma is the most common form.

Asthma signs and symptoms

The signs and symptoms of asthma include:

  • Wheezing and coughing

  • Shortness of breath or rapid breathing

  • Increased or faster than normal heart rate

  • Reduced oxygen saturation levels, meaning not enough oxygen in the blood stream and therefore vital organs are not receiving enough oxygen.

  • Chest tightness

What are Allergies?

Allergies are diseases that involve the immune system resulting in an overreaction to substances generally referred to as “allergens.” The numerous types of allergies are categorized by the time of the year, the kind of trigger, or where symptoms appear on the body. The most common allergies are: indoor allergies; food allergies; latex allergies; insect allergies; seasonal (or outdoor) allergies; eye allergies; and skin allergies.

 

 

Allergy signs and symptoms

The many signs and symptoms of allergies also depend on the type and severity of the allergy, the kind of trigger and where on or in the body the allergy occurred. However the most common symptoms are:

  • stuffy nose

  • runny nose

  • redness, itching, and swelling of the area, including hives.

  • swelling or itching of the mouth and/or tongue

  • Asthma like symptoms e.g. shortness of breath, chest tightness, shortness of breath, and rapid heartbeat

  • dizziness including possible loss of consciousness

What are the complications?

Asthma and allergies are potentially life threatening events. Acute severe asthma (especially in children) and allergic reaction (especially latex, food and insect allergies) can quickly progress to full respiratory failure followed by respiratory arrest and cardiac arrest. Recognizing the signs and symptoms of these diseases is important, immediate and appropriate actions may often be required.

 

Common Sense Allergy Tips from the Mayo Clinic

  • Stay indoors on dry, windy days — the best time to go outside is after a good rain, which helps clear pollen from the air.

  • Delegate lawn mowing, weed pulling and other gardening chores that stir up allergens.

  • Remove clothes you’ve worn outside; you may also want to shower to rinse pollen from your skin and hair.

  • Don’t hang laundry outside — pollen can stick to sheets and towels.

  • Wear a dust mask if you do outside chores.

  • Check your local TV or radio station, your local newspaper, or the Internet for pollen forecasts and current pollen levels.

  • If high pollen counts are forecasted, start taking allergy medications before your symptoms start.

  • Close doors and windows at night or any other time when pollen counts are high.

  • Avoid outdoor activity in the early morning when pollen counts are highest.

To Learn More

Contact the Asthma and Allergy Foundation for information, publications, help and or concerns.

Toll free Hotline 1.800.7.ASTHMA (1.800.727.8462)

Information from:

Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America – Information About Asthma, Allergies, Food Allergies and More! (n.d.). Retrieved May 3, 2015, from http://www.aafa.org/display.cfm?id=8

CDC – Asthma – Common Asthma Triggers. (2012). Retrieved from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website: http://www.cdc.gov/asthma/triggers.html