Allergies and asthma can sometimes fall hand in hand even though this isn’t the case all of the time. Allergens such as pet dander, dust mites, pollen, mold and other irritants can get into your body and cause your immune system to overreact. When your body is invaded with allergens, your system responds by releasing a substance called IgE (immunoglobulin E). Too much IgE in the system can cause inflammation. When you become inflamed this can cause the airways to feel tight and can make it harder to breath and trigger an asthma attack.
Common signs and symptoms of allergic/non-allergic asthma include:
- Cough
- Wheezing
- Shortness of breath
- Quick breaths
- Chest tightness
Even though allergens can play a huge role in the symptoms of asthma, there can still be other irritants that can make your allergic asthma worse. Examples of other sources include, smoke, air pollution, cold air, exercise in cold air, strong chemical odors or food, dusty rooms and perfumes or air fresheners.
How do you know if you have allergic asthma?
Marcy and her staff provide allergy testing at this clinic along with spirometry tests that look at lung function. The scratch testing consists of air borne and food borne allergens. After fifteen minutes the scratch testing is ready to read and it will be evident if you have allergies. Marcy will then be able to determine whether or not your asthma is caused by allergens or not.
Source: http://www.webmd.com/asthma/guide/allergic-asthma