Health Ministry
HEALTH NOTES
By Marla Lichtsinn, RN, MPA, CIC, Parish Nurse
MAY: Asthma & Allergies
Springtime brings warmer weather and new life in budding flowers.... And a lot of sneezing and wheezing! Asthma and allergies may kick into high gear during this time of the year, but there are ways to live full, active lives in spite of these conditions.
ASTHMA is a disease in which the air passages become narrowed or blocked - the lining of the airways swell and become inflamed; mucus can clog the air passages; and, muscles tighten around the airways ("bronchospasm"). An estimated 20 million Americans have asthma, and in spite of available treatments, it is responsible for nearly 500,000 hospital stays each year. Asthma can affect people of any race, age or sex.
Asthma is generally described as allergic (extrinsic) asthma triggered by an allergic reaction, or non-allergic (intrinsic) asthma triggered by factors not associated to allergies (e.g., anxiety, exercise, dry or cold air, smoke, viruses) but causing similar symptoms. Asthma has a genetic origin (a disease you are bom with), passed down from generation to generation. People with asthma are super-sensitive to things which don't bother other people - these things "trigger" symptoms like coughing, wheezing and a tight feeling in the chest. Common triggers include:
- Allergens (things that cause allergic reactions) such as foods, dust, pollens, molds, or pet dander
- Irritants in the air, such as smoke, strong fumes from household sprays, paint, gasoline, perfumes, scented soaps
- Respiratory infections such as colds, flu, sore throats and sinus infections (these are the #1 asthma triggers in children)
- Exercise and other activities that make you breathe harder, including laughing, crying, or hyperventilating
- Weather, such as dry wind, cold air, or sudden changes in weather
- Certain medications like aspirin can cause asthma episodes in people who are sensitive to them.
People with asthma react in different ways to these factors: some react to only a few; others, to many; some only get asthma symptoms when they are exposed to more than one factor or trigger at the same time. Since each case is unique, it's important to:
- Identify and avoid contact with your asthma triggers
- Take prescribed medications as directed (may include long-term control medications and/or short-acting quick relief medications)
- Monitor your asthma and recognize early signs that it may be worsening
- Know what to do in case of an asthma episode or emergency - discuss this with your doctor!
ALLERGIES are diseases of the immune system that cause an over-reaction to substances called "allergens" - protein particles in foods, plants, chemicals or animal dander that can trigger an allergic reaction. These substances may enter our bodies in several ways: being inhaled into the nose and lungs; through eating/drinking; by injection (medications, insect stings or bites); or absorbed through the skin (toxins from poison ivy, or latex exposure). Like asthma, the capacity to become allergic is an inherited characteristic. Yet, although you may be born with the genetic capability, you are not automatically allergic to specific allergens -several factors must be present for allergies to develop:
- The specific genes acquired from parents
- The exposure to one or more allergens to which you have a genetically programmed response
- The degree and length of exposure (very limited exposure may not cause symptoms)
As with most rules, there are exceptions: for example, poison ivy allergy ("contact dermatitis", or a skin reaction following direct contact with the allergen) is an allergy in which hereditary background does not play a part.
If you break out in hives when a bee stings you, or you sneeze every time you pet a cat, you know what some of your allergies are. But if the pattern is not so obvious, try keeping a record of when, where and under what conditions your reactions occur - as easy as jotting down notes on a calendar. If it's still a puzzle, your doctor may base a diagnosis on your personal/medical history, physical exam and tests to determine which al-lergens cause your symptoms. (Even then, it may not be possible to always avoid those allergens... not without moving to another planet!) As with asthma, your best bet is to:
- Identify and avoid your allergens
- Take prescribed (or over-the-counter) medications as directed - they really can help you to avoid painful complications such as sinus, eye or skin infections
- Monitor your symptoms and tell your doctor if they become worse instead of better - sometimes, the irritation of eyes, nose or throat can become the site of a bacterial infection that requires different treat-ment than the allergy remedy...
- When it's not possible to avoid your allergens and prescribed treatments haven't solved the problem, immunotherapy ("allergy shots") may help to prevent severe allergy symptoms (can be effective for some people with "hay fever", certain animal allergies and insect stings... usually not effective for allergies to food, drugs, feathers, or hives or eczema)
For more information, consult your doctor, chat with your pharmacist and go to www.aafa.org (Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America).
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