What are allergies?
What are the most common allergic diseases?
How can I tell the difference between a cold and an allergy?
What are the symptoms of asthma?
What is the difference between preventive medicines and quick relievers?
What are some asthma triggers?
What can I expect from my asthma and allergy treatment?
How can I manage cockroach allergy?
What does AAFA MD-DC do for people with asthma and allergies?
What are allergies?
Allergies reflect an overreaction of the immune system to substances that usually do not cause a reaction in most individuals. In other words, an allergy is the body’s immune system response to specific elements in the environment or to something that is ingested. These substances can trigger sneezing, wheezing, rash, coughing and itching.
What are the most common allergic diseases?
The most common allergic diseases are:
o Allergic rhinitis (hay fever)
o Allergic asthma
o Allergic Conjunctivitis
o Urticaria (hives)
o Atopic Dermatitis (eczema)
o Contact Dermatitis
o Food Allergy
o Latex Allergy
o Insect Sting Allergy
o Drug Allergy
o Anaphylaxis
Diseases that can be a result of chronic nasal allergies include:
o Sinusitis
o Otis Media (middle ear infection)
How can I tell the difference between a cold and an allergy?
You can tell the difference by your symptoms. Not everyone may be able to tell without a doctor’s diagnosis. However, here are some clues:
o With an allergy you do not have a fever or muscle aches, but with a cold you might.
o Allergies last weeks or months, while colds last only 7 to 10 days.
o Nasal discharges caused by allergies are usually clear, thin and watery, while a cold starts off clear but changes to thick, yellow/green.
o With allergies you may have itching in the ear, nose and throat. With colds, this itching is rare.
o Sneezing spells are common with allergies and rarely occur with colds.
o Allergies occur during different seasons depending on what you are allergic to. Colds occur mostly in the fall and winter.
What is asthma?
Asthma is a chronic (long-term) inflammatory lung condition in which the airways are hyper-reactive and can become blocked or narrowed in attacks. This can lead to symptoms of persistent cough, wheezing (whistling in the chest), shortness of breath, breathing trouble and other symptoms. If asthma becomes severe, you may need emergency treatment to restore normal breathing.
What are the symptoms of asthma?
Common symptoms of asthma include the following:
o Wheezing
o Cough
o Shortness of breath
o Tightness of breath
o Increased mucous production
Can medicine cure my asthma?
No, there is no cure for asthma. Although asthma cannot be cured, it can be controlled. There are many medicines that help people with asthma. Some are preventive medicines that help people with asthma and others are known as quick relievers (these help relieve the acute symptoms of asthma).
What is the difference between preventive medicines and quick relievers?
The preventive medicines are used for long-term control of the disease and work to make asthma attacks less frequent and less severe. Quick reliever medicines offer short-term relief of symptoms when asthma episodes occur.
What are some asthma triggers?
If you have asthma, it is important to be aware of the things in your environment that tend to make asthma worse. These factors or triggers vary from person to person and can include:
o Allergens
o Tobacco smoke – both active and passive can trigger asthma
o Exercise
o Cold air, wind, rain and sudden changes in the weather
o Paint fumes, smog, aerosol sprays and perfume
o Upper respiratory infections
o Some medications
Each case of asthma is unique. If you have asthma, it is important to keep track of the factors that you know trigger asthma episodes.
Can people die from asthma?
Each day, 14 people in the United States die from asthma. However, with proper treatment and management, most people should be able to keep their asthma under control to avoid life-threatening asthma attacks. It is vital that all people with asthma follow their doctor’s instructions and keep their emergency (quick reliever) medications current and handy.
What can I expect from my asthma and allergy treatment?
With proper medical treatment, your asthma and allergy symptoms should not:
o Interfere with daily activities
o Wake you up at night
o Cause you to miss school or work
o Cause you to wheeze during strenuous physical activities
o Send you to the emergency room
What is dust mite allergy?
If you have allergies or asthma, tiny creatures living in your home could be making big problems for you. Too small to be seen with the naked eye, dust mites are only about one-quarter to one-third of a millimeter. They are primitive bugs that spend their lives moving about, eating, reproducing and eliminating waste products. They feed chiefly on the tiny flakes of human skin that people normally shed each day. Dust mites like to live in pillows and bedding, carpet and stuffed animals.
Household dust is not a single substance, but rather a mixture of many materials. Dust may contain tiny fibers shed from different kinds of fabric, as well as tiny particles of feathers, dander from pet dogs or cats, bacteria, food, plant and insect parts, and mold and fungus spores. It also contains many microscopic mites and their waste products. These waste products, not the mites themselves, are what cause allergic reactions.
Your doctor is an important resource in helping you to keep dust mite allergies under control. Talk to him or her about measures you can take, of allergy products and whether immunizing shots may be right for you. Together you can triumph over the dust mites.
What is cockroach allergy?
Cockroach allergy is a problem among people who live in cities or in the South and have cockroaches in their house (or one of the units in a multiple-unit dwelling). Cockroach allergen is found in the feces, saliva and the bodies of these insects. Cockroach allergy can cause nasal allergy symptoms and worsening of asthma.
How can I manage cockroach allergy?
If you have cockroach allergy:
o Rid your home of the roaches. Because they resist many control measures, it is best to call in pest control experts. Keep in mind that tackling a multiple-unit dwelling will be more difficult than a single family home.
o For ongoing control, use poison baits, boric acid and traps (be careful to place these products in areas where children and pets will not come into contact with them).
o Do not leave food and garbage uncovered.
o Speak to your doctor about managing nasal and sinus symptoms and asthma.
What does AAFA MD-DC do for people with asthma and allergies?
We are here to help you. AAFA MD-DC is dedicated to improving the lives of people with asthma and allergies through support for research and by providing program services, public education and patient assistance.
If I give money to AAFA MD-DC where does it go?
Donations to AAFA MD-DC go towards finding a cure for asthma through research, developing and disseminating new asthma and allergy educational programs and services, and fighting for better patient care and more public awareness about these diseases.
All of your questions or concerns will be promptly answered by using the Email link below.
[email protected]