Allergic Asthma

This information was reviewed and approved by Flavia Cecilia Lega Hoyte, MD (2/6/2023).

Allergies can make asthma worse. In people with allergies, the immune system becomes sensitive to normally harmless substances known as allergens.

Common allergens include pollens (trees, grasses, weeds), mold spores, animal dander from feathered or furry animals, dust mites (a major component of house dust in humid climates) and cockroaches. On contact with the allergen, the allergic person’s body produces chemicals that irritate the inflamed airways and lead to symptoms. Allergy symptoms may include itchy eyes, runny nose, asthma symptoms, skin problems (eczema) and/or a rash.

Depending upon you or your child’s medical and family history, age and environment, allergy testing may be necessary. We recommend that testing be done under the supervision of a board-certified allergist. In most cases, skin testing for allergens is preferable to blood tests. Knowing if your child is allergic, and to what, can help you take appropriate measures in your home to decrease exposure to these allergens.

Although many preventive measures are important for the entire home, your bedroom is the most important room in the house, because that is where you usually spend a large portion of your time at home.

What allergic asthma and what has been considered over these years is asthma induced by allergies.

The classic example of allergy induced asthma or allergic asthma is I'm allergic to a dog or a cat.

I walk into a room with a cat or dog, I play with a cat or dog and then that induces asthma.

People with allergy induced asthma also have asthma to other things too.

They may also have asthma when they get a cold or a viral induced asthma.

They may also have asthma if they have bad reflux.

They may also have asthma if they're exposed to things like cigarette smoke or toxic chemicals.

Allergic asthma has been used for many years to describe people with allergy induced asthma but these patients as we're finding out are much more complex than that.

Allergic asthma in my mind is diagnosed a lot clinically.

Did they have one or more of these other atopic conditions?

And then also you do skin testing to verify that they have allergies and so what that involves is you bring a patient in the clinic, you take the allergens or little proteins we think people may be allergic to, for example cat protein, dog protein, pollens.

We dip it into the protein and then we scratch the skin and then when you scratch the skin if they're allergic it'll swell up, become red and itchy and so really the diagnosis of allergic asthma is both very much dependent on the clinical history of what they tell the doctor but then also verified with some skin testing.

There's also a couple more testing that we do.

We do things called exhalonitric oxide where people breathe out and it measures inflammation.

We see that is often elevated with allergic asthma but it really is still very much dependent on the physician's history and a consideration of the person as an individual.

The treatment of allergic asthma should consist of avoidance.

If there's no clear trigger that we can do anything about, like say for example Hollens, typically we have a rescue inhaler when they have symptoms but then also we have a maintenance medication and the maintenance medication is there to reduce inflammation.

Learn how to reduce allergies and asthma, based on your type of allergy.

Animal allergy
Dust mite allergy
Food allergy (Food allergies rarely make asthma worse.)
Latex allergy
Mold allergy
Pollen allergy

Allergy Shots (Immunotherapy)

If you have allergic asthma, taking action to avoid exposure is recommended, whenever possible. This can be difficult if you are allergic to pollen, molds, and dust mites. Allergy medications, including nasal sprays and antihistamines, and nasal irrigations can help control symptoms.

If actions to avoid exposure and medications are not effective, your doctor might consider allergy shots. Allergy shots have been shown to reduce symptoms associated with pollen, certain molds, dust mites and animal dander.

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