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This section is intended to help you better understand the basics of asthma and allergies. Hopefully, you can find the answer to the question you are looking for here. If not, check our Facts & Figures section. Teens should also check the "Question of the Month" section where we, and other teens, try to answer YOUR Specific questions that you can submit to us online! Also, the AAFA national web site (www.aafa.org) offers additional information regarding asthma and allergies.
ASTHMA
What is asthma?
Asthma is a chronic disease affecting the airways that carry air into and out of the lungs. People with asthma have sensitive airways that become irritated and swollen when certain "trigger" elements, like pollen and pet dander, enter their airways. In an asthma flare-up, the tissues in the airways become inflamed, there is a mucus build up, and muscles tighten around the airways. The effects are usually temporary and can be controlled by a good asthma management plan, but in severe cases a person may need emergency treatment to restore normal breathing patterns.
What are the symptoms of asthma?
Symptoms of uncontrolled asthma commonly include coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath, tightness in the chest, and/or excessive mucus build up in the airways to the lungs. These symptoms vary from person to person. Additionally, you can still have asthma (sensitive, inflamed airways) even if you don't have symptoms at the moment.
Who can get asthma?
Although asthma develops most commonly in children before the age of five and adults in their thirties, anyone can develop asthma. You are most likely to develop asthma if one of your parents has it and if you have allergies.
Can people die from asthma?
Each day approximately 14 people die from asthma in the United States. However, these days, with proper treatment and management, most people should be able to keep their asthma under control to avoid life-threatening situations. It is important to remember that all people with asthma should follow their doctor's instructions and keep their medications handy and current.
Is there a cure for asthma?
Unfortunately, there is no present cure for asthma. However, it can be controlled and there are many medications that can help people with asthma. With the proper use of medications and avoidance of triggers, the risks of asthma can be greatly reduced.
Can I exercise if I have asthma?
With the right kind of medical management you should be able to participate in physical activities and sports without experiencing asthma symptoms. DO NOT let asthma keep you from leading an active life or from achieving your athletic goals. Just look at athletes like Jackie-Joyner Kersee, Amy Van Dyken, Tom Dolan and Jerome Bettis; they didn't let asthma stop them!
ALLERGIES
What are allergies?
Allergies are an overreaction of your body's immune system to a harmless foreign substance (like pollen for example) that enters the body. Substances that cause this reaction are called allergens. The job of your immune system is to identify foreign substances in the body and get rid of them. An allergic reaction occurs when an allergen enters the body and your sensitive immune system overreacts to it by producing antibodies to fight off the allergens. These antibodies in turn cause the release of histamines and other chemicals that result in symptoms such as a runny nose, swelling, itchy and watery eyes, rashes, or asthma.
Who can get allergies?
Almost anyone can get allergies! Although people are not born with allergies, they often inherit the tendency to develop them. Allergies often begin in childhood, but can develop or reemerge later in life.
What is a food allergy?
People with food allergies have immune systems that react to harmless substances found in food and drink. When a person eats the food that he/she is allergic to, the food allergens (see "What are allergies?") react to antibodies on the cells releasing chemicals into the body. Any food can cause an allergic reaction, but only eight foods cause nine out of ten reactions. In children, milk, soy, eggs, wheat, peanuts, tree nuts, fish and shellfish are the most common, while adults are most likely to be allergic to peanuts, tree nuts and shellfish.
Anaphylaxis is a life-threatening allergic reaction that affects the whole body, causing breathing problems and loss of consciousness, among other symptoms. Substances that are common causes of anaphylaxis are medications, foods, insect stings, and latex. Reactions usually occur within minutes after contact with the allergen and, without speedy treatment, can sometimes be fatal. People subject to anaphylaxis have to carry injections of epinephrine (such as Epipen® or Anakit®) for quick use.
How can I find out what is causing my allergies?
Your family physician or allergist can help you determine what causes your specific allergies by examining your medical history, giving you a physical examination and testing your sensitivity to specific allergens. There are three kinds of tests: skin tests, blood tests and the elimination diet.
Can I outgrow my allergies?
Although allergies may spontaneously improve, particularly through adolescence, they may also reoccur or worsen later in life. It is possible that asthma and allergies may become dormant and you may be free of symptoms. However, allergic disease can return or even have its initial onset later in life. Despite this, there seems to be a tendency for many allergies to become less severe in people after the age of 40 and more severe after the age of 60.
SMOKING
Can smoking make my asthma and/or allergies worse than they already are?
The answer to this is YES, smoking can definitely make your asthma and/or allergies worse. When tobacco smoke gets into the eyes, ears and lungs of a person with asthma and/or allergies, it makes their symptoms worse. In fact, tobacco smoke triggers asthma and makes people with allergies more sensitive to pollen, mold and dust mites.
Can second hand smoke have an effect on my asthma and/or allergies?
Again, the answer to this question is yes. In fact, it has been shown that children of mothers who smoke are twice as likely to develop asthma as those children whose mothers do not smoke. So, it is important to keep in mind that even if you don't smoke, the smoke from others around you CAN affect your asthma/allergies.