What is allergic Asthma?

Allergic asthma is a very common condition that many people experience throughout their lives. There isn’t a cure for allergic asthma.

Allergic asthma is a breathing condition where the airways a person breathe through tighten when a person inhale an allergen. This type of asthma is very common in both children and adults. 
Common allergens include pollen, dander and mold spores.  Symptoms of allergic asthma can include shortness of breath, coughing, wheezing, stuffy nose, itchy eyes and a rash.

Allergies play a large part in life. Allergies can affect what a person eat, products he use, and even the way he breathe. When allergies combine with a breathing condition called asthma, it’s called allergic asthma. A type of asthma, allergic asthma is a condition where one's airways tighten when he breathe in an allergen. This can be something in the air often pollen, dander or mold spores. Allergens are also called triggers because they set off his asthma. Things that could cause him to have a reaction, might not affect other people.

When someone have allergies his body creates a response to something it thinks is a threat the allergen. It fires up all of its defenses to try and fight off danger. This is done by his immune system. Patient's immune system typically works to protect him from disease. When his immune system thinks that there’s danger, it releases a chemical called immunoglobulin E (IgE). This substance is meant to fight back and protect his body. However, high amounts of IgE can cause his airways to tighten, making it difficult to breathe.

Asthma is a disease of the lungs that causes patient's airways to:
• Become swollen or irritated (called inflammation) specifically in the airway linings.
• Produce large amounts of mucus that is thicker than normal.
• Narrow because the muscles around the airways tighten.

Many people with asthma actually have allergic asthma. It’s the most common type of asthma. In the United States, about 25 million people have asthma. Out of that group, approximately 60% have asthma that’s caused by allergies. The cause of asthma isn’t known. However, for those with allergic asthma, the reason symptoms start is related to allergens. This is the main difference between allergic asthma and other types of asthma allergens are inhaled and trigger asthma symptoms. When you experience severe asthma symptoms, it’s called an asthma attack.

Possible allergens that can trigger allergic asthma can include:
Dander : This is skin flakes and it’s usually from pets. Hair is often grouped with dander as a common allergen.
Pollen : A powdery substances, pollen comes from plants. The most common types of pollen that trigger allergic asthma are grass and weeds.
Mold : Typically found in places that hold moisture (basements), mold produces spores that get into the air and can trigger your asthma.
Dust mites : Very small and shaped like spiders, dust mites live in the soft surfaces of your home (carpets, soft furniture coverings and clothes). They eat skin flakes that you naturally shed all of the time. Both the mites themselves and their feces are allergens.
Cockroaches : These pests can be found in many homes and other buildings. Your asthma can be triggered by the feces, saliva and other body parts of the cockroaches.

Some people suffer from seasonal allergies. These are allergies that flare up at a certain time of year. This is often connected to spring because of the blooming of many plants. During this time of year, there is more pollen in the air than other seasons (fall or winter).

If you have allergic asthma, you may have many of the same symptoms you would experience with other types of asthma. These symptoms can include:
✓ Feeling short of breath.
✓ Coughing frequently, especially at night.
✓ Wheezing (a whistling noise during breathing).
✓ Experiencing chest tightness (feels like something is pressing or squeezing your chest).

You can also experience symptoms more closely related to allergies. These are usually less intense than asthma symptoms and can happen when you’re exposed to an allergen. These symptoms can include:

✓ A stuffy nose.
✓ Itchy or running eyes.
✓ Sneezing.