This is how you will know if it is a cold or allergic asthma

Many of us suffer from repeated episodes of chronic runny nose or the appearance of frequent coughs that increase at certain times of the year. What are the differences between normal asthma and allergic asthma? How do we know what we are allergic to? Why does this happen specifically during the transition season? And how to deal with this problem?Asthma is an obstructive inflammatory disease of the airways. Most patients experience rising and falling waves of the disease – in certain periods there are no symptoms at all, while in periods of flare-up symptoms may appear such as difficulty breathing, “wheezing”, wheezing, chest pressure and a severe cough.

The cough didn’t go away after two weeks? It could be an allergy

Asthma is common among children. Many times the symptoms disappear at the age of 5-6, but in some cases, usually when the symptoms were moderate to severe, the disease may return again at an older age. However, asthma can appear at any age and not only in childhood.

 

On the other hand, allergic asthma is created due to exposure to various allergens present in the air. Dust, plants and cat or dog fur can cause an inflammatory process and with it the flare-up of an asthma attack. The exposure to the allergen activates the allergic immune system, and as a result, a substance of the histamine type is secreted that causes symptoms such as runny nose, sneezing, itchy nose and eyes, shortness of breath, cough, chest pressure and wheezing.

 

 

 

Data from the USA indicate that about 60 percent of asthma patients also suffer from allergic asthma, but despite the overlap between the diseases and the similar symptoms (cough, runny nose, nasal congestion and sneezing), not everyone who has asthma has an allergy, since shortness of breath is caused by a viral infection similar to the disease The flu, compared to the allergy caused by an excessive reaction of the immune system to certain substances (allergens), and asthma Allergy should be diagnosed by an allergy and immunology clinic or an allergy and immunology specialist.

If the symptoms do not go away after a week or two, appear at certain times of the year or worsen as a result of exposure to certain factors – there is a high probability that you suffer from allergic asthma.

>> All about allergic asthma

Close the windows – more exposed to allergies

How do we know if and what we are allergic to? Identifying the allergen is the most important step in the prevention and treatment of allergy attacks, so initially the family doctor will examine the severity of the attacks (whether there is only a runny nose or also cough and shortness of breath) and their frequency (how many times a year the attacks appear, whether the appearance is related to a certain season). Depending on the report and the results of the initial tests, the doctor will send the patient for an allergy test to test the immune system’s response to various allergens (house dust mites, pollens from flowers, animals, etc.).

In the winter season, the allergy may appear because the windows are closed and the house is warm, and the house dust mite is in the closets where we store the blankets, coats, sweaters and long clothes. Returning to educational settings in schools and kindergartens may also result in exposure to allergens that exacerbate the symptoms. In the spring season, the flowering begins and pollen from trees, plants and grasses that are carried in the air can cause the outbreak of symptoms.

 

 

 

Don’t settle for handkerchiefs

The most important and significant step is to diagnose the cause and try to avoid it as much as possible, thus reducing the symptoms. A skin test is performed (skin tests) at an allergy and immunology clinic, and then the drug treatment is adjusted: the asthma treatment will be permanent or as needed with inhalers containing steroids and bronchodilators. In cases of allergic asthma, antihistamines are also given to help with the allergic reaction (the histamine, secreted by mast cells, is one of the generators of the allergic reaction, and its inhibition prevents the effects and symptoms of the reaction.

Mild to moderate allergic asthma can be treated with an allergen-specific vaccine (dust, grass, olive tree pollen, etc.) given in allergy clinics. The patient receives vaccines in increasing concentrations until the maintenance phase and for three to five years. The treatment significantly reduces the symptoms and the need for medication.

 

 

 

In complex cases where the asthma is not controlled despite preventive and regular treatment, there are also biological treatments that act in a targeted manner on the main cells involved in the body’s immune system response. The treatment works on proteins that play a central role in the inflammatory processes that accompany asthma and that cause the symptoms of the disease. The treatments counteract the activity of the protein, reduce the inflammation and thus reduce the symptoms. The biological treatments work against various allergic reactions, and are given according to the patient’s medical profile, usually by injection, and involve very few side effects.

It is important not to ignore the symptoms – if the symptoms do not go away, make an appointment with the family doctor, and if an allergic reaction is suspected – consult an allergist. With the help of diagnosis, reducing exposure to the allergen and targeted and adapted treatment, it is possible to maintain a good quality of life even during the transitional seasons.

Dr. Vared Schichter Confino She is the director of the allergy and immunology unit for children and adults, at the Hillel Yaffe Medical Center